On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96. As the UK’s longest-serving monarch, Her Royal Highness reigned for 70 years and collected a generous amount of praise and appreciation from the public.
At Cambridge Home School Online, we’re deeply saddened by the Queen’s departure. However, we’re also immensely grateful for her accomplishments, charity work, contributions, and achievements. The Queen’s tremendous work has helped our nation prosper.
As we pay tribute to Her Majesty, we’d also like to thank our students for showing their respect and gratitude for the Queen and the Royal Family. We appreciate your kind words and recognition of a great leader who set the foundation for a successful, bright, and advanced nation. Let’s take a closer look at the Queen’s achievements over the years.
1. Her Work During World War II
Princess Elizabeth was a young teenager when World War II broke out in 1939. At the time, her father (King George VI) and his wife (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) stayed at Buckingham Palace. Young Elizabeth and her sister Margaret were sent to Windsor Castle.
As the war continued, young Elizabeth wished to start fulfilling her duties as soon as possible. Despite being 13 years old at the time, she expressed her eagerness to enlist as soon as she turned 18. The Royal Family strongly opposed this idea. They didn’t want to put an heir to the throne in danger. However, Elizabeth was adamant and wanted to serve her country in any way she could.
Upon her insistence, she was permitted to join the military in 1945. Elizabeth joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territory Service (ATS). The role entailed risks; roughly 335 members of the ATS lost their lives during the war. However, Elizabeth persisted and demonstrated a high level of courage, strength, determination, and resilience.
2. Consistent, Stable Rule
Queen Elizabeth II brought immense stability to the British Empire. Before she came to power, there had been a lot of instability and uncertainty. Elizabeth brought her confident demeanour, calmness, and level-headedness to the throne.
In light of the war, she saved the nation from a series of crises. The country’s economic, social, and political stability can be attributed to Elizabeth’s leadership and direction. At its apex, the British Empire controlled 57 colonies. However, as the United States began to dominate, the empire found itself in a tricky situation. Several colonies started declaring independence, including India and Pakistan (1947).
The Queen provided exceptional guidance during this difficult time. She ensured that the empire didn’t get destroyed, which had been the case with several empires in the past. Instead, she steered the empire towards an organised, peaceful, orderly, and harmonious end.
3. Modern Touch
When King George VI took the throne, there was no guarantee that the monarchy would continue. There was too much uncertainty and instability. Queen Elizabeth added a modern touch to the monarchy and prevented it from being abolished. She started by stabilising the Royal Family’s position.
HRH was open to change and understood the importance of modernising the nation in many ways, especially through technology. She believed that the Royal Family should appear more relatable to the public. To achieve this goal, she started appearing on television regularly. The Queen would speak directly to the public in an attempt to close the gap between the Royal Family and the masses.
She officially sent the first tweet on behalf of the Royal Family in 2014. Additionally, she started recording an annual Christmas message that would be televised each year. Divorce had always been a controversial topic. However, the Queen understood its importance and became more open to divorce in the Royal Family. This change helped retain emotional stability within the Royal Family. Tensions eased, and the royals grew closer.
4. Equitable Succession
Queen Elizabeth paved the way for equitable succession. Her active cooperation resulted in the Crown Act being passed in 2013. This was a big feat to accomplish. For centuries, the eldest son of a monarch would claim the throne even if he had an elder sister. This outdated tradition eventually came to an end. HRH also proved that she was a capable, successful monarch. As a woman, she pushed for gender equality and accomplished much during her 70 years of rule.
5. First Official Visit to Ireland Since Its Independence
The UK and Ireland have been caught up in a bitter conflict for decades. Her Majesty’s 2011 visit to Ireland came as a bit of a surprise and pleasant shock to the nation. She was the first monarch who visited Ireland since its independence. This made the Queen immensely popular in a country that generally hated the monarchy. A heartfelt move, the Queen’s visit helped ease tension between the two nations. Her respectful gesture is still applauded to this day.
6. Charity Work
The Queen’s charity work cannot and should not be overlooked. She was known for being extremely charitable and giving. The Queen supported 600+ charities in Britain. She was dedicated to fighting poverty and improving relations with the Global South. Her contributions weren’t solely focused on Britain. Instead, she made impressive contributions to former colonies.
As a whole, the Royal Family supports 3,000+ international charities. The Queen’s input plays a big role in the number being so high. Till the very end, HRH continued to provide the funds, support, and skills needed to lift people out of poverty and give them a second chance at life. From hosting fundraisers to making big donations, the Queen always looked out for the betterment of society as a whole.
Recommended Read: Queen Elizabeth II’s Final Resting Place Marked with Ledger Stone
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