Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning British monarch, passed away on Thursday, September 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland after episodes of health issues. Buckingham Palace and the Royal family confirmed her death in a tweet this afternoon. She was 96 years old.
The Queen, whose rule spanned seven decades, took her place on the throne in 1952 when her father, King George VI, died.
Known for modernizing monarchy, the Queen ruled over the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth areas.
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. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022
Her son, Charles, is now King of the United Kingdom.
via CNN:
Upon becoming the sovereign, Charles has the option to take any name he chooses for his reign as King. For example, King George VI’s real name was actually Albert. Two previous monarchs have been called Charles.
Charles had already been taking on some of the Queen’s engagements this year as her health had become enough of a concern for her to cancel some of her commitments, including the State Opening of Parliament.
Both Charles and Prince William had been prioritizing the Queen’s diary over theirs. Both of them had been activated as Counsellors of State, where the Queen delegates her sovereign power for specific purposes, and they were obligated to be even more available for those duties.