END OF AN ERA: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II Dies at 96

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning British monarch, just passed away at the age of 96. I am not exactly pro-monarchy in principle, but I think in all justice we can say that her death is the end of an era, and that she did try to be a patriotic leader of Britain from her youth on.

“If anything sums up the Queen’s extraordinary longevity, it is the fact that [she] played an active part in the Second World War.

In 1939, a 13-year-old Elizabeth witnessed the beginning of the conflict.

By the spring of 1945 she had donned a military uniform as part of the Auxiliary Territorial Service…On 13 September, 1940, Germany’s bombing of Britain reached Buckingham Palace. Five bombs hit the Royal Family’s residence, but Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, chose to stay in solidarity with other families living through the Blitz.

Following the bombing, the Queen Mother is reported to have said: “I am glad we have been bombed. Now we can look the East End in the eye.”

The young Elizabeth II was later moved to Windsor Castle, however, with her sister Princess Margaret…

The Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) was the women’s branch of the British Army during the Second World War…Elizabeth joined the ATS in 1945 and began training as a mechanic. She completed her driving and vehicle maintenance course on 14 April.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth I visited their daughter during a training exercise, and the Princess later commented that she didn’t realise so much effort went into a royal visit.

Elizabeth began with the honorary rank of second subaltern, equivalent to second lieutenant in the men’s British Army, and was later promoted to junior commander, the equivalent of captain.”

We can all pray for the queen no matter what country we are from, as she goes to be judged by the Divine King of the Universe (on the birthday of Jesus’s mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven). May the soul of Elizabeth II, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.