(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II has sadly passed at the age of 96.
The Queen passed at Balmoral Castle, her beloved summer home in the Scottish Highlands, surrounded by family. She was the UK’s longest-serving monarch after reigning for 70 years.
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.”
Amid the growing concern of her health earlier on Thursday, the Queen’s family gathered at her Scottish estate. Reports noted that all the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision.
The Queen was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on April 21, 1926. Her eldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, will lead the country in mourning and will become the new King and head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms.