King Charles III has paid tribute to his mother Queen Elizabeth II who died today aged 96.
Buckingham Palace today confirmed that the Monarch Queen Elizabeth had died at Balmoral. Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow. "
Prominent members of the Royal Family, including Prince Charles and Prince William, rushed to Balmoral to be by the Queen’s bedside. His Majesty The King has now issued a statement following Queen's death.
READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth II dies aged 96
It read: "The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family. 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 in our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held."
Queen Elizabeth has reigned as monarch for 70 years and ascended to the throne after her father, King George VI died following a battle with lung cancer on February 6, 1952.
The Queen, aged just 25, was informed of the news of her father’s death while she was in Kenya on a royal tour. Mindful of her duty she immediately flew home and took up her role as head of state.
She made a solemn vow on her 21st birthday in her address to the Commonwealth. The Queen said: “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”
She stuck to her pledge and was the first British monarch to reign for seventy years and large-scale celebrations were planned in honour of her Platinum Jubilee in June.
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