The Unexpected Hashtag Taking Over Twitter Following The Queen's Death

One day after Queen Elizabeth's heartbreaking death, controversy broke out on Twitter after the hashtag "AbolishTheMonarchy" began to trend. Tributes poured in online after the news was announced, but this did not drown out the calls for change. The monarchy has long inspired feelings of contention due to its history, a point that left MSNBC questioning whether the post-Elizabethan era of the monarchy would spell the end.

On Twitter, many referenced the history of the British monarchy. In one person's tweet, they condemned what they felt the monarchy represents and pushed politics aside, writing, "People will tell you that 'now is not the time to be political.' That's bull****. Now is absolutely the time. The monarchy is the figurehead institution for the idea that some people should live in privilege and rule by right whilst you simply kneel + obey. #AbolishTheMonarchy."

Another person tweeted that there was no equity in the royal family's access to resources, writing, "Why should this unelected group of people have so much power, privilege and wealth? Too many people are blinded by tradition and pageantry. It's time to abolish the monarchy." Their tweet was met with disapproval from a royal family fan. In response, they added that their perspective came from a democratic standpoint, writing, "The fact that something has been around for a long time does not make it good and does not mean that it should continue. The main reason I oppose the monarchy is because it is anti democratic. None of them were voted for."