Written by Felicity Thistlethwaite
Felicity Thistlethwaite is the executive editor digital at Stylist.
Tributes are pouring in for Queen Elizabeth II who has died surrounded by her family in Balmoral.
Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history, has died aged 96. Tributes are pouring in for her from across the globe. The flag at Windsor Castle is now at half-mast, and a statement announcing her death has been displayed on the gates of Buckingham Palace.
Her family – including her children Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne – are believed to have been by her side after rushing to Balmoral when doctors flagged concerns for her health this morning. Princes William and Harry are also said to have rushed to the Queen’s estate, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, upon receiving the news she was unwell.
Former prime minister John Major was among the first to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II following news of her death this evening.
He said: “For 70 years Her Majesty The Queen devoted her life to the service of our nation and its wellbeing. In her public duties she was selfless and wise, with a wonderful generosity of spirit. That is how she lived – and how she led.
“For millions of people – across the Commonwealth and the wider world – she embodied the heart and soul of our nation, and was admired and respected around the globe. At this moment of deep sadness, I believe we all stand hand in hand with the Royal Family as they grieve the loss of one so loved.
“For we have all lost someone very precious to us and, as we mourn, we should be grateful that we were blessed with such an example of duty and leadership for so very many years.”
The Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has also shared a tribute, describing the Queen’s death is a “terrible loss for us all”.
“For all of us, the Queen has been a constant presence in our lives – as familiar as a member of the family, yet one who has exercised a calm and steadying influence over our country,” he said. “Most of us have never known a time when she was not there. Her death is not only a tragedy for the royal family, but a terrible loss for us all.
“During her 70 years on the throne – and even before that, as a teenager, reassuring and engaging with children and families disrupted by the Second World War – she has given our lives a sense of equilibrium.”
He continued: “While her reign has been marked by dramatic changes in the world, Her Majesty has maintained her unwavering devotion to the UK, the British Overseas’ Territories and the Commonwealth of Nations – and her gentle authority and sound reason have been felt throughout.”
Other tributes have been flooding in from around the world.
The new King, Prince Charles, and the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, are expected to make speeches shortly.
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