BERLIN, GERMANY – JUNE 24: Queen Elizabeth II arrives for the state banquet in her honour at … [+]
When Queen Victoria handed away on January 22, 1901, few of her topics might probably keep in mind a time earlier than she got here to the throne. Her reign, which lasted nearly 64 years, then the longest in British historical past, noticed the world reworked.
Now greater than 120 years later, many individuals in the UK of Nice Britain and North Eire and the British Commonwealth, in addition to in a lot of the world, are mourning the passing of Victoria’s great-great-granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II.
In some ways, since this early this morning, when the information was introduced that members of the Royal Household have been heading to be with the 96-year-old monarch at her Balmoral property in Scotland, it was nearly as if a countdown ticker had been began. Because the BBC reported, at Buckingham Palace in London, crowds awaiting updates on the Queen’s situation started crying as they heard of her demise. The Union flag on high of the palace was lowered to half-mast at 18:30 BST.
Such was actually not the case with Queen Victoria. In reality, when she handed away at 6:30 pm Greenwich Imply Time (GMT) few instantly took discover that night. In reality, most Britons would not have even heard the information till studying it within the morning papers the following day.
The British authorities and the Royal Household have been getting ready for this second for years, anticipating how the information may very well be shortly introduced by way of TV and radio. What wasn’t probably anticipated, till not too long ago at the very least, was how the Web and social media might additionally change how phrase of the queen’s passing may very well be shared.
But, the Royal Household did shortly subject a easy but vital announcement on social media.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will stay at Balmoral this night and can return to London tomorrow,” the official Twitter account for The Royal Household (@RoyalFamily) tweeted at 1:30 pm ET.
That tweet was “appreciated” greater than 1.4 million occasions inside the first hour, and retweeted some 500,000 occasions.
A lot Negativity
What can be particularly noteworthy is how social media has allowed, and nearly encourages, the lots to share adverse feedback in such occasions. This has been true when phrase of the passing previous political leaders has gone viral, however the information of Queen Elizabeth II’s demise has actually introduced out absolutely the worst from many, who took to the social platforms to basically cheer that she is useless.
In reality, the negativity has to this point basically overshadowed these providing condolences on a number of the platforms.
The sort of public commentary by no means actually existed earlier than the period of social media, and even the harshest media critics of a public determine would hardly ever have celebrated such information. Now because of the worldwide attain of social media, the place anybody can remark, the gloves have actually come off. Whether or not that’s really for the most effective has but to be seen.
