Queen Elizabeth's death on September 8, 2022, at age 96 sparked global tributes and a wave of reflection of her selfless commitment to duty.
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She forged a path unbeaten by personal crises and frailty to represent the Commonwealth for 70 years as the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
Her death, however, left an unsurprising void.
The royal infighting seemed to have paused somewhat as her family showed its solidarity to her memory when she was laid to rest in a ceremony for the ages at Westminster Abbey on September 19.
The world now awaits the tenor of King Charles's reign and his Coronation on May 6, 2023, and how the royal family can navigate an uncertain future without the unwavering popularity of the late Queen.
But in such times we can on only be reminded of the fragility of our own relationships.
After all, the beloved late Queen once said: 'It has always been easy to hate and destroy. To build and to cherish is much more difficult.'
As the year draws to a close we are reminded of the events that followed her passing and marked the new Carolean era.
That included the elevation of Charles' second wife Camilla to the role of queen consort and William and Kate becoming the prince and princess of Wales.
King Charles has now became Australia's first new head of state in 70 years and to cast a pall we are reminded that 2022 also saw Prince Andrew further pushed into the fringes after a U.S sex abuse case.
And who could forget Harry and Meghan's bombshell Netflix documentary that was catnip to social media.
The fractious perception of royalty still persists and even though King Charles is atop an ancient institution it is no certainty the royal links will remain unbroken. The first cracks have already appeared in Caribbean nations such as Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda and the Bahamas that have signaled their desire to install their own head of state.
In Australia, the Republican debate is yet to play out as we reflect on the grace and humility of a woman who showed the world the true meaning of poise and dignity.
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Peter Angelopoulos
ACM's national digital news editor based in Melbourne is a reporter with more than two decades experience in senior editorial leadership roles across Asia at Reuters and NewsCorp. Reach out at peter.angelopoulos@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
