If you lived a relatively normal life, you would know that Queen Elizabeth II was the queen of England. You would also know that on September 8 of this year, she passed away. I remember when I first heard the news, I was in a state of disbelief. She was queen for so long; I guess it felt like she was immortal. That it was somehow possible that she’d outlive us all. But now that she has moved on from this plane of existence, a new era has begun, which doesn’t necessarily mean that we can’t reflect on how great of a queen she was.
When World War II took place, Queen Elizabeth II was only 13 years old, but she wanted to be a part of the fight. To her family’s dismay, when she came of age, she enlisted in the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service and trained as an auto mechanic. Though that may not seem like a lot, she made history by being the first woman from the royal family to serve in the military.
Speaking of making history, Queen Elizabeth II changed many things for the better. An example would be the Crown Act of 2013, which ensured equality for the line of succession. Before the act, the eldest son was next in line for the throne, even if they had an elder sister. But Queen Elizabeth II proved for 70 years that a woman was more than capable of being a monarch.
So who was Queen Elizabeth II? Was she a tyrant who believed to be better because of her royal status? Or was she a relatable queen who thought of the people first? We can never know what went through her mind but based on what I know; I’d say the latter. She was the woman who served during World War II even though her family didn’t want her to. She ensured that her daughters, granddaughters, and many women in her bloodline to come would have a chance to become queen and make the impact that she did. She was the woman that danced with the president of Ghana during an age of racism. I honestly believe that Queen Elizabeth II left an astonishing legacy in her 96 years on earth.
-Written by Nathan Kyaw Aung
-Photo from wikipedia.org