英国女王¶
Repost from the British Consulate-General in Shanghai and the British Embassy.
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has passed away. On the afternoon of September 8, in Balmoral Castle, Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II peacefully passed away at the age of 96. King Charles of the United Kingdom issued a statement expressing his mourning for the Queen's passing. Her Majesty's death is the saddest moment for him and the members of the royal family. The King and Queen will stay in Balmoral tonight and return to London tomorrow. Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926, in London. In 1952, at the age of 25, she became the Queen following the death of her father, King George VI. During her reign, she witnessed 15 British Prime Ministers, from Sir Winston Churchill to Liz Truss. In 2015, she became the longest-reigning monarch in British history, surpassing the record set by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.
On September 8, local time in the UK, the British royal family announced through their official Twitter account that Queen Elizabeth II peacefully passed away in Balmoral, Scotland, at the age of 96.
Subsequently, the new King of the United Kingdom, King Charles III, issued a statement on the Queen's passing. In the statement, His Majesty the King wrote:
"The death of my beloved mother, the Queen, is an extremely sorrowful moment for me and all members of the family.
We mourn deeply for this respected sovereign and beloved mother. I know that the entire nation, the territories, the Commonwealth, and people all around the world will feel a sense of loss due to her departure.
During this period of mourning and transition, my family and I have deeply felt the respect and affection people have for the Queen, which brings us comfort and support.
To commemorate the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, the UK will enter a period of mourning lasting 10 days, and the British Embassy in China will also fly its flag at half-mast.
Ms. Caroline Wilson, the British Ambassador to China, also expressed on Weibo:
This morning, upon hearing the news of the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, like many others, I felt deeply saddened. Together with my colleagues at the British Embassy in China, we mourn the Queen's passing. We extend our deepest condolences to His Majesty the King and the royal family.
Born in 1926 and officially assuming the role of Queen of the United Kingdom in 1952, Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in British history. In June of this year, the UK celebrated the Platinum Jubilee, marking the 70th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. The Queen is a highly respected and beloved monarch, and her life has witnessed the tremendous global changes of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Born in 1926 and officially assuming the role of Queen of the United Kingdom in 1952, Elizabeth II is the longest-reigning monarch in British history. In June of this year, the UK celebrated the Platinum Jubilee, marking the 70th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. The Queen is a highly respected and beloved monarch, and her life has witnessed the tremendous global changes of the 20th and 21st centuries.
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In China, due to the parallel use of the lunar and solar calendars, many people are willing to celebrate their birthdays twice (or even three times when there is a leap month). However, for Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who was born on April 21, 1926, she celebrates her birthday twice a year. But the Queen's two birthdays have nothing to do with the lunar and solar calendars.
Every year, in addition to celebrating her actual birthday, the Queen usually chooses a Saturday in June to celebrate her official birthday. The main reason for this is the weather—it's colder in April in London, while June has more pleasant weather. On her official birthday, the Queen arrives at the Trooping the Colour ceremony at the Horse Guards Parade in a carriage, where the Royal Gun Salutes are fired, and the bands play music. Then the Queen takes part in the Trooping the Colour ceremony, followed by a return to Buckingham Palace. Over 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians participate in the ceremony, making it a grand spectacle.
Until 1987, the Queen used to ride on horseback for the ceremony, but since then, she has reviewed the troops in a carriage and returned to Buckingham Palace. On that day, the Queen and other members of the royal family gather on the balcony to acknowledge the crowds, and there is also a flypast by the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows aerobatic display team.
The current Queen is not the first British monarch to separate her actual birthday from her official birthday celebrations. In 1748, King George II wanted to hold a grand celebration on his birthday, but being born in November, he felt that the winter in London was not suitable for a festive parade. So he decided to celebrate his official birthday with a Trooping the Colour ceremony during the summer, and this tradition has been kept since then.
Last year, due to the pandemic and the death of Queen's husband, Prince Philip, both the gun salutes for her actual birthday and the Trooping the Colour ceremony for her official birthday were canceled. This year marks the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, celebrating her 70 years on the throne, and grand celebrations are planned in many parts of the world, including the United Kingdom.
Apart from celebrating her birthday twice, here are some interesting facts about Queen Elizabeth II to test your knowledge:
The Queen never attended school. Although she didn't have the experience of going to school when she was young, she had several private tutors at home. These tutors taught her constitutional history, law, and French. However, the Queen has expressed regret at never having attended school.
She wakes up to the sound of bagpipes and drinks a glass of champagne before bed. Every morning at 9 a.m., bagpipers play for 15 minutes outside the Queen's window. These bagpipers are known as "Pipers to the Sovereign," a position established in 1843. According to the Queen's cousin, Margaret Rhodes, the Queen usually enjoys a drink of gin or wine with her lunch and a glass of champagne before going to bed in the evening.
Her handbag is her secret signal. In public appearances, it's rare to see the Queen without her handbag, and it's not just for carrying her personal belongings. It is said that if the Queen places her handbag on the table, it means she wants to leave the event within the next five minutes. If she puts her handbag on the floor, it indicates that she finds the conversation awkward and wants to be rescued by her staff immediately.
Prince Philip is her distant cousin. Both the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, are descendants of Queen Victoria. To be precise, they are third cousins. They first met when the Queen was only 8 years old.
The Queen doesn't have a driver's license, license plates, or a passport. Since all British passports are issued in the Queen's name, she doesn't need one herself. Similarly, she doesn't have a driver's license, and her cars don't have license plates. However, this doesn't mean that the Queen isn't a skilled driver. In fact, she is an experienced driver and even served as a mechanic during World War II.
Besides corgis, she also loves horses. While many people know that the Queen is fond of corgis, she is also passionate about equestrianism and horse racing. Her first horse was a gift from her grandfather, King George V, when she was 4 years old. The Queen has also shown an interest in horse breeding. Over the past 200 years, horses bred at the Royal Studs have won almost all major races in the UK.
She has a Poet Laureate. In the traditional ceremonies of the British royal court, the Poet Laureate plays a significant role. This honorary position has existed for nearly four centuries. The current Poet Laureate appointed by the Queen is Carol Ann Duffy,who has held the position since 2009. The Poet Laureate is responsible for composing poems for significant national occasions, such as royal weddings, funerals, and other important events.
These are just a few fascinating facts about Queen Elizabeth II. Her reign has spanned over several decades, making her the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Her birthday celebrations, both actual and official, are just one aspect of her remarkable life and reign.
reference
[1] The Independent. 60 facts about the Queen you didn't know.
[2] Telegraph. The secrets inside the Queen's handbag: discreet signals and Clarins lipstick.
[3] Glamour. 9 Things You Never Knew About Queen Elizabeth's Iconic Launer Purse.
[4] Business Insider. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Are Cousins.
[5] History. 8 Things You May Not Know About Queen Elizabeth II.
[6] Horset Hooves. 9 Facts You Didn't Know About Queen Elizabeth and Horses.
[7] Business Insider India. The Queen has her own personal poet.
[8] Reader's Digest. What to Know About Queen Elizabeth II.
[9] Belfast Telegraph. How the Queen has embraced technology over the years.