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Queen Elizabeth II has Died.
Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, passed away Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, her summer residence. During her broadly popular seven-decade reign, she withstood tectonic changes in the post-imperial society of her nation. She overcame numerous challenges brought on by her descendants’ romantic decisions, gaffes, and scandals. She was 96.
Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, America turned its attention to the ancient continent. Television networks abruptly began airing programming when word of her sudden fall spread as if the US President had passed away. The US Open tennis competition and the United Nations both observed moments of silence in New York to remember her life. Washington’s government buildings flew their flags at half-staff.
Before becoming Queen, she visited Washington, DC, to see Harry Truman, the first of her 13 meetings with US Presidents. (Dwight Eisenhower was the US commander-in-chief with whom she had her first official head-of-state encounter.) The last President to have official talks with the Queen was President Joe Biden, who came by the British embassy in Washington on Thursday to sign a book of condolences.
She died peacefully on Thursday afternoon at her Scottish estate, where she had spent much of the summer.
