Photo courtesy of Annie Spratt on Unsplash

The Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 8, causing some to mourn, and many to celebrate. The queen passed at 96 years old, but she has been ruling since the 1950s. Eager for power, the queen was monarch of 15 different countries. This means that people in all these countries lived under a ruler that they did not vote for. 

Behind the face of what looked like a sweet old lady turned out to be someone who was obsessed with control. According to the Associated Press, her passing has left many questioning the idea of monarchy and whether or not it is the best tactic in governing a nation.

Yes, she came into her reign when Harry S. Truman was president and before man set foot on the moon, but there were many negative events during her time as queen that tend to be looked over. Many feel the queen has a “power ego.” In fact, she used her reign to prohibit natives of the Chago Islands from ever returning to their homes after forcing them to leave the island. 

According to the New York Times, the Economic Freedom Fighters, a South African political party, felt the queen’s death reminded them of the number of challenges and obstacles her family brought on Africa and around the world. This is just one example of how the queen was perceived as racist to many and was disliked by millions around the world.

One may argue that her remaining in power for seven decades was a link between different generations. However, this does not make up for any of the wrongful burdens and injustices she has placed on people. 

The media tends to focus on her positive impact, leaving out anything that could ruin her reputation. The United States chose to have a democracy, yet for weeks we have been solely covering her on the news as if she was our own ruler. This just demonstrates how the idea of a monarch in power can change the world; just one person’s reign can impact the entire population negatively or positively.

I could go on to explain the horrific things the queen and royal family have done that are barely covered, but that would take days. Monarchies are not as popular anymore, which means it is time for change. 

No singular person should have a say over nations, and the idea of colonization for power should be abolished. Yes, Queen Elizabeth II may have been a big loss for the United Kingdom, but there is so much more behind the scenes that we still do not know.