Today, Queen Elizabeth died at the age of 96
She is the singular longest reigning monarch Britain has ever seen, exceeding the previous longest, Queen Victoria who reigned 63 years.
I greatly admire her and although the royals (Like all of us) are mortals and run through their own particular sorts of problems, they, never-the-less galvanize the British empire. That is huge, for the British empire or what remains of it surpasses the influence of even we Americans. While we elect and toss about presidents every few years, the British with their constitutional monarchy are really cornerstones to the civilized world.
Queen Elizabeth was atop that mountain, and her entire life was one of service. I just read that even in her final year of life, she made some 400 public appearances and functions, including the resignation of a Prime Minister and asking the next Prime minister to form a government in her name, just last week.
She died at what I believe was her favorite country home in the Scottish Highlands
My family is British by origin. We hail from an area well north of London way up near the Scottish border. I have admired the throne and easily assimilate with the people of my homeland. I am personally saddened by Queen Elizabeth's passing, and for all my life, "God save the Queen," has been the only proper salute I have known with my British comrades. Now we will have to get used to, "God save the king."
