Britain is today waking up to life outside of the European Union after an historic night which marked the official end to almost half a century of membership to the bloc.
Huge crowds gathered in central London to either celebrate or commiserate Brexit day, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed as the “beginning of a new era”.
Brexit was triggered at 11pm on Friday, more than three years after the UK voted to break ties from the bloc in a referendum that left the country bitterly divided on the issue.
The UK now faces tough negotiations with Brussels in the coming months as officials work towards a new kind of relationship after a divorce agreement was reached.
Attention has already turned to the next set of talks aimed at the relationship in trade and other areas which will apply from January 1, 2021.
There may be "bumps in the road" but Brexit can "unleash the full potential" of the UK, Mr Johnson said in a message to the nation before Britain broke ties with the EU.
"For many people this is an astonishing moment of hope, a moment they thought would never come," he said. "And there are many of course who feel a sense of anxiety and loss."
But after years of wrangling since the 2016 vote to leave, Mr Johnson said his job was now to "bring this country together".
There will be few practical changes due to Brexit as the deal negotiated by the UK and EU keeps Britain aligned with EU rules for the rest of the year.
But in a potent symbol of the changed relationship, the Union flag was removed from the European Union institutions in Brussels.
Brussels is pessimistic about the 11-month timetable for reaching a deal and made clear that Britain will have to accept worse terms and conditions for trade than if it were still a member of the EU.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said: "We want to have the best possible relationship with the United Kingdom, but it will never be as good as membership."
Senior Cabinet minister Michael Gove acknowledged the trade-offs that would have to be made in any deal.
There "will be some regulations that will differ in Britain" so "that may mean that when it comes to trading with Europe there are some bureaucratic processes there that aren't there now", the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said.
Mr Johnson is reportedly prepared to impose full customs and border checks on all European goods entering the UK in an effort to create leverage in the negotiations with Brussels.
The Prime Minister hosted a reception in Number 10 for senior ministers, officials and supporters of Vote Leave who drank English sparkling wine while the light show was beamed onto the exterior of the building last night.
Nigel Farage told cheering crowds at the rally in Parliament Square: "We did it. We transformed the landscape of our country. There are some that say we shouldn't celebrate tonight, but we are going to celebrate tonight."
He added: "The people have beaten the establishment. The real winner tonight is democracy. And I am someone who believes we should be pro-Europe, but not the European Union."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Brexit was "a deep break for us all" and warned the "negotiations will certainly not be easy".
French President Emmanuel Macron said Brexit was an "alarm signal" for the EU and hit out at the "lies, exaggerations, simplifications" that led to the Leave vote.
