Queen Elizabeth has died, surrounded by family at Balmoral Castle

Britain's longest-reigning sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II, has died, the BBC confirmed on Thursday. 

The world's oldest monarch passed away surrounded by close family at Balmoral. She was 96.

Earlier, Buckingham Palace had released a statement saying doctors were concerned for health. 

She'd been suffering, since the end of last year, from what the palace called “episodic mobility problems” since the end of last year which had forced her to cut back on public engagements.

The queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, the 70th anniversary of her accession, on February 6.

The four-day event was marked in June by celebrations and tributes from family, world leaders and citizens.

The queen's death comes a year after she lost her husband, Prince Philip, who died in April 2021.

Philip, whom the queen described as her “strength and stay all these years”, died at Windsor Castle. He was 99.

Elizabeth was born at 17 Bruton Street, London, on April 21 1926 and christened on May 29 that year in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace. She became heir apparent when her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated on December 11 1936 and her father George VI became king. She was 10 years old.

She married navy lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, a Greek prince, at London's Westminster Abbey on November 20 1947 and they had four children, heir apparent Prince Charles (born in 1948), Princess Anne (1950), Prince Andrew (1960) and Prince Edward (1964).

She ascended the throne when her father died on February 6 1952 while in Kenya on a royal tour. Elizabeth was crowned on June 2 1953 at Westminster Abbey in the first coronation to be televised.

The queen was served by 15 prime ministers. 

On September 9 2015 she surpassed the 63 years, seven months, two days, 16 hours and 23 minutes her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria spent on the throne, becoming Britain's longest-reigning monarch in a line dating back to William the Conqueror in 1066.

Elizabeth was queen of 15 realms — the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu.

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