Statement on the Passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II

Billington Barristers are profoundly saddened by the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Richard Billington, K.C. stated “Through her life of unfailing service, dignity and respect for the role of a constitutional monarch in the Canadian, British and other Commonwealth realms, Queen Elizabeth has embodied the finest attributes of the Westminster parliamentary system as the greatest safeguard of democratic governance. Her role as one who may ‘consult, advise and warn’, but not interfere in the democratic decisions of her elected parliaments has proven time and again the merit of having a non-political head of state. She has been a unifying force in the history of Commonwealth nations, having commenced her reign with Winston Churchill as her first British Prime Minister, later knighting him. Doing her duty to the last, she invited Liz Truss to form a government only two days before her passing. 15 British Prime Ministers, 12 Canadian Prime Ministers and 15 Australian Prime Ministers served while she was monarch. Her devotion to the Commonwealth, support for the ending of apartheid in South Africa and her reassuring presence in times of crisis and national celebration will be missed. During her reign, the hallmark merit of a constitutional monarchy was achieved with the peaceful constitutional evolution of its members, with some electing to become republics, with the devolution of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, with her role in the rapprochement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland and with the peaceful patriation of the Canadian constitution. Other nations require wars and violent revolutions to achieve ends far less effective.”

With the accession to the throne of King Charles III, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench is automatically renamed as the Alberta Court of King’s Bench. All former Queen’s Counsel are now King’s Counsel and will bear the post-nominal “K.C.”