Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died

BUCKINGHAM Palace has this evening (Thursday) confirmed the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The monarch died at the age of 96. The country will now enter a period of national mourning.

Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor in Mayfair on 21st April 1926, Her Majesty came to the throne aged just 25 following the death of her father King George VI on 6th February 1952.

Her 70-year reign – celebrated at the start of June this year by a four-day Queen's platinum jubilee bank holiday weekend – made her the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-serving female head of state.

When she was born, she was third in line to the throne and was not expected to become Queen.

But 10 years later, in December 1936, her uncle – King Edward VIII – abdicated and her father took to the throne.

She spent her early years at 145 Picadilly in London and at White Lodge in Richmond Park.

She married the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, in 1947. He died in April 2021. They had four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Their first son, the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, was born in 1948, followed by his sister, the Princess Royal, Princess Anne, in 1950, the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, in 1960 and the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, in 1964.

Details of her funeral are yet to be announced.