WHO Issue 38, 2022

According to the BBC, the Queen’s funeral was watched by more than 4 billion people across the globe. The magnificent service, preceded by a week of historic events, concluded Elizabeth’s remarkable 70-year reign. For me, one of the most spine-tingling moments was when 200 pipers and drummers from Scottish and Irish regiments accompanied Elizabeth’s coffin from Westminster Hall to the nearby Abbey. The beautifully behaved Prince George and Princess Charlotte – who wore a horseshoe brooch in tribute to her beloved Gan-Gan – really tugged on the heartstrings, too. But perhaps one of the most emotional moments came when Her Majesty returned to Windsor Castle in order to be buried alongside her late husband, Prince Philip. In her address to the nation during the height of the pandemic, the Queen said, “We’ll…

In life, Queen Elizabeth II was a force. Despite her diminutive size, she deliberately chose bright, eye-catching outfits, worn to a staggering amount of public engagements per year, insisting that the sovereign “must be seen to be believed”. So it was fitting that at 96, and after 70 years of devoted public service, she was carried to her final resting place under an unmissable wreath of brightly coloured flowers chosen by her son and heir, King Charles III. The United Kingdom and indeed the world stood still as her coffin, also draped with the Royal Standard and topped with the bejewelled Imperial State Crown, made its way out of Westminster Abbey – where she was crowned in 1953 – after a moving church service that saw her beloved family rub shoulders with…

It was a scene that really cemented what the grieving royal family was going through. King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward stood around Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin, which lay in state for four days at Westminster Hall from September 16, prior to her funeral. Heads bowed and wearing full military regalia, the late monarch’s four children stood vigil in front of passing mourners who paid their respects. And in the wings, the siblings’ children, spouses and some grandchildren watched on, too. A tearful Princess Eugenie stood beside a stoic Zara Tindall, while Lady Louise wiped away a tear, and Prince Harry, too. The Queen’s family were among some of the half a million mourners who have visited her at Westminster Hall, after she passed “peacefully” on September 8,…

A15-minute silent vigil was held at Westminster Hall by the Queen’s eight grandchildren on September 17, as thousands came to pay their respects to the late monarch. Princes William and Harry were joined by Princess Anne’s children, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips; Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie; and the two children of Prince Edward, Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn. William and Harry, who both wore military uniform, were sombre as they led the family members into the Hall and stood at either end of their grandmother’s oak coffin. According to The Sunday Times, the Duke of Sussex was reportedly heartbroken after the Queen’s initials were removed from his military uniform, as he is no longer a working royal. Although Andrew, who is also no longer working in an official…

The images of the streets surrounding Westminster Hall were astounding. For seven days, more than half a million mourners queued to view Queen Elizabeth II laying in state. At one point, there was a 19-hour wait time for those in the 16km-long line. Despite officials urging the public to avoid the queue due to overcrowding, Elizabeth’s faithful followers, including David Beckham, Tilda Swinton, Sharon Osbourne and James Blunt, couldn’t be dissuaded from lining up alongside the public. “We all want to be here together, to celebrate the amazing life of our Queen. I think something like this is meant to be shared together,” Beckham told the BBC. He then told ITV news that he joined the line at around 2am and reached her coffin 13 hours later at 3.15pm. He reportedly…

Blake Lively and husband Ryan Reynolds are expecting their fourth child, the actress revealed while attending the 10th annual Forbes Power Women’s Summit at Lincoln Center in NYC. The 35-year-old star sparkled as she showcased her bump in a gold mini dress and looked the epitome of happiness posing for photographs. This is the second time Lively has announced a surprise pregnancy on the red carpet. She revealed she was expecting her third child at Reynolds’ premiere of Pokémon Detective Pikachu in 2019. Fans were equally as surprised by this pregnancy reveal. As recently as late August, Lively had posted an Instagram pic of herself in a bikini with no visible signs of a bump. Lively and Reynolds met in 2010 while working on the movie Green Lantern and married in…