Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-reigning monarch, has died at the age of 96. She died peacefully at Balmoral Castle on Thursday afternoon, Buckingham Palace says.
The Crown passes immediately to her son and heir Charles, who will officially be known as King Charles III
The new King said his mother’s death was a moment of “the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family”
In a statement, he 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.
“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.”
Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was appointed by the Queen two days ago, described her as “the rock upon which modern Britain was built”
The Queen steered the monarchy through turbulent times, as Britain’s Empire ended and its place in the world fundamentally changed
She was head of state of the UK and 14 other countries, including Australia, Canada and Jamaica
She is survived by her four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren