Queen Elizabeth: the most challenging moments of her reign

Queen Elizabeth II was an inspiration for many. The loss of the monarch on 8th September 2022 has devastated the globe - specifically those who looked up to Her Majesty; respected her ability to put duty and family above all; and pull through challenging episodes with dignity. We take a look at the most difficult parts of the Queen's reign.

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, had a lot to celebrate this year, but the monarch had been struggling with health problems. She even had to miss the Easter Sunday service which was a tough blow in the Spring.

The annual event is an important fixture in the royal calendar. There is an ancient tradition of giving out Maundy money to hard working members of the community. The faith was important to Queen Elizabeth, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, previously having described her Christian faith as "the rock on which she stands."

The monarch had seen tough times already this year. She had battled COVID; her son, Andrew, was shrouded in scandal over his ugly allegations; and not to mention the ongoing Harry and Meghan estrangement. The Queen, despite having had many hurdles to jump, continued to pull through.

It was 'cold-like symptoms' for the Queen of England as she tested positive for Covid-19 earlier in the year. Despite having three doses of the vaccine, the monarch at the time was 95 years old and vulnerable to the virus. The press commented she was suffering from long-COVID and the monarch spoke out about her battle with COVID-19, saying the virus leaves "one feeling very tired and exhausted."

The Queen, however, continued with 'light duties' despite Covid and mobility problems. The monarch was able to attend her late husband's memorial service earlier on in the year, her first public appearance since October.

The Queen's year was even more challenging in 2021. But she has stayed fast and tough through it all, and she continued to be the picture of strength. Just days after the death of her husband, Prince Philip, she returned to her royal duties.

Days after the death of her partner, HRH bravely attended a ceremony at Windsor Castle for Lord Chamberlain Earl Peel, the royal household’s most senior official who retired after his final act of preparing everything for Philip’s funeral.

Her late husband, Prince Philip, passed away on 9th April 2021 and close family attended his funeral on the 17th. The Queen was unable to be accompanied by anyone due to the pandemic, but stayed strong and dignified, despite the huge loss Elizabeth was clearly experiencing.

She had said of Philip, “He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.”

A very difficult moment for the Queen, indeed. Everyone now knows the allegations that were made towards the royal household regarding racism and neglect, leaving Meghan with mental health struggles. Despite the couple saying it wasn’t The Queen herself or her husband who made these remarks, the Queen still had a tough job in responding to such serious allegations.

The Queen showed dignity and strength in her response and finally released a statement after a 40 hour silence following the scandalous interview: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members.”

On Friday 19th February 2021, Harry and Meghan officially stepped down from royal duties. They had pre-warned the world almost a year before but the decision still came as a blow to The Queen and was left in the uncomfortable position of giving her beloved grandson what he needed without it reflecting badly on the establishment.

"I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life," she said. "I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.”

Queen Elizabeth rarely spoke to the public aside from her programmed royal broadcasts at Christmas. When the Coronavirus pandemic hit the UK in April 2020, however, she stood up to comfort the British people and bring them together at a time of despair and panic.

Speaking from Windsor Castle, the Queen said: "While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed - and that success will belong to every one of us. We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”

Queen Elizabeth likened the situation to that of her experience during the Second World War as social distancing seemed similar to what child evacuees had to endure during that time. It is still a “painful sense of separation from their loved ones” and, she said: ”Now, as then, we know, deep down, that it is the right thing to do."

The court case which may have now seen its end in a payout. Epstein was a convicted sex offender and the ties Prince Andrew had to the man were incredibly damaging to the world’s view of the royal family. Andrew was removed from the royal family. But The Queen found it hard to swallow.

Dickie Arbiter, a royal commentator and former press secretary to the Queen said: “As a mother, she will be devastated, and as the Queen, she’ll be annoyed that all this has happened, annoyed with the acres of coverage and annoyed she hadn’t been told more about the interview before it happened.”

Prince Philip was seen getting out of his Land Rover in January 2019 after a very serious looking crash which involved the Prince toppling his car over and crashing into a car with two women. With minor injuries, the women were fine and discharged from hospital. The Prince’s driving licence was taken away from him and Queen Elizabeth continued on holding her head high.

The Queen's televised message of 2008 included positive comments about the Prince of Wales’ 60th birthday and the charitable work he had done, but was a sombre and difficult speech for the Queen to give. 2008 was a year of incredibly high violent acts across the country and the world; and the economic downturn was instilling fear in the British public. The Queen said, “When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.”

Elizabeth was at her mother’s bedside when she passed away in March, 2002. The Queen Mother had been suffering from a persistent cold and couldn’t overcome the virus. She was 101.

