Remembering Queen Elizabeth The II

As we mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth The II, we take this opportunity to reflect on her historic reign.

Aged just 21, Her Majesty The Queen declared that she would devote her whole life to the service of her people. ‘A fair and youthful figure, princess, wife and mother, is the heir to all our traditions and glories,’ as an entranced Sir Winston Churchill so poetically put it on her Coronation. ‘She is also heir to all our united strength and loyalty … That it should be a golden age of art and letters we can only hope but it is certain that if a true and lasting peace can be achieved … an immense and undreamed of prosperity, with culture and leisure even more widely spread can come … to the masses of the people.’

Her extraordinary reign, spanning more than seven decades – longer than any other Monarch in British history – selflessly demonstrated this steadfast commitment to public service. Queen Elizabeth II oversaw the successful transition of the United Kingdom from an Empire to Commonwealth member, a new settlement between the constituent nations and regions of the United Kingdom, the flourishing of a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society, the easing of social hierarchies, and an incredible array of scientific and creative achievements. So it is with sincere gratitude and deep affection that so many tributes now flood in from across the globe to honour the life of this inspirational leader.

Source – https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/news/queen-elizabeth-ii