Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, has died aged 96.
Prince Charles, 73, heir to the throne since the age of three, is now King, and the Duchess of Cornwall is now Queen Consort.
The 96-year-old monarch was not keeping well of late and was under medical supervision as doctors were “concerned for Her Majesty’s health”.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “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.”
The royal family’s official website carried the message: “Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022” along with the official statement issued by Buckingham Palace.
In statement, the new king said: “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.”
Flags on landmark buildings in Britain were being lowered to half-mast as a period of official mourning was announced. Royal residences that are open to the public will be closed.
Liz Truss addressed the nation from outside Downing Street. The prime minister paid tribute to the Queen, saying: “It’s an extraordinary achievement to have presided with such dignity and grace for 70 years. Her life of service stretched beyond most of our living memories.
“In return, she was loved and admired by the people in the United Kingdom and all around the world. She has been a personal inspiration to me and to many Britons – her devotion to duty is an example to us all.”
She added: “Today, the crown passes, as it has done for more than a thousand years, to our new monarch, our new head of state, His Majesty King Charles III.”
It is expected the bells of Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral will toll their bells at midday on Friday, and ceremonial gun salutes will be fired in Hyde Park and at Tower Hill in London.
As is traditional, officials brought a notice confirming the Queen’s death to the gates of Buckingham Palace. A large crowd gathered to read it, and Royal Parks staff erected metal barriers to control the public. Those gathered sang the national anthem outside Buckingham Palace, with many crying after the flag was lowered to half-mast.
She died just two days after performing her final constitutional duty, which was to formally appoint a new prime minister, the 15th of her reign.
As the news was announced, the BBC played the national anthem showing a photograph of the Queen followed by a royal crest on a black background and the words “Queen Elizabeth II”.
As Queen of the UK and 14 other realms, and head of the 54-nation Commonwealth, Elizabeth II was easily the world’s most recognisable head of state during an extraordinarily long reign.
Coming to the throne at the age of 25, she successfully steered the monarchy through decades of turbulent change, with her personal popularity providing ballast during the institution’s more difficult times.
At her side for most of it, the Duke of Edinburgh remained her “strength and stay” during a marriage that withstood many strains imposed by her unique position.
Despite a family life lived under the often challenging glare of publicity, Elizabeth II remained a calm and steadfast figure, weathering the divorces of three of her children, and the crisis precipitated by the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in a car crash in Paris in 1997.