London Bridge is down. 

This message was sent to the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister on the afternoon of September 8th, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, passed away aged 96 at Balmoral Castle. 

Many mourned for the Queen’s unexpected passing, thousands gathering outside Buckingham Palace to pay their respects in the pouring rain. 

“Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well lived, a promise with destiny kept, and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today,” vowed King Charles III, the Queen’s eldest son succeeding her, at his first official speech. 

Ending her 70-year-long reign, she is to be remembered as one of the greatest monarchs of the modern era. But, was she indeed a great leader?

The position of Queen is not what one would expect. The flash of capital and property appears grand: the infamous $28 billion firm of inheritance, but uncovered, it’s truly more than what meets the eye.

Queen Elizabeth had the country’s legacy to carry at the age of 25. Her uncle, the meant-to-be King, had abdicated the throne, and soon after, her father had abruptly passed away without a male heir. She was already a mother of two, and promptly, she had become the Queen of the United Kingdom. 

In the UK, the monarch is not the governing leader of the country. Instead, the power of all political decisions lies in the parliament while the monarch serves as the Head of State, responsible for constitutional and representational duties that symbolize the national identity. According to Buckingham Palace, the monarch is to create a “sense of stability and continuity in success and excellence.” 

For the past seventy years, Queen Elizabeth ruled the country with a dedication to her service and duty. From what all of us can remember, the Queen had been Queen for all our, our parents, and our grandparents’ lives. She was England as herself, and the longevity of her rule proves so.

The Queen reigned over 15 British premierships and 14 U.S. presidencies from Winston Churchill to Joe Biden. She led through world tragedies from WWII to COVID-19. Nevertheless, the Queen stood firm and constant while the world was ever-changing. 

In the succession of the now-passed Queen Elizabeth, King Charles III now has the country’s legacy on his shoulders.