Queen Elizabeth II has died

Update Thursday, 3:45 p.m. 

Queen Elizabeth’s son Charles, who will now be known as King Charles III, released his first statement as king. He ascends to the throne at 73, almost a half-century older than his mother when she became monarch in 1952.

Update Thursday, 1:50 p.m. 

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has died, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace, ending one of the longest reigns for a monarch in world history. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the palace said on Thursday. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom appeared to be in worsening health on Thursday after a statement from Buckingham Palace sparked widespread speculation about the long-reigning British monarch’s immediate condition.

“Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” the statement read. “The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”

The queen, 96, was joined Thursday at Scotland’s Balmoral Castle by her son Prince Charles, heir to the throne, the New York Times reported, along with Charles’s wife, Camilla, and his eldest son, Prince William. According to media reports, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle—who very publicly stepped away from their royal duties and moved to California in 2020—are also traveling to Scotland to join the queen.

The queen has been in deteriorating health for some time, appearing less frequently at public events and battling a bout with COVID-19 earlier this year. She most recently met with Liz Truss, the newly installed British prime minister—whom she formally appointed—but the meeting took place in Scotland and not at Buckingham Palace as it usually would.

Queen Elizabeth first assumed the throne in 1952, making her the longest-reigning living monarch and one of the longest in history.

This story is developing . . .