Always smiling, always working till the very end, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a constant symbol of continuity amidst an ever changing world. She will be sorely missed the world over.

Aged 96, her last moment seen by the public was at work, welcoming the new prime minister just days before her demise. “The example, the duty, the selflessness,” former Prime Minister John Major said about her qualities. And it wasn’t just British leaders who honoured her.

“Curious, thoughtful, funny and so much more.”

Justin Trudeau

“She was one of my favourite people in the world, and I will miss her so,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau paid tribute.

Described as the world’s greatest public servant by former prime minister David Cameron, her 70-year reign was marked by dignity, dedication, immense grace and exemplary leadership.

“The world’s greatest public servant and indeed, the world’s most experienced diplomat.”

David Cameron

The new monarch, King Charles III said his mother’s demise was a “moment of great sadness” and that her loss will be deeply felt the world over.

He said: “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

Despite her frailing health, she was emotionally and mentally strong as she attended events and continued working with her warm and comforting smile till the very end. Just days ago she met the new Prime Minister Liz Truss, looking frail but smiling broadly. She has been widely praised for her work ethic and resiliance throughout her 70-year reign. Aged 21, she pledged to serve the people of the Commonwealth.

“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service”

She added: “God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.”

Admired the world over, tributes have flooded in for the longest-reigning British Monarch who celebrated her 70th Jubilee just months ago.

Prime Minister Liz Truss said The Queen was “the rock on which modern Britain was built”, and she “provided us with the stability and strength that we needed”.

His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community said it was a truly great and tremendous loss and prayed for the family.

“Her Majesty served her people with immense dignity, grace and unwavering dedication throughout her long reign.”

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad

The Pope said he was deeply saddened by the news and offered his condolences.

“A life of unstinting service to the good of the Nation and the Commonwealth, her example of devotion to duty.”

Pope Francis

Other leaders described her as “kind-hearted” and “wise” as they flocked to pay tribute.

“Elizabeth II rightfully enjoyed the love and respect of her subjects, as well as authority on the world stage.”

Russian president vladimir putin

“A beacon of wisdom and principled leadership”

King Abdullah II of Jordan 

“Scotland loved, respected and admired her”

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon

“A Queen of hearts who marked her country and century forever”

French President Emmanuel Macron

“Working until the very end on behalf of the people she loved. A life that was completely and utterly devoted to the service of others.”

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern

“A reign defined by grace, elegance and a tireless work ethic”.

Barack Obama

“What a grand and beautiful lady she was – there was nobody like her!”

Donald Trump

“I will never forget her warmth and kindness.”

Indian PM Narendra Modi 

“Extraordinary sense of duty… a remarkable source of reassurance to the British people.”

Irish President Michael D Higgins

This weekend, the UK celebrated Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years since her ascension to the throne in 1952.

Polling from YouGov has suggested that Britain’s longest reigning monarch and the institution she represents continues to enjoy widespread support widespread among the British public.

Data suggests that Britons favour retaining the monarchy over its abolition  by a margin of 62% to 22%, and that every single age group and political grouping have more people in favour of retaining the monarchy compared to its abolition.

Nonetheless, there are some significant discrepancies between support across ages, with support being highest among 65+ (77% to 13%) and lowest amongst those aged 18-24 (33% to 31%).

So how significant are these numbers and what do they bode for the future of the monarchy?

Firstly it is important to note that high support for the monarchy, and in particular that for the Queen has been high for decades. Indeed, on the occasion of the Queen’s last jubilee in 2012, 69% claimed that Britain would be worse off without the monarchy. This is only one of a number of polls taken over the Queen’s reign suggesting that Britons are still fond of the monarchy. Nonetheless, not all royals are as equally popular. Charles, heir to the throne is considerably less popular than his mother, having an overall net positive rating of +19 compared to his mother’s +62. Even Prince William and Princess Catherine hold better ratings of +59 and +55 respectively.

What does this mean for the future of the monarchy?

Firstly, it seems although the Queen is the most popular member of the royal family and she’s reached the milestone of the Platinum Jubilee, there is no indication that the royal family will be removed anytime soon. Indeed, although trends suggest that the youth are considerably less fond of the royals than the elderly, there is widespread support for the royals across all tiers of society – with even the more unpopular royals having overwhelmingly more support than even the most politicians. It seems then, that the monarchy will continue to be a part of British life for the foreseeable future.

Dan Marsh, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The British police have launched an investigation into the charity set by Prince Charles after allegations were made of it offering Saudi tycoon knighthood in exchange for $2 million in donations.

The cash-for-honors scandal came to light after the right-hand man to Prince Charles; Michael Fawcett, stepped down from his position of running the charity. The right-hand man resigned last year after an internal investigation conducted by the police. The British royal family faced another blow on Wednesday after the Scotland Yard released a statement.

“The decision follows an assessment of a September 2021 letter. This related to media reporting alleging offers of help were made to secure honors and citizenship for a Saudi national,” it said. 

“The Special Enquiry Team has conducted the assessment process which has included contacting those believed to hold relevant information…The assessment determined an investigation will commence,” they added. 

According to The Sunday Times newspaper in September, a Saudi businessman by the name of Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz received an award after donating to projects supported by the Prince which correlates with the recent allegations. He was awarded an honorary CBE which is the highest order of the British Empire award for someone not from Britain in 2016. Moreover, an independent investigation led by the police into their fundraising practices has also revealed some relevant documents. However, no arrests or interviews have been conducted yet. 

In fact, “the Prince of Wales had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities,” said a spokesperson for Prince Charles and the spokesperson for the foundation stated “It would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation,” when asked to comment on the ongoing allegations. In addition to this, Mahfouz has denied any wrongdoings on his part as well. 

The Mahfouz Foundation that received donations was set up to “promote and advance the education of the public in the United Kingdom in the culture, history, language, literature, and institutions of the Middle East”. The investigation is going on to see if “certain donations received by the Mahfouz Foundation were intended for the charity, have been used in accordance with the donors’ intentions and if they should be returned to the donor or otherwise applied for charitable purposes”.

This allegation came after Prince Andrew’s sexual misconduct allegation was decided to be set outside of court. Needless to say, the Royal family has had a tough start to the year.