Queen of England has died today aged 96

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Such sad news. I feel really emotional about it.
 
Just caught this news. Not unexpected once the family started gathering today, but still very sad. I hope it was a peaceful and dignified end.

A whole life dedicated to fulfilling what she felt was her duty, and an amazing global figure and reassuring presence for the country.

I am imagining her reunited with Philip.
 
Sad news but she was not only the Queen of England!
 
Very sad news :(
 
Yes, I am feeling quite emotional tonight at the news. It kind of feels like losing my mother again although not as personal obviously. They were born the same year.
I guess the nation and indeed the commonwealth lost our mother today.
I don't think there has or ever will be a monarch who served quite so earnestly and put duty first and foremost. Even up until her last couple of days at that age and clearly unwell, to be performing official roles is quite exemplary.

It can't have been an easy job biting her tongue day in, day out, thinking through everything she said before she opened her mouth and having to deal with occasionally ignorant, pompous and/or obnoxious dignitaries with grace and even handedness.
As with all families, they have had their ups and downs and it must have been very hard to endure the very public scrutiny of the scandals which have surfaced and have to balance private support for her family as all mothers must be drawn to do, with publicly censuring them.
She has certainly earned a good rest and hope she is now at peace.

King Charles has some big shoes to fill!
 
It is hard to believe that within 2 days of appointing a new Prime Minister where although looking frail didn't appear to be so close to passing away.
I think she must have slipped away just as she would have wished with her family by her side.
A sad day for the world.
 
Judging by the news saying that Liz Truss was informed at 4.30pm and since Princes William, Andrew and Edward arrived at Balmoral at around 5pm, it would seem only the Queen's eldest 2 children (now King) Charles and Princess Anne were able to be with her.

I feel really unsettled. I knew she couldn't live forever but I didn't expect it was this imminent even when I was surprised yesterday that her doctors said the meetings on Tuesday had been such a big day for her that she needed to rest and not host her Privy Council in an online meeting
 
I cannot disagree with the opinions expressed above, she conducted herself throughout her life in an exemplary manner, and carried out duties with morons like Trump without fear or favour, and always polite, at one point acting as head of state for more than a dozen countries.

She was crowned the same year I was born. They climbed Everest to celebrate that. (Not me being born). So I was hoping that she’d outlast me, because I’ve no time for King Charles. That said, of course my sympathy goes out to him and the family. I may be a republican but I’m still human.

And thank God for Netflix, because I expect all sports will be cancelled (even the post office workers strike is off so folk can send their condolences to King Charles IIII). And with the PO strike off I just might get my Tramadol from LloydsDirect
 
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Changing coins is going to be weird ...
 
Yes, sad news indeed. A great example for us all throughout her life.
 
It was an unexpectedly emotional day yesterday, I didn’t know her, was never likely to meet her, although I did see her in Oban many, many years ago getting off the Royal Yacht, and apart from sharing the same initial, birth month and having a granddaughter called Zara, had nothing at all in common with her. But I feel I did know her. She may never have ever made her own bed, or donned a pair of marigolds, but she worked hard up until the last minute. As has been said, having to put up with some of the so called dignitaries must have been terrible at times. I bet she really just wanted to put on her dressing gown and slippers at times and have a nice cup of tea and watch the soaps. It’s not a “ normal” life being a royal and I don’t think the majority of us would ever swap places. I think her death might signal the slow, but inevitably decline of the monarchy. Let’s face it, they are only useful for bringing in the tourists.
 
Very sad news indeed.
Those who wish to send messages of condolence can do so here.
 
So so sad by this news - not only a well respected, hard working Queen for our country and the world but by all accounts an amazing wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. The world has truly lost an ICON. I am now hoping she has now been re-united with her beloved Prince Philip and they can now both rest in eternal life. Thank you ma'am for your long service god bless you and God Save The King :(
 
The change in coins will be gradual. When I was young, George VI pennies and such were still in circulation. The most noticeable change will come with stamps - a profile of King Charles III is already prepared for the change, and they will be printing as I type. Post boxes will take much longer, as will military flags and regimental insignias.

By the time that coins and banknotes are changed (it took four years when Elizabeth ascended to be queen, but then no monarch had appeared on banknotes before her).

She will never be forgotten for all these reasons. I fear for the Commonwealth, countries who respected, and even adored the Queen. I hope King Charles III can command the same respect.
 
mikeyB said:
The change in coins will be gradual. When I was young, George VI pennies and such were still in circulation
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Pre-decimalisation, we used to look out for older coins, and save them. I have a penny or two somewhere with Victoria on them. Some were rarer than others, I have a Victoria 'Bun penny' which was one where the image of her showed her with her hair in a bun, not with her wearing a veil. They are very worn, and probably saw the inside of a fair few public loos in the days of a ‘Penny in the slot'. (My mother's mantra every time I was going out anywhere was 'Have you got a hankie and have you got a penny?')
 
mikeyB said:
I fear for the Commonwealth, countries who respected, and even adored the Queen. I hope King Charles III can command the same respect.
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It'll be interesting watching how palace strategies for keeping Oz in the tent unfold. I take it from things he said in his address that Charles will be trying hard to maintain the status quo,

I think the majority of people here are luke-warm republicans. Sure, things don't make much sense the way they are; but if it ain't broke ... It can quickly start to seem much too hard when you think about the actual details of making a change. Eg: All of the republican proposals seem to involve an elected head-of-state taking over the monarch's role.

What would they be called? I'm sure that there is about zero enthusiasm for having somebody called "President".

What is their role? Currently the monarch's non-ceremonial role is to rubber stamp via the governor general and state governors recommendations on a very limited set of things from government. The monarch is essentially unable to alter or refuse these recommendations; a trained chicken could do the job. Does it really matter if it's some English guy rather than a trained chicken doing it?

Do we really want to have another layer of elected people? How hard is it to see that as having all sorts of tedious unintended consequences?

Etc etc.

So assuming the palace cares a lot about retaining Oz, one strategy I guess is essentially passive: rely on apathy & people having 47,000 more important things to worry about to forestall action in the shorter term, giving time for everybody to get sick of rabid republicans being annoying & get used to having a new king on the coins & to settle back into the comfortable groove of inertia.

The risk there is just the jarring nature of the change in monarch - maybe it's jarring enough to actually cause people to focus on the issue? Watching Charles' address highlighted the risk for me: this nice English fellow taking over as King of Australia can seem like just such a silly idea. Why can't we have the Ukrainian guy instead? Changes to the coinage and $5 note may well have a similar impact.

So maybe a more active strategy makes sense, really trying to sell the Commonwealth countries on the value of the monarchy. That'd be more interesting & it will be interesting to see if that is part of all the activity over the next few weeks.
 
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It’s certainly all been a shock and an emotional last few days, since we received the sad news,
like many others I’ve been remembering and thinking about my own parents and grandparents.

I was touched by the tribute made by President Macron of France (someone I previously never held in the highest regard) BUT he certainly made a beautiful tribute.

Merci Monsieur.


 
I've been OK today mostly - BUT when her coffin arrived at Holyrood and as the pall bearers got to Princess Anne, she curtsied and that just started me off crying. I have no idea whether it's something she was 'supposed' to do - or just Anne, doing what to her was correct - and I don't actually want to know the answer to that.
 
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