Lilibet : The Amazing Queen

“ A character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant “. These are the words of Winston Churchill for a 2 year old Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, the elder daughter of the then Duke and Duchess of York and the grand daughter of the then reigning monarch King George V. The little girl greatly  cherished by her Grandfather, had already shown early signs of eminence and was destined for greatness.

Heir Presumptive

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was never expected to take the throne as she was the third in line after her uncle Edward and her  father.  Post  the death of King George V in 1936, Elizabeth’s uncle succeeded to the throne as King Edward VIII. However, later that year there was an upheaval in the Royal Family due to the King’s proposed marriage to divorced socialite Wallis Simpson.  King Edward VIII abdicated the Kingship and consequently his brother and Elizabeth’s father became the King taking his regnal name King George VI. Following this change, Elizabeth became the Heir Presumptive.

The Right Attitude

The young Heiress, as has been stated by people close to her in her developing years, always had an attitude of responsibility, she was  sensible, very well behaved and had some outstanding witty humour. She and her younger sister were educated privately. The Heiress started taking public duties during the World War II and served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. She trained as a  Driver and Mechanic and was  conferred the rank of Honorary Junior Commander.

The Ascendancy

Post the WW II, Elizabeth began getting more involved with the affairs of the Monarchy as  the King’s health worsened. Eventually in  February 1952, King George VI passed away and Elizabeth, a young 25 year old,  ascended the throne to be Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. Those were testing times. The world was recovering from the devastation in the aftermath of the War and required great healing, compassion and a road map for cohesion, tolerance,  inclusivity and progress. 

Queen Elizabeth II : A capable Monarch

The Queen worked admirably and discharged her duties with a balming effect,  working closely with the political powers to usher in a new World. At the helm of  a thriving Colonial Power, Queen Elizabeth II, manoeuvred through the various political changes with aplomb displaying great leadership and  political understanding and acumen. She was never averse to change, including de-colonisation of several countries leading to the shrinking of Britain’s imprints and power and adopted them gracefully, earning huge respect from leaders and the general public across the world.

A Symbol of Respect and Admiration

The year 1992 probably was one of her most difficult years of her reign as the Queen, mainly due to several controversies besieging her children’s personal lives, which became subjects of public  scrutiny. Very aptly she termed that year ‘ Annus Horibilis’. Even in those trying times she  balanced the pressures of tradition and demands of modern times with great poise and self assurance. The Queen’s popularity never dipped and she continued to be a symbol of respect and admiration. 

The Reign Ends

Thursday, the 8th of September2022, Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest ruling Monarch, breathed her last at the Balmoral Castle, her Scottish abode in Aberdeen, bringing down the curtain on an exemplary life of 96 years and an accomplished reign of 70 years as Britain’s Head of State. 

Lilibet

The little girl, fondly called Lilibet by her close relatives, based on how she called out her name as a child, has left behind a legacy virtually impossible to replicate and a world which has come together in mourning the loss of the witty Matriarch.