Queen Elizabeth II dies - follow the latest news as the world mourns
The transition of power from one monarch to the next is inevitably a challenging period.
The timing of Queen Elizabeth's death is more unstable, however, than when her father, King George VI, died in the relatively quiet year of 1952.
King Charles III inherits the title at a time when there is war in Europe, rampant inflation and soaring energy costs. Furthermore, a new prime minister, Liz Truss, has been in the post for only a few days.
Generations of Britons have known no other monarch than Queen Elizabeth, and the loss of a figurehead with such experience and gravitas would be troubling to many.
Britain’s civil service has already moved into transitional planning with all the government department heads, known as permanent secretaries, meeting on Thursday afternoon.
The protocol has been in place for decades: the instant the queen died, Prince Charles immediately became King Charles III.
He is the oldest British monarch to inherit the throne, but also the one with the most experience of having been heir apparent.
While Britain’s head of state is the monarch, in reality nearly all power resides with the prime minister and her government. This makes the transition of power not as perilous as it has been in past British history, when at times war has broken out upon a sovereign’s death.
Queen Elizabeth provided the country and the Commonwealth with an unprecedented 70 years of continuity and her passing still presents pitfalls. She gave counsel to 15 prime ministers throughout her reign, even in her final days when she met Ms Truss at Balmoral this week. Without her there will be novices in Buckingham Palace and Downing Street.
When her father died, the veteran wartime prime minister Winston Churchill was back in office to provide the 25-year-old queen with a political rock to rely upon.
Prince Charles has also taken on an increasing number of royal roles, most notably reading the queen’s speech to Parliament in May. This is the most important constitutional moment when the monarch sets out Downing Street’s political agenda while referring to “my government”.
He has also stood in for his mother at the Maundy Thursday church service in Windsor as she missed public events over Easter and at the Cenotaph Remembrance Day service in November.
With the transition of power already under way, it is hoped that the new king would be welcomed both at home and abroad.
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A well-wisher kisses the hand of King Charles III outside Buckingham Palace after the death on Thursday of Queen Elizabeth II. King Charles, who spent much of his 73 years preparing for the role, on Friday planned to meet the prime minister and address a nation grieving the only British monarch most of the world had known. He takes the throne in an era of uncertainty for his country and the monarchy itself. AP -
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla arriving at Buckingham Palace, London, after travelling from Balmoral following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday. PA -
King Charles and the queen consort outside Buckingham Palace. PA -
King Charles and the queen consort view tributes left outside Buckingham Palace, London, after the death of Queen Elizabeth on Thursday. PA -
King Charles greets well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace. AP -
King Charles and the queen consort read messages left by mourners at Buckingham Palace in London. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability through much of a turbulent century, died on Thursday, after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. AP -
King Charles greets well-wishers at Buckingham Palace after the death on Thursday of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. AP -
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla view tributes left outside Buckingham Palace after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. PA -
Outside Buckingham Palace on the first day of public mourning after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The queen's death at the age of 96 marks the start of a tumultuous 10 days for the UK in which a queen is buried, a nation will mourn its longest-reigning monarch, and a new king is proclaimed. Bloomberg -
King Charles during a walkabout to view tributes left outside Buckingham Palace. PA -
King Charles outside Buckingham Palace on Friday. AP -
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla surrounded by crowds of well-wishers in London. Reuters -
The car carrying King Charles and the queen consort arrives at Buckingham Palace with the Union Flag at half mast. Getty Images -
People gather at the Queen Victoria Memorial opposite Buckingham Palace on Thursday night after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Reuters -
People gather at the Queen Victoria Memorial opposite Buckingham Palace after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. PA -
Mourners gather outside Buckingham Palace on Thursday night. PA -
Tributes and candles left outside Buckingham Palace in London after the queen's death was announced. PA -
Police officers stand among floral tributes left outside Buckingham Palace. PA -
A member of the royal household staff posts a notice on the gates of Buckingham Palace announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth. AFP -
Royal follower John Loughrey, wearing a Union Jack hat, photographs the official announcement of the queen's death. EPA -
Mourners outside Buckingham Palace. Reuters -
A man with a Union flag umbrella shelters from the rain near the Queen Victoria Memorial. AFP -
Mourners on the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace. PA -
The crowds outside Buckingham Palace on Thursday night. PA -
Mourners at the vigil outside Buckingham Palace. PA -
Mourners at the vigil outside Buckingham Palace. PA -
Londoners walk down The Mall that leads to Buckingham Palace on Thursday night. PA -
Taxis lined up along The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace in London after the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth. PA -
The advertising screens in Piccadilly Circus in London mark the death of the queen. Getty -
An image of Queen Elizabeth II is displayed on The BT Tower in London. Getty -
A bus stop on Tottenham Court road in London displays an image of the queen. Getty -
Mourners gather outside Windsor Castle, Berkshire. PA -
Flowers are left under the Queen Victoria statue outside Windsor Castle. PA -
Candles and flowers form a makeshift memorial at the Queen Victoria statue outside Windsor Castle. PA -
People lay floral tributes outside Balmoral Castle, Scotland, on Thursday night. EPA -
People lay floral tributes outside Balmoral Castle, Scotland, Britain, 08 September 2022. EPA -
People pay their respects at the gate of Sandringham House in Norfolk. PA -
People pay their respects at the gate of Sandringham House in Norfolk. PA
That would be helped by a number of immediate and rehearsed actions that ensure it occurs without significant mishap.
An “accession council” has been formed from the group of advisers known as the Privy Council and will meet at St James’s Palace in London.
There, the Privy Council will formally recognise the transition from one monarch to the next and officially pronounce Charles as king.
He will then take an oath inheriting the title: “Charles the Third, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of His other Realms and Territories King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith”.
Parliament will be recalled, with MPs and Lords taking a new oath of allegiance to the king.
It is unknown when exactly Prince Charles would first be seen in public as the new king, but he is likely to make a TV address on Friday evening. He gave a statement shortly after her death cherishing his “beloved mother”.
His wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, has been named queen consort.
As heir apparent, Prince William will now be known as the Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge, assuming his father’s titles and then, in a formal investiture, Prince of Wales.
The queen has always stayed above politics but Charles has discreetly taken a more proactive role. He is unlikely to remain impartial on his most importantly held subjects of climate change, architecture, organic farming and conservation.
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Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government, at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, Britain September 6, 2022. Reuters -
Queen Elizabeth II welcomes newly elected leader of the Conservative party Boris Johnson at Buckingham Palace, London, where she invited him to become UK prime minister and form a new government in July 2019. PA -
Queen Elizabeth with Theresa May in 2016. PA -
The queen and David Cameron shake hands at Buckingham Palace when he became prime minister in 2010. PA -
The queen greets Gordon Brown at the palace in 2010. After five days of negotiations, a Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government was confirmed, with Mr Brown resigning as PM. Getty Images -
Newly re-elected prime minister Tony Blair shakes hands with Queen Elizabeth in 2005. Getty Images
