The longest-reigning British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, died at 96.
She held the throne for over 70 years and reigned over 14 nations, including Canada. Prince Charles, her oldest son, has ascended to the throne and will likely take King George VII’s name.
According to a statement released by Buckingham Palace, the Queen passed away quietly this afternoon at Balmoral. The King and the Queen Consort will spend this evening and tomorrow in Balmoral before flying back to London.
The Queen accepted Boris Johnson’s resignation as prime minister. She appointed Liz Truss on Tuesday, although she had received medical attention at Balmoral Castle for many days and hadn’t been spotted in public for a few days.
Further, the Queen postponed Wednesday’s virtual privy council meeting, and palace officials announced on Thursday that physicians had advised Her Majesty should remain under medical supervision due to their concerns for her health.
There will be an elaborate funeral for the Queen, known as London Bridge, and several formal events to welcome the new king or Queen.
Her body will be transported by hearse to Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse, Scotland’s Queen’s royal residence. The next day, the casket will be placed at St. Giles’ Cathedral for a brief service, then will be carried by train to Buckingham Palace in London.
A funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey after the Queen lies in state in Westminster Hall of the Parliamentary buildings for three days. After, she will be buried in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle next to her husband and family.
The new king will visit Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland at that time for special church services and to receive condolence letters. In addition, he will meet the governors-general of Canada and other Commonwealth nations.
On April 21, 1926, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, the future monarch, was born. She was the Duke and Duchess of York’s first child. When she was ten years old, her father, Albert, was crowned King George VI and her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated the kingdom.
She wed Prince Philip Mountbatten, her third cousin, at Westminster Abbey in 1947 when he was 26. On their wedding day, he was given the title of Duke of Edinburgh. They had been together for 74 years.
Elizabeth took the throne on February 6, 1952, five years after her father, King George VI, passed away at the Royal Family’s Sandringham estate.
The Queen had gained popularity worldwide and appeared to rise above the turmoil that frequently afflicted the Royal Family. However, her death will prompt concerns about the monarchy’s future in many nations.
The Queen was dethroned as head of state by Barbados last year, and leaders in Jamaica have hinted that their nation will do the same. Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Dominica are the third group of countries to have achieved republic status since 1970.
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