The London Bridge has fallen! Queen Elizabeth the Second has passed after a record breaking reign of 70 years. She lived through the best and worst of life. Her majesty was born on April 21, 1926, between the first and second World Wars. From the day she was born she was destined to be queen. During the prime of her teen years she was visiting soldiers and bases, as well as working in a mechanics bay safely away from the front lines. She has been in the royal view through the first moon landing, the legalization of abortion, and the end of the cold war. The Queen paid tribute to those who did not make it through 9/11, she was there for the first time the American national anthem played in front of the Queen to honor the fallen. She has been a part of many charities throughout the years, from military support of veterans to the Royal Opera House she was an advocate to them. The number of charities the queen donated and supported was extremely large, but the Queen had 600 charities under her support. She kept up with them to death and her family has picked them up after her. She has left quite a legacy for her children, grandchildren, and great- great grandchildren to uphold and she left England with a full heart of love for her.

Nick Simpson, when asked about the tragic loss of their monarch. Mr. Simpson has said that it is a great loss for the royal family and the whole world. Though for him it is more of a cultural shock. “ When I took my family to London over the summer every 10 feet you looked and saw something about the Queen, she is on our postage stamps ,our money. ”The shock is from the monarch being a great constant in the lives of her citizens.” Mr. Simpsons’ father was four years old when the Queen was crowned. So for the eyes of the public she is all everyone knows.

Clint Brown, a Hutchison school Physical Education teacher for Middle School, believes that the loss of the queen is upsetting of course, but it was her time and she lived a beautiful and powerful life. “she did unbelievable things to benefit England and I’m sad for the reality that she’s gone”. When anyone looks back on this sorrowful event we as a world will be able to have a great respect for all the great the queen had done.

While most are ready to celebrate the late queen and her continued legacy, others are not excited about the new king’s rule. The new King brings a new generation of citizens who follow the crown. With King Charles comes many citizens who have strong opinions on him as a person. Many other people are not huge fans of the new King, because of the way he inserts his opinion on public topics or the way he treated his late wife Princess Diana.

Mr. Simpson thinks that the King will not do much to make his presence known to everyone and he will not be such a figurehead like his mother. “I’ve never been a huge fan of King Charles largely because he is way too into political and cultural debates in England. He really doesn’t belong in these debates”.

On September 8, 2022 we lost the 96 year old monarch to old age, worsening health, and maybe even a touch of heartbreak from the loss of her beloved husband, Prince Phillip, just last year. She was surrounded by loved ones and doctors in Balmoral Castle at the end. In the eyes of our local Memphis residents and British exchange student, Alex Peet (12), the loss was just another thing that happened in September. As it was a Great loss for some and for others it was just a new meme.

With a new generation comes more opinions on the monarchy and Alex thinks that this is just something that has happened and it will be fine. Like many others in Gen-Z, her perspective of the monarchy has not shifted from believing that the royals should be disestablished. No matter the perspective on the Queen or her family, all can understand that her passing was a big deal and will be an international day of sorrow for years to come. It is always best to celebrate the good the past has done for the present and Queen Elizabeth has done so much for her country and the world. God rest with the Queen.