Queen Elizabeth II peacefully passed away on Sept. 8th, 2022. She was described as having a strong sense of duty and was determined to dedicate her life to her throne and her people. The citizens of the United Kingdom are mourning the loss of their leader.

Article by Georgia Simon, Associate Reporter

LONDON - On September 8th, the longest reigning British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away peacefully at 4:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time at Balmoral Castle. She passed peacefully with Princess Anne and future King Charles III by her side.

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor starts off her story on April 21, 1926, in London. She was born the first child of Queen Elizabeth and King George VI. Winston Churchill, future Prime Minister, explained that she was “an air of authority that was astonishing in an infant.”

Elizabeth became in line for the throne after her father was crowned king, when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated.

Her family starts to grow in 1947, when she marries Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. At the young age of 18, Elizabeth had immense feelings for Philip and although enduring challenges, their wish was granted on Nov. 20th. “She kept his picture in her room and they exchanged letters,” BBC wrote.

Prince Charles is born on Nov. 14th, 1948; Anne, Princess Royal, is born on Aug. 15th, 1950; Prince Andrew is born on Feb. 19th, 1960; and Prince Edward is born on March 10th, 1964.

Elizabeth becomes the Queen of England on Feb, 6th, 1952 after her father, King George, passes away. She found out while in Kenya at a game lodge before immediately rushing home to London to report to duty. Her coronation was on June 2nd, 1953, at Westminster Abbey.

“My father died much too young, so it was all a very sudden kind of taking on and making the best job you can,” said Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was the first reigning Monarch to ever visit Oceania, also known as Australia and New Zealand. According to BBC, “three-quarters of Australians turned out to see her in person.”

In 1992, Elizabeth described the year to be absolutely terrible. Her son, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and current wife Sarah separated as well as the marriage between Princess Anne and Mark Philips, also ended in divorce. On top of the drama, Windsor Castle caught fire, which was Elizabeth's favorite residence in the United Kingdom.

45 years into the Queen's reign, Princess Diana, wife of Prince Charles, unexpectedly dies in Paris due to a car crash. Elizabeth makes a tribute to Diana through a TV broadcast.

2002 was The Queen's Golden Jubilee year, but Elizabeth was shaken up by the deaths of her mother, Queen Elizabeth, and sister, Princess Margaret.

Joy once again grazed over the monarch in April of 2011 when William, Duke of Cambridge, married Catherine Middleton, with the Queen in attendance.

Elizabeth was known for her historic reign, especially when becoming the first British monarch to visit the Irish Republic. “Things we wish had been done differently or not at all,” said the Queen, in her speech.

She officially became the longest reigning monarch ever in Britain's history on Sept. 9th, 2015 after exceeding Queen Victoria, Elizabeth's great-great-grandmother.

Many scandals continued to emerge throughout the Royal Family. Some include Prince Andrews's friendship with a convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein as well as Prince Harry’s push from the monarch.

Sadness fell over the United Kingdom, after the death of beloved Prince Philip, in April of 2021 in the thick of the Cornoavrius Pandemic.

Queen Elizabeth was a pillar of respect, poise, elegance, intelligence and beauty. She adored her people and the feeling was mutual as thousands gathered around Buckingham Palace, in London, to pay their respects to her majesty after a monumental 70-year reign. She will forever be missed by millions.

“When I was 21, I pledged my life to the service of our people and I asked God’s help to make good that vow,” said Queen Elizabeth. “Although that vow was made in my salad days, when I was green in judgment, I do not regret, or retract, one word of it.”