Queen Elizabeth

[rondog]

Just read the Queen has passed. RIP Your Majesty, 96 years - a very good run!

[eddiememphis]

This morning there were several articles about concerns for her health.

My neighbor is from South Africa and is very much into all things royal, having been a subject for 40 years.

Just typing that and the thought of being called a subject rubs me the wrong way.

[WETWRKS]

And this means...Charles In Charge.

[rondog]

And this means...Charles In Charge.

Gawd - is that better or worse than Cameltoe in charge? Do the Royals really have "power"?

[buffalobo]

I'm not down with monarchy(unless I'm the monarch) but she seemed popular with most subjects. End of an era for sure. Wonder how King Charles will be received?

[funkymonkey1111]

Crazy to think that for the majority of Americans she's been the monarch for our entire lives.

[Zundfolge]

Dear Lord here comes King Chuck. [facepalm]

[eddiememphis]

https://media.giphy.com/media/bn86qaAWmQKZ2/giphy.gif

[Wulf202]

From what I understand she was actually a very nice person.

[RblDiver]

As a rule, I could not care less about monarchs and the like, but she was a classy lady. One of my favorite pictures was her photobombing two other random young girls.
91419

[flogger]

Crazy to think that for the majority of Americans she's been the monarch for our entire lives.
Good point! She was a class act! RIP your highness.

[ruthabagah]

Being Canadian by birth, she was technically my monarch. Definitely someone who will be hard to replace.

[flogger]

91424

[bczandm]

An acquaintance of mine had tea with her one on one. An American by birth he did a noble thing for a cousin of the queen, very likely saving the cousins life at significant risk to himself. My acquaintance did not seem to be into the concept of royalty but had nice things to say about her. If nothing else she recognized him for what he did and presented him with a medal when she could have done nothing. Of course there is much more to the story, but she also arranged with the US Government (he was in the army at the time) for him to spend a couple of months in England, living with the elite guard who protected her. This in itself was quite a complement.

It's only one data point, but I was left with the impression she was a pretty good person.

[Hummer]

She was a stellar individual, a true queen, and the best example of a monarchical representative of her people. She didn't rule as dictator over subjects of the crown. She was the representative of the country and it's citizens. Had she been the English monarch around the time, the American Revolution might not have happened and we might have been happy (or begrudged) subjects of the crown. Long live the queen!

We're all grateful the American Revolution, the new republic and the Constitution succeeded to give us our current freedoms. While those freedoms aren't perfect, complete or universal among men, we should be thankful we have them, and for the alliances with the British commonwealth countries. The alternatives are so much more dismal. We are so very fortunate to have been born in America.

[BushMasterBoy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Pq0h0h-UQ

[eddiememphis]

She didn't rule as dictator over subjects of the crown. She was the representative of the country and it's citizens.

I know very little about English politics.

Does the King or Queen have actual political power? Other than influence, can they enact or decree or whatever it is royalty was once able to do?

I always heard it is a figurehead position. Had she wanted to rule with an iron fist, is that still possible?

It would be awesome if Charles was waiting all this time and it turns out he is mad with power. As soon as he is crowned, he changes all the laws, kicks out a bunch of people and makes dragons legal again.

[3beansalad]

I know very little about English politics.

Does the King or Queen have actual political power? Other than influence, can they enact or decree or whatever it is royalty was once able to do?

I always heard it is a figurehead position. Had she wanted to rule with an iron fist, is that still possible?

It would be awesome if Charles was waiting all this time and it turns out he is mad with power. As soon as he is crowned, he changes all the laws, kicks out a bunch of people and makes dragons legal again.I've googled, according to the website royal.uk they are figure heads only. I don't understand the adoration, nor 'gratitude' for of her life of service. Just another old lady passing away. Condolences to her family.

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[RblDiver]

It's interesting reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_the_United_Kingdom. Normally, indeed they are primarily figureheads. However, they DO have a little actual power, should they actually choose to exercise it, namely it is the monarch who appoints and can remove the Prime Minister. It's an unwritten convention that they appoint the person whose party controls the House of Commons, and the last time a PM was removed was in the 1800s, but it's technically feasible. Similarly, they technically have veto power over all legislation, but that hasn't been exercised since the 1700s.

I liked this description, "The constitutional writer Walter Bagehot identified the monarchy in 1867 as the "dignified part" rather than the "efficient part" of government." (Though one would question these days whether any government official is "efficient")

[eddiememphis]

So King Chuck can't declare war on Moldova?

Another dream dashed against the rocks of practical politics...

[Duman]

The queen, from my understanding, was a decent person. She was a bright light, considering the remainder of her family have the collective IQ of a turnip.