Queen Elizabeth has died at 96
Queen Elizabeth has died. The 96-year-old monarch passed away “peacefully” at her Balmoral estate on Thursday afternoon, Buckingham Palace have confirmed.
Her son, Prince Charles, becomes King immediately following her death.
A message on the official royal family website 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.
Earlier in the day, it had been revealed doctors had grown “concerned” for the queen’s health and she was placed under “medical supervision.”
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.
After the statement was released, it was revealed the queen’s children, Princes Charles, Andrew and Edward, and Princess Anne, were either already at the Scottish estate or traveling there, as were Princes William and Harry, Duchess of Cambridge, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
Last October, the queen — whose husband Prince Philip passed away in April 2021 aged 99 — took a break from the public eye after being hospitalized for an undisclosed condition and then suffering a back sprain, with doctors advising her to rest.
She spent several months of light duties involving private meetings and virtual audiences before returning to public duties with a walking stick.
In February, she contracted COVID-19 and was said to be experiencing “mild, cold-like symptoms” but caused concern when she pulled out of a number of virtual appointments.