<story><title>Queen Elizabeth II has died</title><url>https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61585886</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>spaceman_2020</author><text>What is the sentiment like in the UK about Charles vs William? Heard lots of people calling for him to just hand it over to William straight away.</text></item><item><author>Nursie</author><text>Apparently, when I was little, I got excited one Christmas when the Queen’s speech was on tv, because I thought it was my Grandmother…&lt;p&gt;I used to take comfort in the idea that all things pass in time, now not so much. Probably because I realised that includes everyone I love, and myself!&lt;p&gt;I’ve no great love for the monarchy, but this is certainly the end of an era in British public life and likely in UK international relations - I can’t see the commonwealth nations welcoming King Charles as their new head of state.&lt;p&gt;And it is weird, there are some things you just never expect to change. I’m hardly a spring chicken, but Queen Elizabeth was not only there my entire life, but Queen far enough into the past before I was born to have interacted with historical figures (like Churchill).</text></item><item><author>saberience</author><text>It&amp;#x27;s weird, I&amp;#x27;ve never considered myself a &amp;quot;royalist&amp;quot; but this news has affected me quite strongly. I just burst into tears unexpectedly on hearing this news and I don&amp;#x27;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 &amp;quot;God save the Queen&amp;quot; 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.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>Nursie</author><text>I left the UK a year or so back and have been pretty anti-monarchist for as long as I can remember, so am probably not the best person to ask about the public mood on succession!&lt;p&gt;I think there are probably a lot of people like me who, while anti monarchy in general, were not particularly anti-Elizabeth. However now that she’s passed I would quite like the whole thing to be further de-emphasised, de-legitimised and removed from any remaining levers of power, however ceremonial or theoretical, and any remaining state subsidy, palaces and lands to be taken into public ownership etc etc.&lt;p&gt;How many are of these opinions I am unsure.</text></comment>
<story><title>Queen Elizabeth II has died</title><url>https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61585886</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>spaceman_2020</author><text>What is the sentiment like in the UK about Charles vs William? Heard lots of people calling for him to just hand it over to William straight away.</text></item><item><author>Nursie</author><text>Apparently, when I was little, I got excited one Christmas when the Queen’s speech was on tv, because I thought it was my Grandmother…&lt;p&gt;I used to take comfort in the idea that all things pass in time, now not so much. Probably because I realised that includes everyone I love, and myself!&lt;p&gt;I’ve no great love for the monarchy, but this is certainly the end of an era in British public life and likely in UK international relations - I can’t see the commonwealth nations welcoming King Charles as their new head of state.&lt;p&gt;And it is weird, there are some things you just never expect to change. I’m hardly a spring chicken, but Queen Elizabeth was not only there my entire life, but Queen far enough into the past before I was born to have interacted with historical figures (like Churchill).</text></item><item><author>saberience</author><text>It&amp;#x27;s weird, I&amp;#x27;ve never considered myself a &amp;quot;royalist&amp;quot; but this news has affected me quite strongly. I just burst into tears unexpectedly on hearing this news and I don&amp;#x27;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 &amp;quot;God save the Queen&amp;quot; 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.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>jimnotgym</author><text>It is said that the Queen was 100% against the idea of monarchs retiring. I suppose that harks back to the abdication crisis, but also undermines the concept of royalty altogether.</text></comment>