Queen Elizabeth II — monarch of the United Kingdom, sovereign to 14 other realms, head of the Commonwealth, supreme governor of the Church of England, and an iconic figure in global public life for some three-quarters of a century — has died, Buckingham Palace announced Thursday. She was 96.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the royal family said in a statement. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
Upon news of her death, the flag was lowered atop Buckingham Palace in London, where mourners had already begun gathering. Per royal custom, a framed copy of the death announcement was placed on the gates of the palace. The BBC also began playing the British national anthem and aired an image of the late queen.
The new King also released a statement in which he said his mother’s death was “a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.”
