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Britain’s longest-serving Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral aged 96, ending an era of 70 years of rule. Her family was at her bed side at the Scottish estate since earlier on Thursday.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
The Queen came to the throne in 1952. Following her demise, the Operation London Bridge, codename to post-Queen formalities, will come into effect.
Her eldest son Charles will lead the country in mourning as the new King with the title, King Charles III, and take over as head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms from Canada to Australia.
In a statement, the new King said, “The death of my beloved mother Her Majesty the Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”
Queen Elizabeth II is dead, Charles III becomes UK’s new King
All the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after the news of her deteriorating health started pouring in. Her grandson, Prince William, is already there and his brother, Prince Harry, is on his way.
Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was appointed by the Queen on Tuesday, said the monarch “provided us with the stability and strength that we needed”.
15 PMs appointed by her
Her reign spanned 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill, born in 1874, and including Ms Truss, born 101 years later in 1975, reported BBC.
At Buckingham Palace in London, the Union flag was lowered to half-mast at 18:30 BST.
Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926, she married her third cousin, Philip, Prince of Greece, who was serving in the Royal Navy in 1947 and he remained her strength through 74 years of marriage, until his death in 2021, aged 99.
