For 70 years, Queen Elizabeth reigned over the United Kingdom, giving a sense of stability to its monarchy and national identity, a continuity that many now say shifted dramatically following her passing.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward wrote a story for The Sun, where she discussed a significant shift within the royal family since the monarch’s 2022 death. It ushered in a period of adjustment and change for its most senior members.
Elizabeth ascended to the royal family’s highest role in 1952. She became queen after the death of her father, King George VI.
She was just 25 when she became head of the House of Windsor. Her coronation was not until 1953.
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Seward believes that the royal family remains in flux after Elizabeth’s death. The turmoil the family has faced in recent years has tainted the crown’s legacy, including ongoing public scrutiny, internal rifts, and a shifting perception of the monarchy’s role in modern Britain.
“Tiny, reticent and dignified, the queen was always there as a pillar of stability and continuity. A smudge of vivid color on a stormy day,” Seward wrote.
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“We felt that as long as she was waving from the Palace balcony, surrounded by her expanding family, everything would be all right. The queen represented commitment, not only to the British people, but to everything that was good about Britain to a global audience.”
“She exuded what is called majesty, and when her loyal staff went to see her in her private rooms, they talked about going into the presence. We knew it would be the end of an era when we lost Queen Elizabeth, but the chasm she has left in public life is vast,” Seward concluded.
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Seward believes that King Charles is having a more difficult reign. “He commands great respect, but he has not always done so. The very public breakdown of his marriage to [Princess] Diana and his intimate telephone recording with Camilla [Parker Bowles], published in January 1993, caused huge damage to his reputation.”
“In the years since his mother’s death, he has dealt with his own cancer and that of his daughter-in-law Kate [Middleton]. He has battled with son Prince Harry’s endless problems. He has watched on worried that his beloved country could lose, or destroy, so many of the things that made it great over the years,” Seward declared.
King Charles has worked to project continuity and stability within the monarchy, even as it adjusts to a period of significant change. Still, the institution continues to navigate shifting public expectations and internal challenges as it defines its post-Elizabeth era identity.
The United Kingdom celebrates Queen Elizabeth’s 100 birthday on April 21, 2026.
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This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source uk.news.yahoo.com ’
