When Queen Elizabeth II inherited the throne at age 25, no one could have imagined that she’d become the longest-serving monarch in England’s almost 1,100-year history. For seven decades, she was an unwavering source of stability as the world changed around her.
Her death in September, after a reign of 70 years, could mark a turning point for her country. It comes at a fraught moment for the United Kingdom, which faces its gravest economic threats in a generation: It’s besieged by inflation, soaring energy bills, and fears of a recession. Prime Minister Liz Truss had been in office just three days when the queen died.
“It all feeds into a sense of uncertainty and insecurity, which was already there because of Brexit and then Covid, and now a new, very inexperienced prime minister,” says Timothy Garton Ash, a professor of European studies at the University of Oxford. The queen, he adds, was the rock, “and then the rock is removed.”
Queen Elizabeth II inherited the throne at age 25. At the time, no one could have imagined that she’d become the longest-serving monarch in England’s almost 1,100-year history. She was an enduring source of stability for seven decades as the world changed around her.
She passed away in September, after a reign of 70 years. Her death could mark a turning point for her country. It comes at a critical moment for the United Kingdom. The nation faces its most dire economic threats in a generation. It’s up against inflation, soaring energy bills, and fears of a recession. Prime Minister Liz Truss had been in office just three days when the queen died.
“It all feeds into a sense of uncertainty and insecurity, which was already there because of Brexit and then Covid, and now a new, very inexperienced prime minister,” says Timothy Garton Ash, a professor of European studies at the University of Oxford. The queen, he adds, was the rock, “and then the rock is removed.”