As we all know, so many things have been going on in England! The queen has passed, and they also have a new Prime Minister. Fenwick teacher, Ms. Mary Beth Logas, shared her insight on the various changes overseas, “It was the passing of an era, and she made the British proud to be British.” In this piece, we will talk about the queen’s passing, the new Prime Minister, and how these changes can possibly impact America.

What did the queen mean to the people of England? At the age of eighteen, she was already making an impact by volunteering for war service. This made many people realize how much she was committed to her country. The queen was loved by everyone across the world and inspired them. During World War II, she was able to rally her country and that was able to get them through the difficult times. The queen was also seen as a glamorous and elegant woman. She had a large, traditional wedding. The people of England love tradition, and Queen Elizabeth II represented this by the Gun Salutes, Swan Upping, and Investitures. The people of England clearly feel genuine grief over her death. She will be greatly be missed. While many people have great affection towards her, not many think she necessarily changed history. Logas adds, “She knew what her job was and what it wasn’t.” The queen always stayed out of politics and no one truly knows what she thought of it. The British empire did fall apart while she was queen, but she was able to rebuild it. This difficult job has been passed on to her eldest son, now known as King Charles III. He was appointed as king on September 8, 2022 and he definitely has some big shoes to fill. It also doesn’t help that in the past he has shared his political views because as king he shouldn’t speak of those opinions anymore. This results in people having biased opinions on the way he rules. While the queen was recruited at a young age because of her father’s death, King Charles III is seventy-three and probably won’t have enough time to really impact England.

Another person that will impact England is the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss. Boris Johnson stepped down from his position as Prime Minister and so she has been appointed with a rocky start. Two weeks after she became the Prime Minister, the queen passed, and she started a 48 billion dollar tax cut which is most likely based off of former president Donald Trump’s tax cut. This didn’t start the big economic boom she thought it would’ve created. Prime Minister’s don’t have regularly scheduled elections, but she can be voted off. It is a possibility that she may even resign, too.
While these all impact the United Kingdom, this may impact the United States as well. With the tax cut, it may be harder to import things to the UK. The taxcut would also make the American dollar worth a lot more, so if you plan on visiting England any time soon, you’ll be able to buy a lot more! Logas expressed, “I think it will be more of an inconvenience, rather than a problem.” With regard to the new king, the future stays unknown.

UPDATE: Since the completion of this article, Liz Truss resigned from her position as Prime Minister. The circumstances of England continue to evolve on a daily basis.