Queen Elizabeth II sat for seven decades on the throne of the United Kingdom.
“My whole life,” said the then Princess Elizabeth on her 21st birthday, back in 1947, “whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.”
She was only four years older when she ascended to the throne after the death of her father King George VI, in February 1952.
Since that year – when Britain was still in a period of post-war austerity and which saw events such as the ‘great smog’ blanket London and cause around 4,000 deaths, the ongoing Korean War and beginning of the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya, while the average UK house price was just over £2,000 – the Queen oversaw many more major shifts in society, industry and technology and over her long life, some close to home.
As the Queen, she played an important constitutional role, inviting 15 prime ministers to form governments during her reign, as well as holding weekly private audiences, from her first, Winston Churchill, to her last, Liz Truss.
As a mother, she coped with intense public scrutiny as the marriages of three of her children collapsed.
Her eldest son, now King Charles III, said the death of his mother was “a moment of the greatest sadness” for him and the royal family.
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”
Truss, who met and was appointed by the Queen, said the monarch had “provided us with the stability and strength that we needed”.
The Elizabethan era also saw the monarchy subtly evolve, including the paying of income tax, more openness in royal appearances and palaces, pop concerts at Buckingham Palace and even royal podcasts.
Her personal enthusiasm for dogs, especially corgis, and horses helped her connect with many of her subjects and those further afield.
In his tribute to the Queen, US President Joe Biden said, “in a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons".
He said she was a "stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy" who "helped make our relationship special", and that "her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world”.