The Queen has died aged 96, Buckingham Palace has announced. The Queen’s death ends the longest reign in British history. She was also the world’s oldest head of state.

The Queen has died aged 96, Buckingham Palace has announced.

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

Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-reigning monarch in British history and the world’s oldest head of state.

On her death, the Queen’s eldest son and heir, Charles, the former Prince of Wales, has become King of the United Kingdom and 14 Commonwealth realms.

No official details have been released about what will happen over the coming days, but it is anticipated that the Queen will be given a full state funeral, as is traditional to mark the death of a monarch.

It is also expected that her body will lie in state to allow the public to pay tribute.

The King will sign off the final plans in the coming days.

Reaction to the death of the Queen – latest updates

Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government. Picture date: Tuesday September 6, 2022.

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The Queen was last seen on Tuesday welcoming her 15th prime minister

A life of service

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in London on 21 April 1926.

At the time, no one expected her to be Queen as she was third in line to the throne behind her uncle and father.

During her record-breaking reign, she dedicated her life to serving her country and Commonwealth.

In a radio address in 1947 on her 21st birthday, she said: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

Princess Elizabeth became Queen in 1952 at the age of 25, when her father, King George VI, died.

Her coronation took place 16 months later at Westminster Abbey.

The Queen held a number of other titles, which will now automatically pass to her son and heir.

She was head of the Commonwealth, commander-in-chief of the British Armed Forces, and supreme governor of the Church of England. She was also patron of more than 600 charities and organisations.

The royal couple with their four children in Windsor in 1968

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The royal couple with their four children in Windsor in 1968

Wife, mother, grandmother

Away from her official duties, she was a devoted wife and mother to four children, and dedicated grandmother to eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

In 1947, she married her wartime sweetheart Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey, with a relatively simple ceremony as the country was still recovering from the war.

King George VI wrote to her about his feelings about giving her away: “I was so proud of you and thrilled at having you so close to me on our long walk in Westminster Abbey, but when I handed your hand to the Archbishop I felt that I had lost something very precious.”

The Queen gave birth to Prince Charles in 1948 and to Princess Anne two years later. Prince Andrew and Prince Edward – who were born in 1960 and 1964 respectively – were the first children to be born to a reigning monarch since Queen Victoria had her family.

Until his death in 2021, the Duke of Edinburgh, “her beloved husband”, was always by the Queen’s side.

She described the Duke as her “constant strength and stay” and in 2017 the couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary, the only royal couple to ever reach their platinum anniversary.

The Queen and Prince Philip after her coronation in June 1953

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The Queen and Prince Philip after her coronation in June 1953

A record-breaking reign

The Queen’s reign saw 15 different prime ministers, from Sir Winston Churchill to Liz Truss.

She was more widely travelled than any other international leader and the world’s oldest head of state, always using her own distinctive form of quiet diplomacy to represent the United Kingdom around the world.

In 2015, she also became the longest-serving British monarch in history, passing the record set by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.

As head of state and head of nation, Queen Elizabeth II was widely regarded as a symbol of stability, working tirelessly to make sure the monarchy remained relevant during a period of immense social, technological, and economic change.

She was a monarch without equal who will now be mourned across the globe.

The Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince George, the Duke of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and the Duchess of Cambridge appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the end of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, on day four of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Picture date: Sunday June 5, 2022.

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The Queen with her family during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations

What happens now

Upon the Queen’s death, Prince Charles has immediately become the new monarch.

A period of national mourning has begun and is set to last until the funeral, which is expected to take place in 10 days time.

Her body will be moved to Buckingham Palace, where it will likely remain for five days.

The government is not expected to announce any other business, unless urgent, to allow focus to fall completely on the Queen.

Major sporting events, including football and cricket matches, could now to be postponed as a mark of respect.

Prince Charles and Prince William are among senior royals currently travelling to Balmoral to be by the Queen’s side.

Queen Elizabeth II waits in the Drawing Room before receiving Liz Truss for an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government. Picture date: Tuesday September 6, 2022.

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The Queen is under medical supervision at Balmoral after doctors became concerned for her health, Buckingham Palace has said.

Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, are travelling to Balmoral to be with Her Majesty, who Buckingham Palace said “remains comfortable”.

Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, the Countess of Wessex and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are also travelling to be by the Queen’s side.

Princess Anne is already with Her Majesty at her Scottish residence.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.

“The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”

Royal helicopter which has landed at Balmoral Castle this morning. Pic: Peter Jolly

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A royal helicopter which landed at Balmoral Castle this morning Pic: Peter Jolly

The Duchess of Cambridge has remained in Windsor as Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis start their first full day at their new school.

