Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 96, after a reign of 70 years.
Her Majesty was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, ascending to the throne following the death of her father, King George VI, on 6th February 1952.
The Royal Family issued a statement today (Thursday 8th September), which read: “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 Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022
The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W
Earlier today, the Palace had confirmed that Her Majesty was under medical supervision at Balmoral.
“Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” it said. “The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”
All four of the Queen’s children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward travelled to Balmoral earlier this afternoon after it was confirmed she was under medical supervision.
The Duchess of Cornwall, the Queen’s grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle also travelled to the Castle.
The Duchess of Cambridge remained in Windsor due to the fact today is the first full day of school for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
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Queen Elizabeth II was born to the Duke and Duchess of York on 21st April 1926 and named after her mother, while she was christened with the middle names Alexandra Mary after her paternal great-grandmother and paternal grandmother.
She spent her early years at 145 Piccadilly in London and White Lodge in Richmond Park, becoming a sister in 1930 with the birth of Princess Margaret.
Her life changed considerably in 1936 after her uncle, King Edward VIII, gave up the throne, handing it over to her father who was coronated King George VI.
Suddenly, an 11-year-old girl was first in line to the throne, and this made her a figure of intense public interest, a limelight she would never leave for her remaining years.
Along with her younger sister, Queen Elizabeth II was home schooled, with her education including early preparation for her future role as Head of State.
During the Second World War, she became the first female member of the royal family to serve as an active-duty member of the British Armed Forces as a subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
In 1947, then-Princess Elizabeth married the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey, having first met him 13 years earlier at the wedding of his cousin.
She gave birth to their first child, Prince Charles, the following year, and Princess Anne was born in 1950.
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In February 1952, her father died after battling illness for some time, with the princess immediately becoming Queen Elizabeth II, although the coronation ceremony did not take place until several months later.
It was the first coronation to be broadcast on television, allowing some to watch from the comfort of their homes, while thousands more braved heavy rain to watch the procession in person.
Queen Elizabeth II would become the first monarch to have a child during their reign since Queen Victoria, with the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960 and Prince Edward – Her Majesty and Prince Philip’s youngest child – four years later.
Their family would grow substantially in the decades that followed, expanding to include eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Queen Elizabeth II achieved a great many milestones during her reign, which made her an adored representative of the UK and Commonwealth among many.
The Silver Jubilee is fondly remembered as Her Majesty went on a vast tour of the UK and Northern Ireland, visiting 36 counties across a three-month period.
In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years since she acceded to the throne.