Balmoral – Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the nation’s figurehead for 70 years has died at the age of 96, Buckingham Palace has reported on Thursday.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” statement from Buckingham Palace said.
“The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
The Queen’s oldest son, Charles, 73, automatically becomes the King of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Her family had rushed to be by her side at her Scottish home, Balmoral Castle, after her doctors expressed concern about her health. She had been suffering from “episodic mobility problems” since the end of last year, forcing her to withdraw from nearly all her public engagements, according to Buckingham Palace.
Queen Elizabeth II who was also the world’s oldest and longest-reigning head of state, came to the thrown following the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, at the age of 25.
She was crowned in June, 1953. Reuters
