Death of Queen Elizabeth II the “end of an era”

The death of Queen Elizabeth marks the end of an era according to Andrew Walkling, a historian at Binghamton University, State University of New York.

Queen Elizabeth II had been on the throne for more than 70 years and was a constant presence in the world. She represented stability and came to be viewed as a kind of grandmotherly figure to her subjects in the U.K. and in the 14 other countries of which she was the sovereign, said Walkling, an historian of the British court and of the reign of King Charles II (1660–1685). Her death marks the end of an era.

“The loss is felt deeply around the world because of how long she sat on the throne and the role she played, and because of the personal feelings people developed for her even if they had never met her,” said Walkling.