Queen Elizabeth II has died at Balmoral aged 96. She was the UK’s longest-serving monarch.
She died peacefully on Thursday afternoon (September 8) at her Scottish Estate, where she had spent much of the summer. Her passing ends a seven-decade reign.
The Queen came to the throne back in 1952. She witnessed great social change during her reign of 70 years.
Her son King Charles III said her mother’s death is a “moment of great sadness,” saying in a statement:
“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.”
The new King shared that during the coming period of mourning, he and his family would be “comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held.”
King Charles II and his wife Camilla, now Queen Consort, will return to London on Friday, where he expected to address the nation.
News that the Queen’s health was deteriorating spread on Thursday shortly past midday, when her doctors stated that she was under medical supervision.
Her family rushed to Scotland to be by her side. Senior royals gathered at the Balmoral after her doctors expressed great concern for her health. All of the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral. Her grandson and now heir to the throne, Prince William, and his brother Prince Harry, were also there.
The Queen, whose husband died last year, had been suffering from what Buckingham Place referred to as “episodic mobility problems” since the end of 2021. This has led to her withdrawing from almost all her public engagements. Her last official duty was on Tuesday (September 6) when she appointed Liz Truss prime minister — the 15th during her reign.
Members of the public gathered outside of the Buckingham Palace to pay their respects to the Queen. Following a heavy downpour, a double rainbow poetically appeared over the Palace.
