The world is in mourning after the Royal Family announced the passing of Queen Elizabeth II at their summer house in Balmoral, on Thursday 08 September 2022.  She was the longest reigning monarch, rather ironic considering that she was never in line to be queen but when her uncle Edward VIII voluntarily abdicated the throne to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson, Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, was made king but with his passing at age 56, Princess Elizabeth become Queen at the young age of 25.  She was travelling in Kenya at the time staying at the Treetops Hotel and so many still say that she went up the tree a princess and came down a queen.   Her ties to Africa have always been strong, she gave one of her most famous quotes when she was still a Princess visiting Cape Town,  South Africa on her 21 birthday:

“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.” 

…and she lived her life accordingly!

Long live the Queen