– The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon, said a statement from Buckingham Palace late on Thursday.

He lived to be 96 years old.

The Queen has been struggling with health issues recently, which has caused several missions to be aborted. Queen Elizabeth has been the longest-serving monarch on the British throne. Earlier this year, his 70th year on the throne was marked by a series of celebrations.

The Queen’s death means that her son Charles is now King of Great Britain, while his wife Camilla is Queen.

– Queen Elizabeth means a lot to the monarchy, says Erik Mustad, senior lecturer at Agder University.

– England is more “Elizabethans” than monarchy. That says everything about his position. He is far more popular than any other member of the British royal family. He kept the family together, despite differences and disagreements, Mustad told Dagsavisen.

[ Dronning Elizabeth er død ]

Stability

– Queen Elizabeth has been a bearer of continuity, says Øivind Bratberg, senior lecturer at the University of Oslo.

– Through everything that has happened in the history of Great Britain in recent decades, Queen Elizabeth has always been there. He is very adept at adapting to changing times in history. She became head of state in what is still a colonial empire and has become queen of a country that has changed colossally in recent decades. The changes the country went through were easier to deal with because he had experienced them, said Bratberg.

Erik Mustad pointed out that the monarchy’s popularity declined after Princess Diana’s death in 1997, but the queen saw that she was out of step with the people and did something about it. He said that the monarchical position remained largely due to him.

[ – Svært naturlig og nesten uforståelig situasjon ]

– Transitional period with Charles

Mustad believes the queen is even more difficult after the death of her husband Prince Philip in 2021.

– He probably played a more active role than many people might realize. Prince Charles has also played an active role in recent years, he said.

According to the line of succession, it was Prince Charles who took over after Queen Elizabeth’s death. He is 73 years old.

– There will be some kind of transitional period with Charles, because he is very old, even though he may have been on the throne for years. Charles is less popular than his mother and his son, Prince William, Mustad said.

Øivind Bratberg said there was a certain concern among many about what it would be like when Prince Charles took over.

– There is a completely different reality waiting. He is a very different person with a completely different starting point, and has a huge job ahead of him in establishing legitimacy. He started his life’s work when he had reached retirement age. But he has a kind of gravity based on his life experiences, says Bratberg.

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