Queen Elizabeth II, the longest serving British monarch of 70 years, passed away on Thursday, 8 September, aged 96. Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen passed away peacefully, with her family gathered at her Scottish Estate, Balmoral Castle.
As the flag fell to half-mast at Buckingham Palace, news broke that Queen Elizabeth II had died peacefully at Balmoral Castle, after her health was a matter of concern.
Following the news, Buckingham Palace released a statement that King Charles and the Queen Consort Camilla will remain at Balmoral until the following morning.
This comes hours after royal family members, including the Queen’s four children, grandchildren and in-laws, rushed to the Scottish castle to be by the Queen’s side while she was under medical supervision.
What happens now?
The Crown has been preparing for this news since the 1960s when Queen Elizabeth took the throne.
The list of steps set in motion immediately following the Queen’s passing, called Operation London Bridge, started with a phone call from the Queen’s private secretary who announced to the newly appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss that ‘London Bridge is down’.
This information was then passed out to the 15 governments of which the Queen is Head of State, including Jamaica, New Zealand and Australia, followed by the officials of the Commonwealth.
The BBC was then told of the news, triggering their logo to be changed to black, and the news anchor (Huw Edwards) to change into a black suit and tie. The news was announced on the BBC at around 6.30pm.
Prince Charles to King Charles.
Her son, Prince Charles, has now immediately become King of the United Kingdom. His first appointment will be to make his first speech as head of state on the evening of his mother’s passing.
While Westminster Hall prepares for the Queen’s funeral, Prince Charles will undertake a brief tour of the UK, travelling to Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
Elizabeth will lie in Westminster Hall for three days, for the public to pay their respects, before her burial, which will be broadcast globally.
When buried, she will be laid next to her husband, Prince Phillip and her father, King George VI.
A nation of mourning
Following the passing, the nation will enter a period of mourning lasting ten days. Only the day of her funeral will be considered a national holiday and will be treated similarly to a Bank Holiday.
The story of the Queen
Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21st 1926, Queen Elizabeth II has reigned through post-war, a transition into a Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War and the withdrawal from the European Union.
Her reign has seen 15 Prime Ministers starting with Winston Churchill and finally ending with newly appointed Conservative Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Queen Elizabeth II was married to her “strength and stay” Prince Phillip for 74 years, before his death in 2021. Together they had four children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, eight Grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
RIP Queen Elizabeth II.
Succeeded by King Charles III. God Save the King.