Queen Elizabeth II has died at age 96, the Royal Family has confirmed.
Bringing a close to 70 years of service, the Queen was Britain’s longest ever serving monarch, and the second-longest reigning monarch in world history.
In a statement on its official website, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday, “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.” The Royal Family added, “The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and return to London tomorrow.” Crowds outside the palace reportedly began crying upon the news and later broke into the national anthem. The Union Jack flags above 10 Downing Street have been lowered at half-mast.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born at 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, on April 21, 1926, to the then Duke and Duchess of York during her grandfather King George V’s reign.
The 21-year-old Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark on Nov. 20, 1947, at Westminster Abbey. Together they had four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. Queen Elizabeth had eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Prince Philip, who passed away in April 2021, was the Queen’s constant companion throughout her reign, and was regularly by her side on official visits.
Her father’s death on Feb. 6 1952 catapulted 25-year-old Elizabeth into the role of queen at a young age. Her coronation took place on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London, officially marking her ascension to the throne.
In Feb. 2022, the Queen became the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years of service. In Sept. 2022, the Royal Family released a statement confirming that doctors were concerned for the Queen’s health. She was said to be comfortable and at Balmoral, the Scottish home of the Royal Family.
Leaders and celebrities inside the UK and globally began to react, mourn, and pay tribute to The Queen. Here’s what they said.
The Royal Family mourns a beloved matriarch
King Charles III, as His Majesty is now known, released a statement saying, “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,” the statement continued.
The Royal Family tweeted from their official Twitter account.
The official Instagram account of The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton posted a tribute.
Politicians and world leaders pay tribute
Prime Minister Liz Truss spoke outside 10 Downing Street, paying tribute to the Queen. Truss was appointed PM by the Queen at Balmoral just days ago, on Sept. 6. Truss said “it is a day of great loss” for the nation and that the Queen is “the very spirit of Great Britain”.
Truss also asked for the country to lend support to King Charles III; and “to help him bear the awesome responsibility that he now carries for us all”. She finished by saying, “God save the King.”
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson also released a statement, saying this is the country’s “saddest day”.
Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland and Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford tweeted their tributes.
Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party, issued a statement.
Leaders like Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Charles Michel, president of the European Council, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and others, posted tributes.
U.S. President Joe Biden posted a tribute on the White House website.
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch. She defined an era,” Biden wrote. “In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her. An enduring admiration for Queen Elizabeth II united people across the Commonwealth. The seven decades of her history-making reign bore witness to an age of unprecedented human advancement and the forward march of human dignity.”
“Queen Elizabeth II was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States. She helped make our relationship special.”
Celebrities remember their queen
Other figures have also paid tribute, from celebrities like Elton John to the official Paddington Bear account.
This story is developing.
