Queen Elizabeth II has passed away, aged 96

Queen Elizabeth II has passed away.

Queen Elizabeth II has passed away, aged 96. Buckingham Palace announced the news today, saying: "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." The British Queen's passing comes following some bouts of ill health which rendered her unable to attend several events in 2021 and 2022. In November, Buckingham Palace first announced that the Queen had sprained her back and would be absent from public engagements for some time. A statement at the time read: “The Queen, having sprained her back, has decided this morning with great regret that she will not be able to attend today’s Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph. “Her Majesty is disappointed that she will miss the service.” On September 8, 2022, Buckingham Palace shared that the Queen was under medical supervision at Balmoral and that doctors were "concerned" for her health. They 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." The longest-reining British monarch, Elizabeth became Queen in 1952 aged 25 following the death of her father, King George VI. At the time of her death, she reigned over the UK and 15 other Commonwealth realms including Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. She remained as a constitutional monarch through many major political and social milestones over the course of her reign, including the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the UK's withdrawal from the EU, and the decolonisation of Africa. Queen Elizabeth is survived by her four children, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward. Her husband, Prince Philip, passed away in early 2021. He was 99. Queen Elizabeth's heir apparent is Charles, Prince of Wales.