London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. The words of this children’s rhyme took a new meaning in many people’s minds on Sept. 8, 2022, when operation London Bridge was set in place with the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II at 4:30 p.m. (BST) as she passed away at her home, the Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Operation London Bridge was triggered by her death, setting into action the steps to alert high-ranking officials and set up her funeral proceedings. Originally created in the 1960s, the plan has been revised many times before her death, leaving some responsibilities to her successor and having made some decisions herself.

As the plan states, the first person to be alerted was the prime minister of the United Kingdom, Liz Truss. Many other groups were also alerted, such as the locations used in her funeral. Her death was not publicly announced until 6:30 p.m. (BST).

Across the United Kingdom, millions of citizens are in great states of mourning, as can be expected after a well-loved ruler and social figure passes. The late Queen had many memorable moments in her reign including her coronation on June 2, 1953, the family’s response to Princess Diana’s death in 1997, the death of Prince Phillip in 2021, and the Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Ruling for 70 years and 214 days, the queen’s legacy will continue to be remembered and affect the world as a whole for generations to come.

Of course, not everyone can find out about her passing through the proceedings of London Bridge- I personally found out through a TikTok video making fun of what will come next for the family and the world. When I discovered the news, I took a moment to privately offer my condolences for the family and the country as they enter a new phase in their lives and in history.

However, in the United States, many people also found themselves distraught over the news. This particular phenomenon confused me, I don’t see why people found themselves in any more sadness than slight disappointment. I also don’t understand why so many young people in the United States felt driven to post about the late Queen Elizabeth on their social media stories. I think that respect can be offered, but without a direct tie to the country affected or the queen herself, posting about her seems condescending to me.

Many people took straight to making jokes about the situation and it felt disrespectful to me. With the world of social media, everything is taken to the extreme and I think this is a perfect example.