“My whole life, should it be short or long,” promised the future Queen on her 21st birthday that she wanted to dedicate to her subjects. That’s what Queen Elizabeth II did until she died on Thursday at the age of 96 at her Scottish country estate, Balmoral Castle.
Her death marks the end of an era in which Great Britain’s role in the world, but also the world itself, has undergone massive changes. When her father George VI. dies on February 6, 1952 and becomes queen, she is at the head of an empire with more than 70 colonies. When she dies, little is left of it. She takes over the scepter in the Cold War, which lasts for decades and ends long before her death. She sits on the throne when her country becomes part of the European Union – and leaves again.
In early summer 2022, the Queen will celebrate her 70th jubilee with a multi-day party in London. Before her death, Elizabeth II reigned as head of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for 70 years and 214 days. None of her predecessors spent more time as Regent at Buckingham Palace. You can see how much the world has changed since her accession to the throne in the photo gallery above.