8th September 2022 - The Death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ About 20 minutes ago I got a buzz on the phone. It was the BBC News app saying that the Queen had died. There were rumours and murmerings going on all day. Once I heard the news, I turned the TV and radio on to see the effect. The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 were all showing rather somber news reels covering her death. The radio was too but I only checked the BBC stations. All a bit odd. The rumours were flying when black ties appeared on the BBC at lunch time. How long this all lasts will be rather interesting. Of course the jokes are flying around about the Queen having met Liz Truss, new UK Prime Minister, yesterday and popping her clogs today. I certainly would be wary of shaking Truss' hand now. It was interesting hearing Truss' speech. She sounded rather sensible instead of her usual inane manner of speaking. The Queen has suffered the company of 15 Prime Ministers. It is a shame. She did a good job in being a figure head and being above the nonsense of the political class for a long 70 years. There are many challenges in the way for Charles. He is no patch on his mother but the Queen was always going to be a hard act to follow. We shall see if he picks a new name to rule by. At 73, he is the oldest person to become king and was the heir apparent for the longest in British history. It certainly will not be as long a reign as his mother's. Raise your glasses please. To Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second and His Majesty King Charles the Third.