Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, the only monarch most of her subjects have ever known, has come to an end. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor passed away on Thursday at Balmoral Castle, her Scottish castle. She was 96 years old.
“The queen is dead, long live the king!” bells will ring and gun salutes will be fired across the United Kingdom as broadcasters, heralds, and Twitter celebrate the passing of one sovereign and the ascension of the new.
Her eldest son and heir, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, 73, ascended to the throne immediately after her death.
Elizabeth, the 41st monarch since William the Conqueror in 1066, was a symbol of stability as Britain and her 1,000-year-old monarchy sailed through modern-day storms, including a terrible epidemic.
