Queen Elizabeth II represented stability for many people in the UK and elsewhere during the transformations of the 20th and 21st centuries. Upon her passing, Prince Charles, her eldest offspring and heir to the throne, assumed the crown.
“The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of great sadness for me and all members of my family,” the new king shared in a statement released by Buckingham Palace.
Read 10 things to know about Queen Elizabeth II’s life
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.
“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held,” Charles wrote.
Read Queen Elizabeth II: Britain's longest reigning monarch, no more