On Thursday, September 8th, at about 6:30 PM in Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth II peacefully died at age 96 after serving for 70 years and becoming queen at age 26. The longest serving monarch in British and world history died in Balmoral Castle with family gathered around her bedside.

In the last two years, she had increased health issues, both mental (the death of Prince Phillip) and physical (Covid-19 and mobility problems). Doctors say her death was a result of increased stress and something called peripheral vascular disease, which causes blood vessels to shrink and spasm. The last photo ever taken of her had a noticeable bruise on her hand.

People reported the news of her death as “Unbelievable.” While others were surprised and those who weren’t political just acknowledged it with an “Okay” or “Nice.” Charles is now the king and Camilla is the Queen Consort. At Westminster Abbey, the line stretched over 4 miles long, filled with crying Britons. No matter what, her death marks the end of an era.

From a country recovering from the scars of World War II, to a world struggling through a pandemic, she was a beacon of hope, serving for about a third of the existence of the USA, her peaceful death means a new era must begin, but for most of us, she will be the last female queen we ever see.