Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has died.
The sad announcement was made at around 6:30pm UK time on Thursday evening following an announcement from Buckingham Palace earlier in the day that the Queen was advised to rest.
The Queen passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland where she had been staying.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon."
With her death, her eldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, will lead the country in mourning as the new King and head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms.
Concern was evident throughout the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the wider world on Thursday over the health of Queen Elizabeth II.
An earlier statement from Buckingham Palace had said: "Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen's doctors are concerned for Her Majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision."
A heated meeting of the British Parliament debating new Prime Minister Liz Truss’s urgent energy policy was interrupted for the statement to be read by the Speaker.
It cast a sombre tone over the proceedings and the wider nation as concerns grew over the health of the Queen.
96-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, the longest serving monarch, celebrated the Platinum Jubilee of her reign this year. She came to the throne in 1952 upon the death of her father.
Her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, passed away in April 2021, aged 99.
The Queen had kept up a busy schedule despite recently suffering from mobility issues.
After in-person meetings on Tuesday in which she accepted the resignation of Boris Johnson and then swore-in Liz Truss as the new British Prime Minister, the Queen was due to host a remote meeting of the Privy Council.
However, that had to be shelved as the Queen, who had appeared looking frail in photos from the previous meetings, was advised by her doctors to rest.
As concerns over her condition increased on Thursday afternoon, senior members of the royal family cancelled their other engagements to be with her.
The passing of the British monarch is being mourned around the world.
(More updates to follow).
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