Queen Elizabeth II, the world’s most famous monarch, has died Thursday at 96 at his Scottish castle of Balmoral, his family by his side, and his son Prince Charles automatically succeeding him. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and Queen consort will remain at Balmoral tonight and return to London tomorrow,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement, an announcement greeted with enormous emotion around the world.
The British people are in mourning. In Mayenne, the death of the Queen has aroused sadness and emotion among the English who live in the department. Alison Packer, an Englishwoman who now lives in Argentré, remembers a sacred anecdote that dates back to the 70sElizabeth II then a spectator of her sporting performances during a commemoration: “I did the trampoline to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her reign. She had come to my city and my club had been asked to give a demonstration in front of her. It was a moment of great pride, it will remain etched in my memory I still have the newspaper clippings in boxes in the attic. And my grandfather, a police officer, was received at Buckingham Palace for services rendered. It is a deep sadness and a deep admiration for this woman who knew how to pass all these years with elegance and savoir-vivre”.
The Queen’s funeral will take place in Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth II will be buried alongside her late husband, Prince Philipat St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.