The United Kingdom’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Thursday, Sept. 8.// Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom’s longest reigning monarch, died Thursday, Sept. 8, at the age of 96. Ascending to the throne after her father King George VI died in Feb. 1952, the queen served for over 70 years, meeting with 15 British prime ministers and 14 American presidents.
“Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived. A promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing,” said King Charles III after addressing the nation. “I pay tribute to my mother’s memory, and I honor her life of service. I know that her death brings great sadness to so many of you, and I share that sense of loss, beyond measure, with you all.”
Most Hofstra students were in class when the queen’s death was announced.
Jasmine Truong, a senior double major in anthropology and history, was in a history class when someone shared the news.
“We kind of saw it coming, but it wasn’t something we were ready for,” Truong said.
Monitoring live updates from The New York Times and CNN, Lizzy Tauro, whose full first name is Elizabeth – a name she feels honors the late queen – is a close follower of the royal family and was stunned when she found out.
“When we got the notification that she died, I was just kind of shocked because she’s always been in my life,” Tauro said. “She’s been in all of our lives for so long, and it was just weird.”
Some Hofstra professors expressed different feelings about the queen, the British empire and the monarchy.
Paula Uruburu, a professor of English and film studies, is half Irish and acknowledged the queen’s accomplishments but reflected on Britain’s history of imperialism.
“I have mixed feelings about the empire, but I always thought she was an amazing individual,” Uruburu said. “The idea that she even became the queen was under such almost incomprehensible circumstances.”
With the loss of a public figure that has affected everyone in various ways, a counseling professional explains the importance of talking about your feelings during this time.
“There are people who have different feelings about the queen and that regime and how they colonized parts of the world,” said Teresa Grella-Hillebrand, director of the Counseling and Mental Health Professions Clinic at the Saltzman Community Services Center. “So people might have very mixed feelings in response to people feeling sad about it, other people might feel like, you know, ‘she wasn’t the greatest person in the world.’ People can have a range of emotions in reaction to the loss of a famous figure and they’re all valid.”
Ascending the throne from the queen is her first son, King Charles III, followed by his first son, Prince William, and his children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
In May, in a poll that surveyed over 1,000 British adults, 86% of the respondents were satisfied with the queen’s work, while King Charles’ approval rate was 65% and lower than the rating of his son, Prince William, according to Ipsos, a research company based in Paris, France.
Sharing similar views, Hofstra students give their opinions on the new heir.
“Charles, I personally do not like Charles; I think he was horrible to [Princess] Diana,” Tauro said. “I think she was treated unfairly. I don’t think the queen stood up for her in that sense.”
Acknowledging the reactions to King Charles III, Carolyn Dudek, professor and chair of the department of political science and director of European studies, said he has “big shoes to fill” after not receiving a high approval rating like the queen.
“I think he is going to have to show himself to be king-like,” Dudek said. “He can’t be his mother, but to be similar to her in the sense that she was always professional and people say she was decent.”
With 73 years of experience, Uruburu explains that becoming king is something King Charles III has prepared for his entire life. Unlike Elizabeth, King Charles III was “groomed to be king” from birth.
“He waited a long time for it. But I think one of the things that I definitely think is going to happen is that the monarchy needed to change,” Uruburu said. “I think he’s going to be able to be a much more public and hands-on figure.”
“Operation London Bridge,” the official funeral plan, commenced after the death of the queen. On Tuesday, Sept. 13, the queen is expected to be flown from Scotland to Buckingham Palace. The queen will lie in state for four days as members of the public pay their respects.
The televised funeral will take place on Monday, Sept. 19, in Westminster Abbey in London. The queen will be laid to rest next to her father, mother and sister in the King George VI memorial chapel.
After the queen is buried, Prince Phillip will be transferred from the Royal Vault in Windsor Castle to be buried beside her.