Her Majesty postponed her Privy Council meeting on Wednesday night after being advised by doctors to rest.

On Tuesday, the Queen, 96, met outgoing PM Boris Johnson before appointing the new prime minister, Liz Truss, at Balmoral for the first time in her 70-year reign, in a break from tradition.

Immediate family members have been told of the doctor’s decision, Mills said.

They are said to be very keen there is no further speculation – amid suggestions the Queen had suffered a fall, which are believed to be incorrect.

People gather outside Balmoral Castle following statement from Buckingham Palace over concerns for Britain's Queen Elizabeth's health, in Balmoral, Scotland, Britain September 8, 2022. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

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People gather outside Balmoral Castle after news of the Queen’s health emerged

Mills said: “Of course, there undoubtedly is going to be concern about the Queen.

“It was only last night at six o’clock that we were informed by Buckingham Palace that the Queen had to pull out of conducting a Privy Council meeting which had been pencilled in yesterday evening.

“Last night, they said that after a full day on Tuesday, Her Majesty had accepted the doctor’s advice to rest, which had meant the Privy Council meeting that she was due to be conducting, albeit remotely from Balmoral, wasn’t able to go ahead.”

The Queen had been due to hold the Privy Council meeting of senior government advisers virtually on Wednesday evening but it was decided it would be rearranged.

Ms Truss said the whole country would be “deeply concerned” by the news, adding her thoughts were with the monarch and her family.

Security officers guard the gates of Balmoral Castle, amid concerns over Britain Queen Elizabeth's health, in Balmoral, Scotland, Britain September 8, 2022. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

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Security officers pictured outside Balmoral Castle, where the Queen is currently being cared for

Commons debate interrupted for update on Queen’s health

Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle interrupted a debate on energy bills in the House of Commons to update MPs about the Queen’s health.

He cut short SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford’s speech to say: “I know I speak on behalf of the entire House when I say that we send our best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen and that she and the royal family are in our thoughts and prayers at this moment.”

Other key figures including the Archbishop of Canterbury, opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer and former PM David Cameron have expressed their concerns for the Queen.

The royal family website appeared to crash after the news of the Queen’s health concern emerged.

An error message appeared on screen reading: “Gateway time-out”.

Episodic mobility issues

The Queen has faced ongoing “episodic mobility problems” since last autumn and has been relying on a walking stick.

Her Majesty used a walking stick for the first time at a major engagement during a service at Westminster Abbey last October.

She missed the State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years in May – with Charles reading her speech instead.

The monarch was also forced to miss some celebrations for her Platinum Jubilee in June, including a thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral after experiencing discomfort one day earlier.

Her role was formally re-written by Buckingham Palace to scale back her “official duties” in July, for the first time in more than a decade.

She arrived at Balmoral for her traditional summer break on 21 July.

A week later, Charles attended the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony on her behalf, reading a message from the Queen.

Last Saturday, 3 September, Buckingham Palace announced the Queen would not attend the annual Highland Games Braemar Gathering in Scotland.

QUEEN’S HEALTH IN RECENT YEARS

Her Majesty went to hospital for a knee operation in 2003, which saw her using a stick in public for around two weeks afterwards.

She had another hospital stay in 2013 after suffering a nasty bout of gastroenteritis.

Five years later in 2018 she had successful surgery to treat cataracts in one of her eyes.

In 2016, she used a lift, rather than the 26-step royal staircase at the Sovereign’s Entrance, to enter parliament for the state opening.

On 12 October 2021, at the age of 95, she was pictured using a walking stick at Westminster Abbey – the first time she appeared to need one for mobility issues.

She was given doctors’ orders to rest that month and cancelled a run of engagements as a result.

On 20 October, she spent a night at the private King Edward VII Hospital in central London – her first overnight hospital stay in eight years.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said she was admitted for “preliminary investigations” – but returned to Windsor Castle a day later and “remained in good spirits”.

The following month, she was unable to attend the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday after spraining her back.

After she remarked to a member of the public that she “couldn’t move”, Buckingham Palace declined to comment but it was understood she had been feeling slightly stiff – rather than being injured or unwell.

On 21 February this year, it was reported the Queen had tested positive for coronavirus.

Buckingham Palace said she suffered “mild cold-like symptoms” but recovered as she had then received three vaccine doses.

In May, the Queen’s “episodic mobility problems” meant she had to miss the state opening of parliament for the first time in 59 years.

She was also absent from much of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

This week, for the first time during her reign, she had to appoint the UK’s new prime minister at Balmoral – not Buckingham Palace.

She had been there for her summer break and was advised not to travel, receiving Liz Truss in Scotland instead.

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