Around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8, it became aware to the public that The Queen of England had passed away at the age of 96.  

Queen Elizabeth II, was born as Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 26, 1926 in London, England, to parents George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Growing up, she was homeschooled with her younger sister Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. 

The late queen  was only 10 years old when she moved into Buckingham Palace after her father’s coronation. A little less than a decade later, at age 19, Queen Elizabeth II enlisted in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS)  during World War II. At age 21, Queen Elizabeth II announced her engagement to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and was married four months later. 

Four years and two children later,  George VI died on Feb. 6, 1952. Elizabeth was crowned Queen at the young age of 25. She would become the longest reigning monarch of Great Britain. 

After being weakened by the effects of the cold war, the independence of India, and her fathers death, Queen Elizabeth II was responsible for stabilizing the monarchy. Instead of viewing India’s independence as a threat, she let India remain a part of the Commonwealth, opening up the opportunity of a better relationship between the Monarch and India. She was Queen during a time of rapid evolution, and she handled it with grace and elegance. 

Queen Elizabeth II also played a big role in charity, helping more than 600 British organizations. She donated to Blind Veterans UK which helps vision-impaired ex-Servicemen and women, and has donated to The British Red Cross, which helps people in and after emergencies.

When not busy with her duties as Queen, Elizabeth enjoyed walking in the countryside, doting over her dogs, spending time with her family and tending to her horses. Queen Elizabeth II  enjoyed riding horses since the age of 3, and she continued riding horses even into her 90’s. As she grew older, she even owned some race horses, and often attended races. 

“It’s the moment I’ve been dreading as I know a lot of people have,” King Charles III, her son, said. “but you try to keep everything going.” 

He later called his mother, “an inspiration and example to me and to all my family.”