Queen Elizabeth is a rock in the surf. She has been on the British throne for 70 years and has led her compatriots through sometimes stormy seas. There were ups and downs in her reign, which she bore with dignity. The private catastrophes, however, did not cause the facade to crumble, but left clear traces.
Queen Elizabeth, 96, is admired around the world. In the past seven decades, the British monarch has been characterized by composure and mostly courageous crisis management. But behind the walls of Buckingham Palace, this strong woman must have faltered at one time or another. The biggest crises did not only take place in front of the gates of their residence, but often within their own four walls. However, these low blows never remained hidden.
Queen Elizabeth: Her seven darkest personal lows
1952: The death of her father, King George VI
With the unexpected death of her father King George, † 56, a new era began for Princess Elizabeth. The 25-year-old was suddenly queen – and she just wanted to mourn her loved ones. The young Royal learned of the monarch’s death on a Commonwealth trip with her husband Prince Philip, † 99. The couple were in Kenya when the sad news broke.
When King George unexpectedly passed away, his eldest daughter, Princess Elizabeth, became queen. The monarch, the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret hardly had time to mourn.
© Hulton Deutsch / Getty Images
King George had long struggled with health problems. He had been suffering from lung cancer for several years. But the royal family was struck by lightning when their head died suddenly of coronary thrombosis.
His eldest could hardly breathe after hearing the devastating news. Elizabeth suddenly carried the burden of the crown on her shoulders. She was given little time to mourn.
1992: Annus horribilis
Her Ruby Jubilee was anything but brilliant for the Queen. “1992 is not a year that I will look back on with unalloyed joy. It has turned out to be an ‘annus horribilis’ (in English: terrible year),” she said in her speech on November 24, 1992 at an official royal lunch milestones relatively emotionally charged for their circumstances.
When the Great Fire broke out at Windsor Castle in 1992, more than a hundred rooms on the property were destroyed.
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She wasn’t understating that: Shortly before, a disastrous fire had broken out at Windsor Castle. More than a hundred rooms were destroyed by the flames. Three of her children also found their marriages in ruins. Prince Charles, 73, and Princess Diana, † 36, went their separate ways after the so-called “Camilla Gate”. The heir to the throne’s affair with his current wife, Duchess Camilla, 75, caused an incredible scandal. Prince Andrew, 62, and Sarah Ferguson, 62, announced their separation in March, and Princess Anne also separated from her husband Mark Philipps, 73, after 19 years of marriage together, and married a few months later, on December 12, 1992, Commander Timothy Laurence, 67.
1997: The death of Diana, Princess of Wales
This news shook the world: When Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 2021, the deep grief for the ex-wife of the British heir to the throne knew no bounds. When the unthinkable happened, Queen Elizabeth was on summer vacation at Balmoral Castle with her grandchildren Prince William, 40, and Prince Harry, 37, and the rest of the royal family.
Queen Elizabeth remained silent for five days following the death of Princess Diana. A mistake that is still present in the minds of the British today.
© Mathieu Polak / Getty Images
Her reluctance to act after the tragedy is still a sore point in British memory today. The traumatized family stayed at their Scottish country estate for five days. The queen was silent and the world cried out in anger. When the monarch denied the deceased loved one the honor of flying the flag at half-mast at Buckingham Palace, the outrage knew no bounds. Only on September 5 did Her Majesty speak to the grieving Diana fans, apologizing for their long wait in shock that the death of the former daughter-in-law had triggered within the family and describing her as “extraordinary[n] and talented[n] People.”
2002: Golden Jubilee
Another anniversary year did not bode well for Queen Elizabeth either. 50 years on the throne should have been a wonderful cause for celebration for the monarch. But first she lost her sister Princess Margaret, † 71, in February 2022, and only seven weeks later her mother.
The Queen Mother on her 101st birthday outside Clarence House with Prince Charles, Princes William and Harry and Princess Margaret on August 4, 2001.
© Anwar Hussein / Getty Images
King George’s youngest daughter had previously suffered multiple strokes. She was no longer mobile and lost her sight. Queen Mum was allowed to live to be 101 and was still active in the service of the Crown a few weeks before her death.
2019: Prince Andrew and his scandalous BBC interview
This interview caused horror and malice worldwide: In November 2019, Prince Andrew agreed to an interview with BBC journalist Emily Maitlis. The topic had long dominated the headlines: The royal should comment on his relationship with the then deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, † 66. A daring step that fell on the feet of the Queen’s second eldest son. Observers then described the conversation as a “car crash”. So it was like watching a car crash.
Prince Andrew spoke to BBC Newsnight host Emily Maitlis in November 2019 about his alleged involvement in the Epstein scandal.
© Mark Harrison / AP Photo / Picture Alliance
Today, royal observers know that Andrew’s commitment to the disastrous conversation fueled his downfall within the royal family. Just a few days after the interview was broadcast on November 5, 2019, he announced his withdrawal from all royal duties and thus withdrew from the public.
2020: The Megxit
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, 40, turned out to be royal problem children almost two years after their dream wedding in May 2018. On January 8, 2020, they announced their intention to “step down” as senior members of the royal family.
Queen Elizabeth reacted quickly this time. In an official statement the same evening, the Palace said: “Discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage. We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that require some tweaking will take time.” The so-called Megxit was carried out, but the couple soon caused another scandal: In March 2021, in an interview with US presenter Oprah Winfrey, 68, the Sussexes made serious allegations against the royal family. There was even talk of racism after the couple had claimed an unnamed member of the royal family had asked questions about the possible skin color of their then-unborn son Archie, 3.
2021: The death of Prince Philip
It was sadly one of the hardest farewells for Queen Elizabeth: On April 9, 2021, the monarch lost her beloved husband Prince Philip at the age of 99.
The most moving pictures of his farewell
60 images
The couple had been married for 73 years. Four children together, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren mourned the loss of their father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Due to the Corona regulations at the time, only 30 people were allowed to attend the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in St George’s Chapel. One photo will go down in history as a symbol of this painful loss: the image of the grieving queen, who was alone in her pew during the ceremony, remembering her faithful companion.
Source used: hellomagazine.com