Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown

By Peyton Crowe 

On Friday, September 9th, a nation begins to mourn. 

Charles watches the queen's coffin being taken to the ballroom of Balmoral Castle in Scotland where staff pay their respects. As heavy as his head falls, he quickly learns to lift it back up. The crown must sit somewhere. He pays a heartfelt tribute to his late "darling mama" Queen Elizabeth in his first televised address to the nation as king, and vows to serve as monarch with "loyalty, respect and love" as she had done for more than seven decades. And life continues.

On Sunday, February 6th, a nation rejoices. 

Her Majesty The Queen becomes the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. Prince Charles of Wales insists the celebration be put on pause until the month of June; when the weather is better and when it's his mother’s birth month. He approves plans for a week's worth of festivities, including the Trooping the Colour and Horse Guards Parade, concerts, street parties and pageants. Across the UK, over 70,000 Big Jubilee Lunches are expected to take place at homes and local village halls over the Jubilee weekend, over ten million people across the UK will join the celebration. And life continues.

Saturday, September 10th, a new king is proclaimed. 

The Accession Council met at St James's Palace, the official residence of the sovereign, to formalize Charles's position as king and proclaim the successor. The proclamation was read from the Proclamation Gallery, a balcony above Friary Court of St James's Palace, and is accompanied by gun salutes. A crowd cheered on as David White, the Garter King of Arms, read out the official proclamation. "Three cheers for Majesty the King," the senior herald in England shouted from the balcony, prompting a response of "hip, hip, hurrah" from soldiers below. But Charles would not smile. He could not pretend. And life continues.

Sunday, February 6th, plans were announced by Buckingham Palace. 

Charles was given his first look at the royal jubilee medals and uniforms.  He marveled over how, for the first time, jubilee beacons were lit in every capital city of each Commonwealth country. The Royal Mint and the Royal Canadian Mint partnered to create a two coin set, with each mint designing one half. One had an equestrian portrait of the Queen and the other side, the royal mantle. The other coin depicted Her Majesty in 1952. Charles was truly happy. He didn’t have to pretend. And life continues. 

The queen left Balmoral for the last time. 

The queen's coffin was driven from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh, moving slowly on a 6-hour drive via Aberdeen. It arrived at Holyrood Palace, the monarch's official residence in Scotland, where it was met by a military bearer party on the forecourt and taken to the throne room. Charles paid tribute to his mother for her devotion to her family and to those she reigned over, saying her loss brought great sadness and a "sense of loss, beyond measure". And life continues

Charles addresses the nation. 

On the third day of events to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 70th year on the throne, Charles told the crowd of thousands that she had "been with us in our difficult times. And you bring us together to celebrate moments of pride, joy and happiness." He tells his mother's loyal subjects how he wishes to pay tribute to her lifetime of selfless service. And life continues.

The coffin will be placed on gun carriage and taken to the Palace of Westminster.

The king and other members of the royal family will walk in silence behind. During the procession, Minute Guns will be fired at Hyde Park and Westminster's famous Big Ben bell with toll. It will arrive at Westminster Hall at 3 p.m. and be placed on a Catafalque with a short service, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Members of the public will be allowed to pay their respects and the expectation is that millions may want to visit.

But, at the end of the day, there is now a nation that needs its king. And life continues.