England’s Queen Elizabeth II passed away at her Scottish estate, shortly after being placed under medical supervison, on Thursday, Sep. 8.

Her family visited her at Balmoral Castle in Scotland after her condition worsened. She later passed away due to natural causes. Her son King Charles III, who previously served as the Prince of Wales, described her death as a “moment of great sadness” and “the passing of a cherished sovereign and […] mother.” (BBC)

During WWII, the queen wrote to her third cousin, Phillip, Prince of Greece. They were later married at Westminster Abbey on Nov. 20, 1947, and Phillip became the Duke of Edinburgh. The two were happily married for 72 years, until Phillip tragically passed away in 2021 at the age of 99.

Teacher Molly Maguire said, “It’s the strangest thing […] the Queen has been the Queen for my whole life, and my parents’ whole life.”

Queen Elizabeth II was in Kenya when her father, King George VI, died in 1952. She then returned home as the Queen of England, where she remained on the throne for an impressive 70 years.

The world will surely take time to come around to the reality that the Queen has passed. “I think [England] is going to struggle because she was around for so long,” said Mason Bruch (26).

King Charles III became king immediately after Queen Elizabeth’s death; however, his coronation ceremony, at Westminster Abbey, may not take place for several months. England will mourn her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, until that day. She will no doubt be missed by her country after her 70 years of service and 96 years of life.