Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history and an icon instantly recognized by billions of people around the world, died on Thursday. She was 96.
Buckingham Palace announced her death in a brief statement, sparking 10 days of national mourning and a spate of tributes to her long life and record-breaking reign.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement at 18:30 (1730 GMT).
“The King and Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral tonight and return to London tomorrow.”
The eldest of her four children, Charles, Prince of Wales, who at 73 is the oldest heir in British history, becomes king immediately.
The Queen’s death came after the palace announced on Thursday that doctors were “concerned” about her health and recommended she remain under medical supervision.
All of their children – Charles, Princess Anne, 72, Prince Andrew, 62, and Prince Edward, 58, flocked to their Scottish Highland retreat, Balmoral.
They were joined by Charles’ sons, Prince William, and his estranged brother, Prince Harry.
Two days earlier, the Queen appointed Liz Truss as the 15th Prime Minister of her reign and was seen in photos smiling but frail and carrying a walking stick.
A photo of the meeting sparked alarm, showing a deep purple bruise on the monarch’s right hand.
– Seismic change –
Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952 after World War II at the age of just 25, joining a world stage dominated by political figures such as China’s Mao Zedong, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and US President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Her 70-year reign spanned two centuries of seismic social, political, and technological upheaval.
The last remnants of the vast British empire were crumbling. At home, Brexit shook the foundations of her kingdom and her family endured a series of scandals.
But she remained popular throughout, serving as queen and head of state not just of the United Kingdom but of 14 former British colonies, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
She was also head of the 56-nation Commonwealth, which comprised a quarter of humanity, and supreme governor of the Church of England, the mother church of the global Anglican communion.
However, questions are raised as to whether the golden age of the British monarchy is now over, how an ancient institution can remain viable in the modern era, and whether Charles will enjoy the same respect or rule in his mother’s shadow.
– Official mourning –
TV and radio stations interrupted regular programming to broadcast the news, with long-rehearsed special schedules put in place to commemorate their long lives and reigns.
The national anthem “God save the Queen” was played. Flags were lowered and church bells rang to commemorate a woman once dubbed the “last global monarch”.
The national period of mourning will culminate in a final public farewell at Westminster Abbey in central London.
The Coronation of Charles, an elaborate ritual steeped in tradition and history, will take place on a date to be determined in the same historic setting as it has for centuries.
– longevity –
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was, to most of her subjects, the only monarch they ever knew – an unchanging figurehead on postage stamps, banknotes and coins.
Short in stature but still a popular culture icon, she was instantly recognizable in her colorful suits and matching hat, complete with beads, gloves and a handbag.
During their reign, the royals went from stuffy, out-of-the-way figures to tabloid fodder and were then re-popularized in TV dramas like The Crown, seen by tens of millions worldwide.
Her time on the throne spanned an era of remarkable change, from the Cold War to the September 11 attacks, from climate change to the coronavirus, “snail mail” and steamships to email and space exploration.
She was seen as a living embodiment of post-war Britain and a link between modern times and a bygone age.
As the mother of one of the most famous families in the world, she has maintained great public support throughout, even surviving backlash following the death of Charles’ first wife Diana in 1997.
More recently, the royal family has been rocked by allegations by Prince Harry and his multiracial wife Meghan about racism within the royal family.
She also endured a scandal involving her second son Prince Andrew, whose friendship with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell led to him settling a civil sexual assault lawsuit in the United States.
– ‘None of us will live forever’ –
Brits were shocked to see the beginning of the end of her reign when she lost her beloved husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in April 2021.
But the palace had long recognized her mortality, and the transition to Charles was well underway.
He, his eldest son Prince William, who will now become the heir, and his wife Catherine began taking on more official Queen roles.
The coronavirus pandemic and her advanced age have forced her into the glorious seclusion of Windsor Castle, west of London.
But behind the stately walls, she remained a reassuring presence, popping up on video calls with members of the public.
In a rare televised address during the first lockdown, she recalled the “lightning spirit” of Britain during the WWII siege that defined her generation.
“We will meet again,” she said.
She threw off the shroud of Philip’s death and her enforced confinement to resume her public duties, but age and illness forced her to slow down.
After an unscheduled night in hospital in October 2021 following undisclosed health tests, their appearances became more infrequent.
“None of us will live forever,” she told world leaders attending a UN climate summit soon after, urging them to leave a legacy for generations to come.
One of her last pivotal acts was to settle an unanswered question for the succession by giving Charles’ second wife, Camilla, her blessing to be called “Queen Consort”.
