The Queen is dead, long live the King - a look at the 2020s so far

The Queen is dead, long live the King!

The death of Queen Elizabeth II, just three months after her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, marked the end of the longest reign in British history, seeing off 15 prime ministers. But as the sun set on the Queen’s 70-year reign, the accession of her eldest son, King Charles III, also marked the dawn of a new era.

The spring of 2022 was a largely joyful affair. With the gloom of the coronavirus lockdowns finally behind us, the people of the West Midlands were united in celebrating the Queen’s unprecedented Platinum Jubilee.

The Queen herself observed that it was difficult to know how to mark the occasion, given that such a celebration had never been held before.

“When it comes to how to mark 70 years as your Queen, there is no guidebook to follow, it really is a first,” she said.

The 70th anniversary of her accession, in February, was a relatively low-key affair. Her Majesty held a small reception at Sandringham, on February 7, which was attended by members of the local Women’s Institute. Among them were Angela Wood, a former cookery student who helped create the original recipe for Coronation chicken in 1953.

Renewing the pledge she had made on her 21st birthday, the Queen said: “As we mark this anniversary, it gives me pleasure to renew to you the pledge I gave in 1947 that my life will always be devoted to your service.”

The main event, though, would be a four-day celebration in June, with an extra Bank Holiday being created on June 3, the normal spring bank holiday moving to June 2, and the celebrations continuing throughout the weekend.

The West Midlands became sea of red, white and blue – with a dash of royal purple – as hundreds of street parties were held across the region.

More than 20 fires were lit across the region, attracting thousands of well-wishers wanting to mark a moment in history. Thousands descended on the Severn Valley Railway to get a glimpse of the 34027 Taw Valley locomotive, which was painted purple, renumbered No. 70 and renamed Elizabeth II to mark the occasion.

The traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony was moved to June 2, and the Queen observed a flypast of more than 70 aircraft from the balcony of Buckingham Palace. The flypast was made up of aircraft from the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and Army Air Corps, including the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the Red Arrows and 15 Typhoon fighters forming the number 70.

The following day, a service of thanksgiving was held at St Paul’s Cathedral, but Her Majesty was conspicuous by her absence. It was reported that she had been suffering from ‘some discomfort’ following the previous day’s events, and the Prince of Wales was tasked with standing in for her.The Platinum Party at the Palace, a music event featuring stars such as Elton John, Duran Duran, Andrea Bocelli, Alicia Keys, Rod Stewart and Diana Ross, was broadcast live around the world, with the Prince of Wales once more standing in for his mother at the end of the event. A comedy sketch, featuring the Queen in conversation with Paddington Bear,. was also screened. The celebrations were rounded off with a pageant along The Mall on June 5. A surprise appearance by the Queen from the palace balcony at the end rounded off what had been a much-needed period of joy, but it also became evident that the Queen’s health had been in rapid decline.

On September 6 the Queen appointed Liz Truss as her 15th prime minister, and for the first time she conducted the ceremony at her home at Balmoral rather than Buckingham Palace. Official photographs of her greeting the new PM raised concerns about the Queen’s health. Two days later Buckingham Palace announced her death. A statement from the Palace said the Queen died peacefully at 3.10pm on September 8, 2022. She was the first monarch to die in Scotland for almost 480 years.