Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history and an icon instantly recognisable to billions of people around the world, died on Thursday. She was 96. Buckingham Palace announced her death in a short statement, triggering 10 days of national mourning and an outpouring of tributes to her long life and record-breaking reign. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement at 6:30pm local time. May her majesty Rest in Peace.
