Queen Elizabeth II Dead At 96, Ending A 70-year Remarkable Reign

Keneci Channel

=====================

[Update] King Charles III Suggests He Will Abandon Past Woke Causes, "As I Take Up My New Responsibilities"

In a moving speech that was screened at a service of prayer and reflection at St Paul's Cathedral, Friday, the 72-year-old the King hailed late Queen Elizabeth II as an "inspiration and an example" to him and his family. "To my darling Mama, thank you, thank you," he said while holding back tears.

King Charles spoke of a "time of change" for his family, and praised his "darling wife Camilla" who becomes Queen Consort "in recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage 17 years ago."

In the speech, Charles said of his "beloved mother" the late Elizabeth II: "We owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example. To my darling Mama, as you begin your last great journey to join my dear late Papa, I want simply to say this: thank you. Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years. May 'flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest.'"

The King announced that he had created his son William the Prince of Wales, with Kate the Princess of Wales -- a role last held by Diana. He also acknowledged the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, saying he wished to "express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas." The woke couple are not beloved in Britain these days, following their decision to abandon their royal duties in favor of Hollywood clout.

There are concerns that the King who is known for his past woke causes like climate change, would politicize and damage public trust in the royal family.

Charles confirmed he will have to take a step back from his considerable charitable interests now he is king and "issues" he has campaigned for - likely to be interpreted as an end to his lobbying of ministers with his famous "black spider memos."

"My life will of course change as I take up my new responsibilities," the King said. "It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others.."

In the pre-recorded speech -- in the Blue Drawing Room of the royal residence in central London -- which lasted about 10 minutes, Charles pledged to dedicate his whole life to serving the nation just as the Queen did at her accession, saying: "That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today."

Members of Parliament who watched the speech in silence in the Commons chamber. Some could be seen wiping away tears during the speech. They applauded at the end of the address. Earlier in the day, members paid tributes to Queen Elizabeth, and swore oath of allegiance to King Charles. Tributes also continue to pour  in from leaders and organizations around the world.

A service of prayer and reflection was held at St Paul's Cathedral in London Friday evening. Members of the congregation were tearful through the service. Prime Minister Liz Truss looked solemn as she gave her Bible reading from Romans 14. 7-12.

=====================

The beloved Queen died peacefully Thursday afternoon, surrounded by her family, at her Scottish summer castle in Balmoral where doctors had placed her under medical supervision. Her grandson and now heir to the throne, Prince William, and his brother, Prince Harry, were also there.

The late Queen's 73-year-old son and new King Charles III in a statement said in part: "We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world."

According to Buckingham Palace, the King and his wife, Camilla who is now Queen Consort, will returns to London Friday, where he addresses the nation.

Crowds outside the palace awaiting updates on the Queen's condition began crying as they heard of her death. The union flag on top of the palace was lowered to half-mast at 1730 UTC and an official notice announcing the death was posted outside. A state funeral is expected in the next two weeks.

Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was appointed by the Queen on Tuesday, said that the monarch was the rock on which modern Britain was built, who had "provided us with the stability and strength that we needed"

Truss urged Britons to support the new King: "We offer him our loyalty and devotion, just as his mother devoted so much, to so many, for so long. And with the passing of the second Elizabethan age, we usher in a new era in the magnificent history of our great country, exactly as Her Majesty would have wished, by saying the words 'God save the King.'"

Condolences have become pouring in from foreign leaders US President Joe Biden, and France's president, Emmanuel Macron, who said that Elizabeth II was a "kind-hearted Queen" and "friend of France."

Former US president Donald Trump who was famously a favorite guest and huge admirer of the Queen, said in a statement: "[Wife] Melania and I are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Together with our family and fellow Americans, we send our sincere condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom during this time of great sorrow and grief. Queen Elizabeth’s historic and remarkable reign left a tremendous legacy of peace and prosperity for Great Britain. Her leadership and enduring diplomacy secured and advanced alliances with the United States and countries around the world. However, she will always be remembered for her faithfulness to her country and her unwavering devotion to her fellow countrymen and women. Melania and I will always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor. What a grand and beautiful lady she was—there was nobody like her! Our thoughts and prayers will remain with the great people of the United Kingdom as you honor her most meaningful life and exceptional service to the people. May God bless the Queen, may she reign forever in our hearts, and may God hold her and Prince Philip in abiding care."

The Queen was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926. Few could have foreseen she would become monarch but in December 1936 her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated from the throne to marry the twice-divorced American, Wallis Simpson.

Elizabeth's father became King George VI and, at age 10, Lilibet, as she was known in the family, became heir to the throne.

Elizabeth married third cousin Philip, Prince of Greece -- who was serving in the Royal Navy -- at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947, with the prince taking the title of Duke of Edinburgh. Their first son, Charles, was born in 1948, followed by Princess Anne, in 1950, Prince Andrew, in 1960, and Prince Edward, in 1964. Between them, they gave their parents eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Princess Elizabeth was in Kenya in 1952, representing her ailing father, when Philip broke the news that he had died. She immediately returned to London as the new Queen. "It was all a very sudden kind of taking on and making the best job you can," she later recalled.

The 27-year-old Elizabeth was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953, in front of a then-record TV audience estimated at more than 20 million people.

As a 21-year-old princess, Elizabeth had vowed to devote her life to service. Reflecting on those words decades later, during her Silver Jubilee in 1977, she declared: "Although that vow was made in my salad days, when I was green in judgment, I do not regret nor retract one word of it." She made the same commitment to serving 45 years later in a thank you letter to the nation on the weekend of her Platinum Jubilee in June.

Following the Queen's death, and the ascension of King Charles III to the throne, Prince William and his wife, Catherine, became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall.

The Royal Family has now entered a period of mourning. Union flags will be flown at half-mast on royal residences, government buildings, across the Armed Forces and on UK posts overseas.

Members of Parliament will pay tribute to the Queen and take an oath to King Charles. Public and private groups around the nation will also be organizing ways to pay their respects in the coming days.

Elizabeth II's 70 years 214 days reign is the longest for a British monarch. Her  tenure as head of state spanned post-war austerity, the transition from empire to Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War and the UK's entry into - and withdrawal from - the European Union. It also spanned 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill, born in 1874, and ending with Truss.

While the news of Elizabeth II's death was greeted with overwhelming outpouring of condolences and well wishes for the British people and the royal family, there were also the usual chronically angry online woke mob who in the most vitriolic terms attacked the Queen and the British colonial past.

Far-left extremist and woke black professor at Carnegie Mellon University Uju Anya, unleashed a vitriolic tirade on Twitter. “I heard the chief monarch of a thieving raping genocidal empire is finally dying," she wrote in a viral tweet. "May her pain be excruciating.”

Anya was rightly excoriated by Twitter users including the world's second-richest man and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos who wrote: "This is someone supposedly working to make the world better? I don’t think so. Wow."

The unhinged professor responded to Bezos in what appears to be in part an ethnic African language: "Otoro gba gbue gi. May everyone you and your merciless greed have harmed in this world remember you as fondly as I remember my colonizers."

The initial inflammatory post was apparently later removed by Twitter.