Queen Elizabeth II, Second Longest Reigning Monarch, Has Passed Away

After it was revealed that her family was gathering in Balmoral, comes the news that Queen Elizabeth II has died, Buckingham Palace announced. The Queen of England was 96 years old at the time of her passing, marking the end of an era.

Queen Elizabeth II Has Passed Away

“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” reads the statement. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

Queen Elizabeth II was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor on April 21, 1926. The first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth), she succeeded her father, as queen in February 1952 upon her father’s death. Before she became queen, she married Philip Mountbatten, who had been the Prince of Greece and Demark and later became Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in November 1947. The couple shared a 73-year marriage, which ended when he died in April 2021. The couple had four children — Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

Reuters reported that all of her children reached her bedside at Balmoral Castle after news of her ill health. The news came by way of Buckingham Palace, which released a short statement that 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. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, along with his brother Prince Harry also traveled to Scotland to be with her. It appears that Duchess Meghan is not with her husband at this time. In the months before she passed, USA Today reported that she handed over many of her official duties to Prince Charles and other members of the royal family due to mobility issues.

During her reign, Queen Elizabeth II became the oldest and longest-reigning British monarch, the oldest and longest-serving incumbent head of state, and was the second-longest reigning sovereign monarch in world history. She reigned for more than 70 years, seeing the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth through the latter half of the 20th Century and the beginning of the 21st Century.

In addition to her four children, the queen is survived by eight grandchildren, which include Prince William of Wales, Prince Harry of Wales, Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York, Lady Louise Windsor, and James, Viscount Severns. Great-grandchildren include George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie, Lilibet “Lili” Diana, Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, Mia Tindall, Lena Tindall, Lucas Philip, August Philip, and Sienna Elizabeth.