Queen Elizabeth II, UK’s longest-serving monarch, has died peacefully at Balmoral aged 96

Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the nation’s figurehead for seven decades, died at her home in Scotland aged 96 on Thursday. News that Queen Elizabeth II UK’s longest-serving monarch has died spread across the globe since she was well known and loved by many.

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

Elizabeth’s eldest son Charles, 73, automatically becomes king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. His wife Camilla becomes Queen Consort.

The queen had been suffering from what Buckingham Palace has called “episodic mobility problems” since the end of last year, forcing her to withdraw from nearly all her public engagements.

Her last public engagement came only on Tuesday, when she appointed Liz Truss prime minister – her 15th premier. At her palaces and at government buildings across London, flags were lowered to half-mast.

Queen Elizabeth II, who was also the world’s oldest and longest-serving head of state, came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was just 25.

Read also: She had a humourous side: Queen Elizabeth declines the award titled Oldie of the Year

Her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch and the second-longest recorded of any monarch of a sovereign country. At the time of her death, Queen Elizabeth was also Queen of 14 other Commonwealth realms in addition to the United Kingdom.

Agencies

News about Queen Elizabeth II UK’s longest-serving monarch has died.