"Over the years I have met many people who have had to cope with family loss, sometimes in the most tragic of circumstances. So I count myself fortunate that my mother was blessed with a long and happy life," the Queen said. "She had an infectious zest for living, and this remained with her until the very end. I know too that her faith was always a great strength to her."

Princess Margaret had health problems and depression. She was 71 years old when she died of cardiac complications from a stroke, just before her mother’s death in February, 2002.

Her Majesty issued the announcement "with great sadness" and reportedly the Queen’s sister’s children, Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, were “at her side.” A devastating loss for The Queen.

A friend of the royal family, Reinaldo Herrera said to Vanity Fair, “I think it was the only time anyone ever saw the queen show her emotions in public. Never explaining anything to the world — what she feels, or why she does what she does — is part of her greatness. But for a few minutes that day, as she stood by the steps of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, watching her sister’s coffin being borne away, her eyes betrayed her.”

Princess Diana’s death will continue to be mourned by the British people for many years to come but after the car accident that caused her death in 1997, The Queen didn’t publicly acknowledge the sadness of the people, nor did she have words of comfort, nor still did she fly the palace flag at half mast. The public were hurt and confused but Elizabeth soon after appeased the public and gave a statement focusing on her admiration for Diana.

A few things happened to make 1992 Queen Elizabeth’s worst year in her reign. To begin with, the monarchy was quite unpopular and the public were angered at the economic recession - blaming the royals for adding the drain on the public’s money. The Queen was unfaltering and made the offer to agree to pay taxes, thus defusing the situation well.

Elizabeth’s eldest son, The Prince of Wales, AKA Prince Charles, separated from Lady Diana after 14 years of marriage. The Queen was allegedly visited by Diana often as her world crumbled as the marriage was falling apart, but the Queen stayed dignified, royal and empathetic to the young Princess.

Her second son, Prince Andrew, also called it quits with his wife, Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson in 1992. The Queen was reportedly not happy about the split, but there was so much controversy surrounding the split (the information had been leaked to the press) that Queen Elizabeth had to, quite simply, simply soldier on.

The Queen’s only daughter, Princess Anne, finalised her divorce from Captain Mark Phillips that same year. They had been separated since 1989 and shared custody of their children but 1992 was the year a lot of royal relationships finally came to an end.

The year ended with a lawsuit. The Sun newspaper published the text of her annual Christmas message two days before it was broadcast. The Queen was less than amused and, after a hard enough year, decided to stand up to the breach of copyright. The newspaper was forced to pay her legal fees and donated £200,000 to charity.

It was 1981 and the Trooping the Colour ceremony was underway. The Queen rode along The Mall on her horse until a sound shattered the festivities. Six shots were fired at the Queen from close range. The shots were, in the end, blanks but Queen Elizabeth controlled her horse in an incredible manner and seemed completely unfazed as she remained completely composed throughout the ordeal.

1979 revealed a knighted, close royal family friend as a spy. Anthony Blunt- Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures and a distant relative to The Queen was revealed as a communist spy, recruited in 1933 for the Soviet Union.

Aberfan – 1966. A terrible disaster struck the village of Aberfan in South Wales, killing 144 people - including 116 children. Queen Elizabeth and her husband waited until the rescue and recovery mission had finished before they went to visit the area as they didn’t want to interfere with the mission. However, the Queen received criticism for waiting eight days before visiting and it is said to still be one of the monarch’s greatest regrets to date.

Winston Churchill’s died in 1965 and Queen Elizabeth attended his funeral with her husband, Prince Philip, The Queen Mother and a young Prince Charles. She said “both my husband and I owe so much and for whose wise guidance during the early years of my reign I shall always be so profoundly grateful.”

The Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, famously had an affair with the divorced, much older, Captain Peter Townsend, a member of King George’s staff, in 1953. The Queen did not publicly give her consent and cabinet would not approve the marriage. It was a royal family disaster but the Queen stayed calm and composed.

Her father died from cancer and other associated diseases while Elizabeth was in Kenya on the first part of a tour in 1952. She was pushed into the spotlight and thrown into the role of monarch at such a young age.

Elizabeth II married Prince Philip but, because of the slow recovery from the way, she needed ration coupons to buy the material for her dress. She still looked a picture of grace at her wedding in 1947 in an ivory satin gown by Sir Normal Hartnell.

It was said at the time that Philip barely had a penny to his name which wasn’t looked on fondly. Not only that, many of the royal family members were not impressed with his German heritage considering this was just following the war.

The Queen has endure many hardships but, even from 18 years old she knew she had a duty to her country and contributed to the war effort, working as a mechanic and truck driver. She then made a broadcast on her 21st birthday as she travelled on her first overseas tour. "I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.” Your majesty, you did not let the people down. We salute you.