Prince Charles, son of the Late Queen Elizabeth II, now King of England

The former Prince of Wales is expected to address the bereaved nation as the world mourns the death of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.

Queen Elizabeth’s children, alongside Prince William and Prince Harry, had kept company of the late queen at Balmoral after doctors expressed worrying concerns over her health.

But, she died hours later after being surrounded by her family.

Following the Queen’s death, Britain and her Commonwealth realms, will witness a ten-day period of mourning as millions of her subjects in the UK and abroad mourn her passing.

Prince Charles’ accession to the throne will mark a celebration of her historic 70-year reign that saw her witness her Platinum Jubilee this year.

This has been described as a landmark unlikely to be reached again by a British monarch.

Queen Elizabeth’s passing comes more than a year after her husband Philip died aged 99 in April 2021.

Since his death, her own health faltered, and she was forced to miss an increasing number of events mainly due to ‘mobility problems’ and tiredness.

Charles is expected to embark on a tour of the UK before his mother’s funeral with his wife Camilla, who the Queen announced would be crowned her eldest son’s Queen Consort in an historic statement to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee and 70 years on the throne on February 6.

The Queen’s passing came more than a year after that of her beloved husband Philip, her ‘strength and guide’, who died aged 99 in April 2021. Since his funeral, where she poignantly sat alone because of lockdown restrictions, her own health faltered, and she was forced to miss an increasing number of events mainly due to ‘mobility problems’ and tiredness.

In July she travelled to Scotland for her annual summer break, but cancelled her traditional welcome to Balmoral Castle in favour of a small more private event because of her health, believed to be linked to her ability to stand. And at the end of July, Prince Charles represented his mother and opened the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with the Duchess of Cornwall. In late August Queen missed the Braemar Gathering – the first time she was not at the Highland Games in her 70-year reign.

But she was well enough to meet with Boris Johnson at Balmoral to accept his resignation, before asking the 15th Prime Minister of her reign, Liz Truss, to form a Government. Her Majesty, who stood with the support of a stick and smiled as she greeted Ms Truss in front of a roaring fire, had not been seen in public for two months. It would be her final picture.