In the United Kingdom, the press state the monarch's role in defining what the UK is today. Some newspapers even call her “the mother of the Nation” and thank her for her 70 years and 214 days of service to the country.
These are words that are also repeated in the major publications across the rest of the world.
British newspapers and TV channels have only one subject and are clearly in mourning. The distance or neutrality that they are supposed to maintain in relation to the subjects they address has been suspended to mourn the death of Elizabeth II. Even if the words are discreet, the message is clear: the country is an orphan.
With her death, the queen’s eldest son Charles has become Britain’s new king, taking the title King Charles III.
After the 96 year old monarch's death, there seems to be a simulacrum of comfort in eternity and in the choice of words made by journalists responsible for editorials: “The Queen was the model of the constitutional monarchy”, writes the magazine “The Spectator”. “ Queen Elizabeth II, our remarkable monarch ”, “ Her Majesty has redefined an institution, performed good deeds and quietly inspired millions ”.
For millions, the queen has always been on the throne. She was a guarantor, the tradition, the rock, the constancy, the uniting factor that is now expressed by many.
Queen Elizabeth II went through decades of war and peace, a century of public service and professionalism that is recognised with unrepressed admiration.
“It is a moment like no other in the last 70 years, the death of a monarch” in the UK, reads the Sky News editorial. “The Queen's death will profoundly shake this country — she was a steady center in a constant flux ,” writes The Guardian. Her dedication to public service is underlined from the time of World War II, when she contributed to the war effort as a mechanic.
The choice of quotes from the queen by the newspapers testifies to a mixture of tenderness and recognition that runs through most expressions of grief. “She was the spirit of Britain and that spirit will remain,” said Prime Minister Liz Truss.
The “constant presence in a changing world” is the value evoked this Thursday by the BBC. Seven decades of reign is an eternity for many people throughout the world who mourn the loss of Queen Elizabeth II today.
