Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96; King Charles III takes the throne

The longest-ever reign of Queen Elizabeth II, is over. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor died Thursday at Balmoral Castle, her estate in Scotland at the age of 96.

She was preceded in death by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, her husband of 73 years, who died April 9, 2021, at Windsor Castle at age 91.

As the 41st monarch since William the Conqueror in 1066, Elizabeth was the symbol of stability as Britain and its 1,000-year-old monarchy sailed through roiling storms of the modern age, including a deadly pandemic.

Elizabeth enjoyed robust health most of her life, but lingering “mobility issues” affected her in recent months.

She increasingly handed over duties to Charles, from the recreational to the constitutional.

On Tuesday the late Queen presided over the transition of one prime minister to a new one, a constitutional duty as head of state which took place at Balmoral for the first time in her reign.

Barely hours after Queen Elizabeth the second passed away on Thursday, the throne was passed immediately and without ceremony to the heir, Prince Charles, the former Prince of Wales.

But there are a number of practical – and traditional – steps which he must go through to be crowned King.

It is expected that Charles will be officially proclaimed King on Saturday in a ceremony that will take place at St James’s Palace in London, in front of a ceremonial body known as the Accession Council.

This is made up of members of the Privy Council – a group of senior MPs, past and present, and peers – as well as some senior civil servants, Commonwealth high commissioners, and the Lord Mayor of London.

According to the BBC, more than 700 people are entitled in theory to attend the coronation of the new king but given the short notice, the actual number is likely to be far fewer.

At the meeting, the death of Queen Elizabeth will be announced by the Lord President of the Privy Council and a proclamation will be read aloud.

Upon his ascension as the new King, Charles will become the head of the Commonwealth, an association of 56 independent countries and 2.4 billion people. For 14 of these countries, as well as the UK.