Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday, marking an end to her 70-year reign over the British monarchy and a conclusion to a long and storied life that made her a beloved and admired figure across the world. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor wasn’t born to wear the crown. But destiny intervened. Queen Elizabeth’s 70-years on the throne mark an unprecedented reign that made her a symbol of stability as the United Kingdom navigated an age of uncertainty. From her early days as a glamorous young royal in glittering tiaras to her more recent incarnation as the nation’s grandmother, the queen witnessed the end of the British Empire, the advent of multiculturalism, the rise of international terrorism, and the challenges posed by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. In a world of relentless change, she was a constant — representing the U.K.’s interests abroad, applauding the nation’s successes and commiserating in its failures, and always remaining above the fray of politics. As the elder daughter of King George V’s second son, Elizabeth was expected to live the life of a minor royal when she was born on April 21, 1926. Dogs and horses, a country house, a suitable match — a comfortable but uneventful life — seemed her future. But everything changed a decade later when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated so he could marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Elizabeth’s father became King George VI, making the young princess heir apparent. George VI, whose famous struggles to overcome a stutter were portrayed in the 2010 film “The King’s Speech,” endeared himself to the nation when he refused to leave London as bombs fell during the early months of World War II. Elizabeth followed her father in leading by example, joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service in early 1945, becoming the first female member of the Royal Family to join the armed services as a full-time active member. On her 21st birthday, she dedicated her life to the nation and the Commonwealth, the voluntary association of states that grew out of the British Empire. “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong,” she said in a radio address broadcast around the world. In 1952, the young princess embarked on a tour of the Commonwealth in place of her ailing father. She was at a remote Kenyan lodge, where she and her husband Prince Philip watched baboons from the treetops, when she heard her father had died. She immediately returned to London, disembarking the plane in black mourning clothes, to begin her life as queen. She reigned for 70 years, with crown and scepter on big occasions, but more commonly wearing a broad-brimmed hat and carrying a simple handbag. In the intervening seven decades, the queen shared confidences with 14 prime ministers and met 13 U.S. presidents. Once a year, she would travel the mile or so from Buckingham Palace to the House of Lords for the ceremonial opening of Parliament. And when world leaders would come to call, she hosted state banquets during which her diamonds flashed under the bright lights and presidents and prime ministers fretted over whether they should […]

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