96-year-old Queen Elizabeth II has passed away, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.
The long-reigning monarch passed away at Balmoral with her son Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, by her side. She had just celebrated her Platinum Jubilee earlier this year.
Following the Queen’s death, Buckingham Palace issued the following statement: “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.”
A statement from Charles, who will ascend to the throne as King, read: “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.
