England's longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II is dead, according to a statement by Buckingham Palace.
Her Majesty the Queen died Thursday evening at the aged 96, after a 70-year reign.
"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," Buckingham Palace said.
His eldest son, Charles, now the King of the United Kingdom, said the death of his mother was a "moment of great sadness."
"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," said Charles in a statement.
He added, "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."
Queen Elizabeth II will be accorded a full state funeral, as is the UK's tradition to mark the death of a monarch, with the date for her interment yet to be announced.
King Chrles III is expected to address the nation on Friday, September 9 on detailed plans, in a major transition that the UK has not witnessed for 70 years.
Hours before her death, an initial statement by Buckingham Palace revealed that the doctors were concerned about Her Majesty's health condition.
"Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.
The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral," read the statement in part.
The Royal family comprising Prince Charles and his wife, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke of York and the Count and Countess of Wessex, Princess Royal, Princess Anne, cancelled their plans to be next to the Queen in her last moments.
Her Majesty was crowned upon the death of her father King George VI, on February 6, 1952, while she was on a royal tour in Kenya. She was crowned in June 1953, in Westminster Abbey, in the first-ever broadcast coronation.
Queen Elizabeth held several titles in the United Kingdom. She was Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces, head of the Commonwealth and supreme governor of the Church of England.
Tributes
World leaders continue to pay their tributes, celebrating the Queen's legacy that cut across generations.
In his statement, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "admired for her grace, dignity, and dedication."
"As the United Kingdom's longest-lived and longest-reigning Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II was widely admired for her grace, dignity, and dedication around the world. She was a reassuring presence throughout decades of sweeping change, including the decolonization of Africa and Asia and the evolution of the Commonwealth."
On his part, U.S. President Joe Biden said the Queen defined an era. "In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her," they said in a statement. "Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world."
Pope Francis: "I willingly join all who mourn her loss in praying for the late Queen’s eternal rest, and in paying tribute to her life of unstinting service to the good of the Nation and the Commonwealth."
"I wish you courage and resilience in the face of this difficult, irreparable loss. May I ask you to pass on sincere condolences and support to members of the royal family and the entire people of Great Britain," read Russian President Vladimir Putin’s message to King Charles.
President Uhuru Kenyatta lauded the Queen for her efforts in uniting the commonwealth countries.
"Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a towering icon of selfless service to humanity and a key figurehead of not only the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations where Kenya is a distinguished member but the entire world," Uhuru's statement read in part.
