Queen Elizabeth II has died • Hacker News Board

Re: Queen Elizabeth II has died

#371

Post by scott_w » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 6:40 PM UTC

blibble wrote: post #345

orobinson wrote: post #248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel the same. I think it’s because it really represents the end of an era. The 20th and early 21st century ushered in unprecedented improvements to quality of life in Britain but it has felt of late that that has peaked and the country is facing a serious decline: Brexit, the increasingly visible effects of climate change, the aftermath of covid, the possible break up of the union, rising costs of living, recessio…

during her lifetime the British Empire went from its zenith to its end leaving a trade bloc (Brexit) is hardly notable by comparison

It is when you see Brexit as part of that end.

Re: Queen Elizabeth II has died

#372

Post by citilife » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 6:41 PM UTC

Fun facts:

- She ruled for 30% of the time since the American Revolution

- She oversaw the largest reduction of landholdings of any empire in the history of the world. Notable because it was also one of the most peaceful transitions in history -- Australia, Canada, South Africa, Israel, Egypt, etc.

- She oversaw the loss of Sterling the world reserve currency and the rise of another (the USD, EU).

Re: Queen Elizabeth II has died

#373

Post by blibble » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 6:41 PM UTC

kypro wrote: post #333

As a Brit I'm not a huge fan of the royal family on principle, but Queen Elizabeth has been such an excellent head of state for us you really can't fault her. People like to make out her life was easy and that it's not fair that she inherited such a privileged position, but I think the exact opposite. Her life seemed like living hell to me. Every day for the last 70 years she's had to serve this largely ungrateful co…

> Even in her 90s she took her duties extremely seriously, and I respect the hell out of her for that.

she was still working (appointing ministers) on Tuesday

God Save the Queen

Re: Queen Elizabeth II has died

#374

Post by mariusor » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 6:41 PM UTC

cowtools wrote: post #328

jmyeet wrote: post #153

Some view the monarchy as anachronistic. Of course there's merit to that argument but the monarchy as an institution really doesn't cost that much and has worked in the British political system as really a check on abuse of government power. The Queen's consent in forming government is routine but it can be withheld. Australia had an example of this where the Governor General (the Queen's representative in the Austra…

>The American system of relying on centuries of tenuous interpretation of a fairly short document just isn't as much of an improvement as you think. Having an unelected, unaccountable individual who leeches off the tax system: this is anachronistic but fair, it's about balance of powers, its an important part of our cultural heritage, it doesn't even cost that much why do you care. Having strong founding principles a…

One could argue that a current monarch's reign is not exactly leeching of the public money as it were, but a difficult and thankless job that one just can't get out of.

Re: Queen Elizabeth II has died

#375

Post by madamelic » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 6:41 PM UTC

ianburrell wrote: post #237

mkmk wrote: post #113

RIP. Perhaps the last reigning Queen of England the world will ever see.

Are you expecting end of monarchy? There was recent rule change for succession to not depend on gender that makes it more likely there will be a queen in future. For example, Prince Charlotte is now third in line instead of fourth after her younger brother with the old rules.

If global warming as predicted, it's very likely.

The succession is all men:

Charles (10 - 20 years of reign puts us in the 2030s)

William (30 - 50 years puts us between 2060 - 2080)

George (30 - 50 years puts us between 2120 - 2140)

The next possible female monarch is if George dies for some reason (passing onto Charlotte) or if George has a daughter first which would mean she'd take the throne well into the 2100s.

Re: Queen Elizabeth II has died

#376

Post by seydor » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 6:41 PM UTC

lordleft wrote: post #316

RIP. I've always believed that there was a place for constitutional monarchy in the world. As the world hurtles forward, having a tether to the past grounds us, reminds us that we are not ahistorical, but part of a continually unfolding story.

sometimes clinging for too long in the past causes violent movements

Re: Queen Elizabeth II has died

#377

Post by onemoresoop » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 6:41 PM UTC

saberience wrote: post #71

It's weird, I've never considered myself a "royalist" but this news has affected me quite strongly. I just burst into tears unexpectedly on hearing this news and I don't quite understand why I feel so very sad. I guess I have grown up and lived my whole life (as a Brit) seeing and hearing the Queen, singing "God save the Queen" etc, and this news made me suddenly feel very old, very nostalgic, with the sense that all…

>It's weird, I've never considered myself a "royalist" but this news has affected me quite strongly. I just burst into tears unexpectedly on hearing this news and I don't quite understand why I feel so very sad. I guess I have grown up and lived my whole life (as a Brit) seeing and hearing the Queen, singing "God save the Queen" etc, and this news made me suddenly feel very old, very nostalgic, with the sense that all things pass in time, which makes my heart ache deeply.

I'm not even British and find myself feeling likewise. The Queen has been a fixture for a long time (before my birth and even before my parent's birth as well). It is also probably because of Queen Elisabeth's story was somewhat moving. It will take some time to get used to King Charles III...

Re: Queen Elizabeth II has died

#378

Post by habnds » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 6:41 PM UTC

dang wrote: post #329

All: please don't post flamebait, including ranting against monarchy or railing against "the nobility" like it's 1770. Such reflexive comments are not on topic here. We want curious conversation. Please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html . This story is on topic because it's a major historical event and history has always been on topic here. If it doesn't produce an intellectually curious respons…

is it a malignant comment to point out that the royalty is a malignant influence on the United Kingdom?

Re: Queen Elizabeth II has died

#379

Post by petercooper » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 6:42 PM UTC

controversial97 wrote: post #7

If I remember correctly, the plan is that UK TV channels cancel all entertainment programs for the next ten days, so I look forward to more people going outside for the end of summer.

Even so, it's a different era now. When Diana died, the TV and radio were certainly very different for a good week thereafter. Nowadays, even if most TV and radio changes its schedule, there's Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, 'catch up' services and all the rest, so you could very easily not be exposed to the national mood in the same way.

Re: Queen Elizabeth II has died

#380

Post by speedylight » Thu, Sep 08, 2022, 6:42 PM UTC

When I saw the news of her death on Twitter I had a really uneasy feeling, I don’t know how to describe it… it’s like mortality slapped me across the face. From all indications she was a strong and noble queen. May she rest in peace.