- Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022.
- Her status changed from princess to queen while she was in Kenya.
- She was a ruler of Kenya when Britain was her colonial master between 1952 and 1964
- She was the longest reigning monarch in British History.
- She was the second longest-reigning monarch in the whole world.
- She was the first British Monarch since King George I to be outside the country at the moment of succession.
- She was the first in modern times not to know the exact time of her accession because her father had died in his sleep at an unknown time.
At the time of her death, Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-reigning monarch in British History. She ascended to the throne on February 6, 1952, following her father’s death.
At the time of her ascension, Elizabeth was just 25 years old and visiting Kenya with her husband, Prince Philip. The couple was staying at the Treetops Hotel in the Aberdare Mountains when King George VI died.
However, she didn’t know about her father’s death until the next day after she had returned to Sagana Lodge, which she had been given as a wedding gift.
It was there prince broke the news about her father’s death. Elizabeth was immediately proclaimed queen, and she and Philip returned to London.
Queen Elizabeth became the face of the British monarchy as England’s longest reigning monarch, having clocked over 70 years on the throne.
She has outlasted twelve British Prime Ministers during her reign. On September 9, 2015, she became the longest-reigning monarch in British History, surpassing the previous record held by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.
At the time of her death, she was also the world’s oldest reigning monarch and the second longest-reigning monarch in world history.
The Treetops Hotel Kenya is now an old hat. But during the day, it’s hard to believe that such an unassuming structure was the site of one of the most significant moments in British History.
Elizabeth was the ruler of Kenya when it was a British colony. After Kenya gained independence from Britain in 1963, the new Kenyan government nationalized the lodge.
The Treetops Hotel is built on stilts and overlooks a waterhole and salt lick, which attracts wildlife such as elephants, rhinoceros, cheetahs, leopards, and lions. It is popular for its wildlife viewing opportunities and was featured in the 2015 film The Good Lie, starring Reese Witherspoon.
