Month: September 2022

Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday that Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history, died at her Balmoral estate in Scotland at the age of 96.  “The queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The king and the queen consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow,” a statement from the Palace read.  Queen Elizabeth’s son, Charles, has ascended the throne and will be known as King Charles III. Charles’s eldest son, Prince William, is now heir to the throne.

Elizabeth was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London, to Prince Albert, duke of York (later to become King George VI), and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. She wasn’t destined to be queen; her father was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary Elizabeth, and was not expected to become sovereign. That all changed, however, with the abdication crisis of 1936 when her uncle King Edward VIII gave up the throne to spend his life with American divorcée Wallis Simpson.

Princess Elizabeth was married to Philip Mountbatten in 1947, the son of Prince Andrew of Greece.  Within months, they had their first child, Charles, followed by Anne, Andrew and Edward over the next 16 years. Elizabeth’s father, George VI, died on Feb. 6, 1952 at just 56 years old, and Elizabeth took the throne.

The queen’s husband, Prince Philip, died April 9, 2021 at age 99. He was the longest-serving consort of a reigning British monarch.  After his death, the queen’s health slowly deteriorated.  She was hospitalized for one night in late October 2021 for what Buckingham Palace described as “preliminary investigations.” A few weeks later on Nov. 14, the queen missed the annual Remembrance Sunday service after she sprained her back. And in February 2022, the queen tested positive for COVID-19 but had only “mild cold-like symptoms” as a result of the virus.

In April, the queen celebrated her 96th birthday at Sandringham, her country estate in Norfolk. And just this past June, the queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. She attended just three events during the four-day celebration due to what Buckingham Palace described at the time as “some discomfort.”

Queen Elizabeth is survived by her three sons, Princes Charles, Andrew and Edward; one daughter, Princess Anne; eight grandchildren, Princes William and Harry of Wales, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York, and Peter and Zara Phillips, as well as Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn. She is also survived by 12 great-grandchildren.

Editorial credit: Shaun Jeffers / Shutterstock.com

Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon was indicted after surrendering to New York state prosecutors Thursday morning. Bannon faces charges for allegedly pocketing some donations in a “Build the Wall” group that raised millions on promises to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The charges are two counts of money laundering in the second degree, one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree, scheme to defraud in the first degree and conspiracy in the fifth degree.

Bannon, entering the courtroom handcuffed, pleaded not guilty on all counts with his attorney speaking on his behalf. As a condition of release, Bannon must surrender his passport. New York Attorney General Letitia James argued that Bannon has means to flee the country and a history of violating the law — a reference to his contempt of Congress conviction. Bannon was found guilty in July of refusing to comply with a subpoena to appear before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. and could face up to two years in prison when he’s sentenced next month.  In a statement,Attorney General James said, “There cannot be one set of rules for everyday people and another for the wealthy and powerful — we all must play by the same rules and must obey the law. Mr. Bannon took advantage of his donors’ political views to secure millions of dollars which he then misappropriated. Mr. Bannon lied to his donors to enrich himself and his friends.”

Bannon had faced similar charges in federal court in 2020 but was pardoned by then-President Trump during his final days in office.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama returned to the White House Wednesday, reuniting with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden to unveil their official portraits and introduce the artists behind them. The ceremony returned to the White House after a 10-year hiatus.

For his portrait, the former president selected Robert McCurdy as the artist. McCurdy, an artist and photographer known for his hyperrealistic paintings of several well-known figures, including Toni Morrison, the Dalai Lama and Jeff Bezos. The portrait unveiled Wednesday of a photo-realistic image of Obama in a black suit with a grey tie against a stark white background, was painted from photographs that McCurdy took of Obama. Former President Obama said: “When future generations walk these halls and look up at these portraits, I hope they get a better and honest sense of who Michelle and I were and I hope they leave with a deeper understanding that if we could make it here, maybe they can too. They can do remarkable things too.”

For her portrait, the former first lady selected Sharon Sprung as the artist. Sprung also worked off photographs she took at the White House to paint Obama in a blue dress, seated on a sofa in the Red Room. The former first lady said the day was not about her or the images, but illustrating what is possible in America:  “And as much as some folks might want us to believe that that story has lost some of its shine, that division and discrimination and everything else might have dimmed its light, I still know, deep in my heart, that what we share as my husband continues to say is so much bigger than what we don’t. Our democracy is so much stronger than our differences.”

President Biden said of Obama: “There are a few people that I’ve ever known with more integrity, decency, and moral courage than Barack Obama. Mr. President, nothing could’ve prepared me better or more to become President of the United States than being by your side for eight years and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.” 

Editorial credit: Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com

Authorities have confirmed that an American woman was killed in a shark attack while snorkeling with her family in the Bahamas on Tuesday afternoon.  According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the 58-year-old woman — along with four members of her family from the Lake Erie area of Pennsylvania — were on a snorkeling tour in the waters northwest of Rose Island when the victim was attacked by a bull shark shortly before 3 p.m. local time. The victim and her family had arrived in the Bahamas on Tuesday morning via Royal Caribbean’s cruise ship Harmony of the Seas.

Family members and tour operators attempted to rescue the woman but were unsuccessful. The victim suffered serious injuries to the left side of her body and was transported by the tour boat to nearby Fort Montagu on the eastern shore of New Providence island, where she was pronounced dead by emergency medical responders.

Royal Caribbean confirmed in a statement that the woman was a guest on their seven-night cruise, which set sail from Port Canaveral, Florida on Sunday. According to the cruise line, the victim and her family were on an “independent shore excursion” in Nassau when attacked by a shark and succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital. The company said in a statement:  “Royal Caribbean is providing support and assistance to the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time.”

The victim was identified by her employer as Caroline DiPlacido, project coordinator for the Office of Community and Government Relations at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. The university said in a statement: “Caroline was a powerful presence of kindness and friendship to colleagues, students, and the wider community and cherished many family ties to Gannon. The news is devastating, and she will be missed.” DiPlacido is survived by her husband and three children, according to the school statement.

Editorial credit: Brookgardener / Shutterstock.com