On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, dies at age 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. The crown passes to her eldest son, now King Charles III.
27-year-old Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was crowned on June 2, 1953, after the death of her father, King George VI. At her coronation, her four-year-old son and future king Charles was present. Charles took the oath at his coronation on May 6, 2023 at Westminster Abbey, along with his wife, Queen Camilla.
“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held,” King Charles said in a statement after his mother died.
Over her seven decades of rule, Queen Elizabeth became a beloved international figure and traveled frequently around the world. She saw public and charitable service as an important part of her role as monarch. Elizabeth was linked to more than 600 charities, military associations and professional and public-service organizations. In her personal life, Queen Elizabeth raised four children, and had many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
The Queen maintained close relationships with leaders of the United States. In her condolences to America after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, she delivered one of her most memorable quotes: “Grief is the price we pay for love.”
U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden released a statement upon Queen Elizabeth’s death. “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch," the statement read. "She defined an era.”
