The statement came from Sandringham at 10:45 a.m. “The King, who retired to rest last night in his usual health, passed peacefully away in his sleep early this morning.” Newspapers at the time reported it as a shock. King George VI, after all, had been out on a shoot the day before. But there was no use denying, or dwelling, on the matter. By 5:00 p.m., a privy council had gathered at St. James’s Palace in London. They signed a statement, which ended, “[We] do now hereby with one Voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary is now by the death of our late sovereign of happy memory become Queen Elizabeth the Second by the grace of God.”
At 92 years young Queen Elizabeth II has reigned longer than any other monarch in British history. According to everything I read yesterday, she does not celebrate. It must be a difficult day for her as you never get over the death of a parent.
I'm happy she is passing over her many duties to the other members of the Royal Family.
