It is question as old and drawn out as a dying empire: is the United Kingdom OK? At the best of times, the answer to this is a solid no. A country that is home to the smack barm pey wet is not a place that is good at feeling normal, and the news that has been coming out in the past few hours only promises to make the Great British isles even more insane. 

This morning, it was announced that royal doctors had serious concerns about the health of Queen Elizabeth II, leading to many of her close family members rushing to be by her side at Balmoral Castle. As Britain’s longest reigning monarch and one of the most famous ever heads of state, this is a Big Deal across the world. However, nowhere is it more impactful than that green and pleasant land, and the countries reluctantly attached to it. 

Britain might not be somewhere that we associate with extremes, but one topic where this all goes out the window is the ailing Queen Liz. Depending on who you speak to, she’s either the vital face of what it means to be British, some kind of magical national grandma, or an unpleasant woman with a murky track record on so many topics that it is hard to keep track of them all.

Unsurprisingly, this means that the current news has sent Twitter into nuclear mode. It’s not every day that a ninety six year old starts to get really sick, after all. We all know what everybody’s thinking, but let’s not hold our breath. Given her reputation, HRH might hold out just to spite anyone making a joke right now.