Queen Elizabeth II took her last breath on September 8 at the Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire in Scotland. Several celebrities and politicians have mourned her death publicly. The queen was the longest-living and longest-reigning British monarch in history.
Elizabeth had a major influence on the Monarchy and enjoyed a stronghold on the commonwealth realms. She was also the queen of several countries under the realm at the time of her death. But the number of realms kept changing throughout her realm due to various factors.
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Queen Elizabeth II Ruled These Many Countries
Shockwaves have rippled across the globe after the news of Elizabeth’s death broke out. She reigned the throne for around seven decades and was an important figure.
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the footprint of the British monarchy shrank significantly. But at the time of her death, she was still the head of state of the United Kingdom and 14 Commonwealth realms or countries.
She was crowned as the queen of seven independent countries in 1953 at the coronation. It included the United Kingdom, Canada, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of several countries around the world that were once part of the British Empire. There were once countries in hundreds but the number kept declining after the British colonization started to collapse. Several countries cut ties after becoming independent.
At the time of her death, Elizabeth was head of state of countries including, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the UK.
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Who Will Now Head The Commonwealth?
King Charles III, the successor of Queen Elizabeth II, will be the head of the Commonwealth realms. But unlike the monarchy, the head is chosen by Commonwealth leaders and not family lineage.
In a statement, The Commonwealth mourned the death of Her Majesty and said that “a great light has gone out“.
“Her Majesty loved the Commonwealth, and the Commonwealth loved her,” Patricia Scotland QC, secretary-general of the Commonwealth, said.
He continued: “I will miss her greatly, the Commonwealth will miss her greatly, and the world will miss her greatly. We will never see her like again. Hers was a life of service which will echo through the ages. We will be forever grateful.”
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