Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed on  8 September 2022.  She was the head of state of Canada.  The Northwest Territorial Pipe Band expresses its condolences to her family and to the citizens of the Commonwealth and recognizes that her successor, His Majesty King Charles III has now ascended to the Throne.  His Majesty's coronation is set for May 6, 2023. 

With the passing of the Queen, who reigned from 1952-2022, a certain amount of stability in governance and the Crown over generations has now been lost.  Some criticism has been levelled at the institution of the monarchy including a number of things carried out in its name - colonialism, residential schools, the Mau Mau War in Kenya, the Troubles in Northern Ireland etc.  It must be remembered that while these things were carried out in the name of the Crown, we have been living in a Constitutional Monarchy since 1688 and that means that the Monarch has no power and is merely a figure-head.  Those things were carried out by other branches of government (Executive, Legislative and Judiciary and to some extent Spiritual (i.e. the Church)).

The year 1688 is important for it is the culmination of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and the advent of the Glorious Revolution of 1688.  It was where the concept of Divine Right Monarchy gave way to Parliamentary Sovereignty.  Thus Charles II became the first constitutional monarch in the Three Kingdoms (Scotland, England and Ireland). A great deal of Scottish history and culture is tied up to these Wars and this strife.  Peruse our Heritage Notes for more information.