In memoriam: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The Ukrainian World Congress mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II and sympathizes with the royal family and all members of the United Kingdom, the British Commonwealth, and the whole world on our irreparable loss.

The United Kingdom’s longest-serving monarch, the Queen passed away peacefully on September 8, 2022, at her Scottish Balmoral estate at the age of 96 after reigning for 70 years.

During her tenure, the Queen appointed 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill and ending with Liz Truss. The latter, who was appointed just two days before the monarch’s death, described the Queen as “the rock on which modern Britain was built.”

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born on April 21, 1926, and ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, when she was just 25, with a strong sense of duty and determination to dedicate her life to her people. Her coronation in June 1953 was the first to be broadcast through the new medium of television.

She was adored by people of the Commonwealth and Ukrainian communities were no exception. The Queen, in return, favored the Ukrainian diaspora and supported Ukrainian’s struggle against Russian aggression. As a member of the royal family, she could not express this support formally but often demonstrated it using blue and yellow colors for her dress, accessories, and flowers. And after the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, she generously donated to a Ukrainian charity.

At the Ukrainian World Congress, we will always remember the Queen.

Rest in peace, Queen Elizabeth II!

Sources used: BBC; Diaspora.ua