Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, has died at the age of 96.
"The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday. "The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."
National mourning period has started in the United Kingdom, with Sky News reporting that it will likely last for 10 days.
World leaders have rushed to express their condolences, with US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and EU chief Charles Michel being among the first.
Charles, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, has become King. Queen Elizabeth II leaves behind four children, eight grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.
"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," Charles said in a statement. "We mourn profoundly the death 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."
According to UK media reports, Charles will be named the country's new monarch at the succession council, which will meet "as soon as possible."
New UK Prime Minister Liz Truss referred the Queen's heir as King Charles III.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II delivers the speech in the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster in London, Tuesday May 11, 2021. (Eddie Mulholland/Pool via AP)
© AP Photo / Eddie Mulholland
Born in 1926, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary became Queen at the age of 25 after the demise of her father, King George VI, and reigned over seven decades.
On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten were married at Westminster Abbey and went on to enjoy the longest-lasting marriage of any UK monarch. The Queen and Prince Philip’s first child, Charles, was born in 1948, their daughter Anne in 1950. In 1960, Prince Andrew was born, and their fourth child, Edward, in 1964.
Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip died on April 9, 2021, two months before his 100th birthday. He was Britain's longest-serving royal consort.
Concerns about the health of the Queen grew over the past few months, particularly after the UK's longest-reigning monarch was confirmed to have contracted the COVID-19 virus after testing positive on February 20. The royal pulled out of the opening of the UK Parliament earlier this year, and later skipped the Commonwealth Games, with Buckingham Palace citing "mobility issues."