Major-crater story this Thursday noon, and probably for a few days hence — Queen Elizabeth II has died, aged 96.
Typical of the stories to be posted — per the Guardian‘s Iive blog:
Standing outside the gates of Balmoral as the sombre news of the Queen’s death was announced were two accident and emergency nurses from Portsmouth.
Samantha Cole and Tina Ferry had driven over from the Scottish coastal town of Peterhead where they are on holiday after hearing the news on the radio.
Ferry said: “It’s a moment in history; it’s like Diana. You will always remember where you were when it happened. I hope she hasn’t suffered and she passed away peacefully.”
Cole, standing beside her in a bright red coat, said she had always loved the royal family and had met Prince Charles when she lived in New Zealand.
She also won tickets in a ballot to stand in Pall Mall in London to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. “When you live abroad you realise that the Queen and the royal family are loved everywhere. But you also realise how British you are when things happen, such as royal birthday parties and things like that.”
And typical, too, how “Lilibet” could be sarcastically snarky (h/t tweet Balloon Juice)::
Queen Elizabeth I, the UK's longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years. #QueenElizabeth #RIPQueenElizabeth https://t.co/wfIM5Ulmmw
— STRIKE PAC ? (@StrikePac) September 8, 2022
Obvious the difference in the Queen’s actual enjoyment in the company of the two US presidents — heartfelt and caring with Obama; repulsed, put-way-off in the company is the pile-of-shit T-Rump — background via Vox from July 2018:
In a world where fashion increasingly doubles as a form of political statement or protest and the first lady’s jacket choice is a partisan tinderbox, it’s no surprise that a possible new example of fashion-based progressive idealism is making headlines.
What is surprising is the source: Queen Elizabeth’s jewelry. A viral twitter thread is suggesting her majesty may have been using her trademark brooches to send subtle messages repudiating the Trump administration and its policies during the president’s much-discussed visit to London last week.
The queen wore three brooches during Trump’s visit, and each of them — at least according to the online fandom with an appetite for Intense Brooch Politics — was an act of subtle nose-thumbing.
Elizabeth has been around since forever. She’s been queen almost as long as I’ve been alive.
And known to the world even longer:
Queen Elizabeth II first appeared on the cover of TIME in April 1929. pic.twitter.com/EAZuOLYe3L
— Eric Cortellessa (@EricCortellessa) September 8, 2022
Charles, her oldest son is now the big cheese (BBC): ‘At the moment the Queen died, the throne passed immediately and without ceremony to the heir, Charles, the former Prince of Wales.‘
We’re near about the same age, Charles and I — he was born in a palace mid November 1948, and I less than two weeks later in a south Alabama farmhouse. Yeah, I was fortunate.
And for Charles, king under pressure, there’s no better way to finish than with some Queen:
Royal tales aside, once again here we are…
(Illustration out front is the young ‘Lilibet‘ with her beloved corgis, and found here.)