Death of Elizabeth II – In the United States, the death of Elizabeth II marked the “end of an era.”

Flags were flown at half-mast at the White House in the Empire State, thousands of kilometers from Buckingham Palace, on Thursday evening in honor of Queen Elizabeth II, whose death marked the “end of an era” for some Americans.

Elizabeth II “is a kind of mother figure (to England),” hailed Drew, 26, from Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of the US capital Washington. “She’s the only queen a lot of people know,” he said softly. He says he has a “positive image” of the monarch: “I find it good that his public appearances are linked to philanthropy,” he said, adding, “But I know there are negative aspects to the monarchy.

In New York, in the famous square of Times Square, with buildings covered with screens, Jose Reyes, 37, a bank employee, even evokes “the end of an era”. “There are huge concerns about the Commonwealth and the Australian Government. For the US, I don’t think there are that many concerns,” he said.

Flags at half-mast

A stone’s throw away, the Empire State glows from the sunset. It will shine in purple, the symbol of the monarchy, and silver, the color of the Queen’s 70-year reign, which was celebrated last June. Elizabeth II visited the top of the building in 1957, making it the tallest building in the world.

Flags are at half-mast at the White House and Capitol, and President Joe Biden has ordered public buildings, embassies, military bases and warships across the country not to fly until sunset, the day of the funeral. of Elizabeth II. The New York Stock Exchange observed a minute of silence Thursday afternoon.

The United States National Cathedral in Northwest Washington tolled 96 bells at 5:00 PM local time. And all the presenters on the CNN channel wore black.

Harry and Diana

However, many of these distant relatives in the United States do not know much about the Queen’s history, especially the recent spat with her grandson Harry and his wife Meghan, or the Queen’s reaction to the death of the princess. Diana, events tarnish the monarch’s image abroad.

“I don’t know much about her. It’s so sad that she died,” said Lauren, 38, as she waited for her children at the famous yellow school bus stop in suburban Washington. “She always seemed happy, but I don’t know if she really was,” he added, specifically referring to her family who were “separated from her.”

AFP

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