Buckingham Palace has announced that her Majesty the Queen has died at the age of 96
In a statement the Palace said that:
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow”
BBC One played the national anthem following the announcement, showing a photograph of the Queen, followed by a royal crest on a black background and the words Queen Elizabeth
The flag at Buckingham Palace was lowered to half mast at 6.30pm.
People among the crowd gathered outside the gates began crying and taking pictures as a single helicopter circled the skies above
In a statement King Charles said:
”The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.”
He has confirmed that he will be known as King Charles III
The Prime Minister Liz Truss said that the death of the Queen was a “huge shock to the nation and the world”
“She was the very spirit of Great Britain and that spirit will endure”.
and salutes King Charles III, ending: “God Save the King”.
The Bishop of Manchester,David Walker has tweeted:
“A desperately sad day; we mourn the passing of a life that has inspired, and will long inspire, many of us. A life lived in deep and explicit Christian faith, and with an undimmed sense of humour. May we, who live on, be renewed and strengthened by her example. God save the King.”
Manchester City Council has released the following statement
“Manchester shares its deepest condolences with the Royal Family today following the sad news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.The Union Flag on Manchester Central Library will be flown at half mast for ten days of national mourning.”
“The news that the long and dutiful reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is over has inspired in us all an overwhelming sense of profound sadness.” say GM Police
Salford Council made the following statement
The councillors and officers of Salford City Council are deeply saddened about the news of the death of Her Majesty the Queen.Our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this time.
Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Transport for Greater Manchester has said:
“It is with the greatest sadness that we have learnt of the passing of Her Majesty The Queen.The Queen was a loyal public servant who dedicated her life to this country, and this very sad news will be felt by many throughout Greater Manchester, across the UK and around the world.The thoughts of everyone at Transport for Greater Manchester are with the Royal Family at this time.”
The Salford Mayor Paul Dennett said in a statement
I’m deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and join those mourning in the UK and across the world.I would like to send my sincere condolences to the Royal Family, their friends and everyone affected by this very sad news.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson said:
“This is our country’s saddest day. In the hearts of every one of us there is an ache at the passing of our Queen, a deep and personal sense of loss – far more intense, perhaps, than we expected.”
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair said the nation had lost “not just our monarch but the matriarch of our nation, the figure who more than any other brought our country together, kept us in touch with our better nature, personified everything which makes us proud to be British.”
