King Charles III returns to London amid outpouring of grief and thanks for Queen Elizabeth II

As we walked through the crowds at Buckingham Palace, we couldn't but notice the mothers and daughters who came to honor the only monarch many of them have ever known.

"It's a great inspiration for me, for my child," one mother told CBS News about what it meant to have a woman reign for so long.Other women also brought their daughters to lay flowers.

"When we found the news out yesterday, the little ones were uncontrollably crying," a mother said. "A great loss. And obviously, even in their generation, in their lifetime, we're probably never going to see a queen again."

"It's like someone that's always been there, like a grandma," another mother said, adding that the message for all the girls in her family is "that anything's possible, isn't it?"

Queen Elizabeth was not just a monarch but a matriarch for the United Kingdom. She was a source of strength and inspiration for many of the women at Buckingham Palace on Friday.

The former communications director for then-Prince Charles thinks the now king will carry on the passion he had for certain issues as he takes the throne.

In an interview with "CBS Evening News" anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell on Friday, Julian Payne, who is also a CBS News contributor, said King Charles could have spent the last few decades doing very little, but he chose to campaign "for the things he was passionate about."

"I absolutely am certain that he will take the spirit of that into the monarchy now as king," Payne said.

Payne said the king has "always been a modernizer," explaining that Charles put "a recycling bin in Buckingham Palace in the early 1980s and got everybody recycling their bottles."

"This is not somebody who has sat on tradition and never, never changed," he said. "He actually is always, always pushing forward."

O'Donnell also asked Payne how the roles of Prince William and his wife, Kate, will change. They became the prince and princess of Wales.

"That is quite a powerful moniker to carry. What I think you'll see, is they will naturally follow into that role as people that are putting philanthropy at the heart of their work," Payne said. "But I think what you can expect is for that work really to kick up a notch. And also, don't forget the prince of Wales, now as he is, he also has the Duchy of Cornwall to look after. This is the estate which brings in the revenue that pays for the prince of Wales and his family. So that's a huge job as well."

Elton John paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at his final concert in Toronto on Thursday night, saying he was inspired by her and is sad she is gone.

"She led the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace and decency and genuine caring," John said.

"I'm 75 and she's been with with me all my life and I feel very sad that that she won't be with me anymore, but I'm glad she's at peace," he said. "I'm glad she's at rest and she deserves it. She worked bloody hard."

The singer-songwriter then performed his 1974 track "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me."

King Charles III told British Prime Minister Liz Truss Friday that the death of his mother was a moment he's been "dreading" but said he had to "keep everything going."

"It has been so touching. ... All those people, come to give their condolences," he told Truss during their meeting.

"It's the moment I've been dreading, as I know a lot of people have," he added, referring to his mother's death. "But you try and keep everything going."

-CBS/AP

Read more here

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II involves not only the transfer of the crown to King Charles III but also a shift of her personal wealth and the ownership in trust of a massive portfolio of assets that range from iconic castles to the Crown Jewels.

Read more here

The royal family posted a picture of King Charles III holding an audience with new Prime Minister Liz Truss on Friday.

Earlier this week, Truss met with Queen Elizabeth II to be officially appointed as Boris Johnson's successor after she was selected to lead the British government.

King Charles III expressed love for his son Prince Harry and Harry's wife Meghan in his address Friday.

He wished the couple well "as they continue to build their lives overseas."

Meghan, 41, and Harry, 37, have been in a tense relationship with Britain's royal family since they stepped away from royal duties and left the U.K. in early 2020, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media.

-CBS/AP

President Biden on Friday said he'll be going to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II whenever it takes place.

"Yes," Mr. Biden said, asked by a reporter in Ohio if he'll attend the funeral. "I don't know what the details are yet, but I'll be going."

Read more here

In his address Friday, King Charles III called Queen Elizabeth II "an inspiration."

"Throughout her life, Her Majesty the Queen, my beloved mother, was an inspiration, an example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family could owe to their mother," Charles said.

He paid tribute to his mother's dedication to her country.

"That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today," Charles said.

During his first address to the British people since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III named his son Prince William and William's wife Kate "our new Prince and Princess of Wales."

The king said they "will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground, where vital help can be given."

Jane Hartley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.K., told "CBS Mornings" that there was no closer ally to the United States than Queen Elizabeth II.

"I think she loved America, and we loved her. When I first arrived, it was right before the Platinum Jubilee, and I was amazed at the number of people on the street that just adored her. And there was so much respect. But there were many, many Americans there," Hartley said.

Read more here

Queen Elizabeth II spent her entire 70-year reign at the helm of Britain's royal family with her longtime love Prince Philip by her side. Their story began when they were just children and lasted until April 9, 2021, the day Philip died.   

Click here for a look back at the couple's remarkable royal love story. 

Archie and Lillibet, the children of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have become a prince and princess after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

When they were born, the two children were too far down the line of succession to be given those titles under rules set out by King George V in 1917. 

Archie was given the title Earl of Dumbarton when he was born. He could have had the title of "Lord," but his parents chose for him to be called "Master Archie" instead, according to Buckingham Palace.

It is possible for King Charles III, the new monarch, to change the rules to take the His and Her Royal Highness (HRH), the prince and princess titles, away from his grandchildren, but veteran royal correspondent and CBS News contributor Roya Nikkhah said it was unlikely he would do so.

"The Crown," Netflix's acclaimed series about Queen Elizabeth II and her family, has paused production due to the monarch's death. A spokesperson for the series said production was paused on Friday "as a mark of respect" and will also be suspended on the day of the queen's funeral. 

The show, which has won 22 Emmy Awards so far, is in production on its sixth season. Its first two seasons focused on the early years after the queen ascended to the throne and has gradually moved closer to current events. 

Its fifth season, with Imelda Staunton playing the queen, will premiere later this year.  

Sadness, drizzle and a strange frisson filled the Edinburgh air as the Scottish capital prepared to receive the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II this weekend. The monarch died at her Scottish Balmoral estate Thursday and the coffin's arrival in Edinburgh will be the first stage on its journey to a state funeral in London.

Against a damp wall at Holyroodhouse, the royal palace in Edinburgh, the mass of flowers continued to grow. Gary Millar, a 45-year-old technician, added a bouquet to the pile that started to build when news broke of the queen's death.

Millar had arrived early in the morning to show his "respects" and "to honour the lady."

"She honoured us her whole reign by doing her duty and I think it's time that the public gave that back a little," he said, his voice tight with emotion.

In Scotland, led by a government that wants independence from the United Kingdom, the queen is much more popular than the monarchy itself. For Millar, the late sovereign "held the country together."

"She was the figurehead of our union of Great Britain. She's been around all my life," he continued, praising her "hard work" and "dedication."

King Charles III and his wife Camilla, the queen consort, arrived at Buckingham Palace in central London on Friday and greeted crowds gathered outside the palace gates.

The new king flew back to London from Scotland just after 1:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. Eastern).

King Charles was due to meet the U.K.'s new Prime Minister Liz Truss later in the day, and deliver his first message to the nation as its monarch early in the evening.  

Clarence House, the former home and official office of Britain's new King Charles III, said Friday that the centuries-old ceremony by which the U.K. government will formally recognize his reign would be televised.

The broadcast of the two-part Accession Council, which will take place on Saturday at St. James's Palace in London, will be a first. The Council has been convened for British governments to formally acknowledge new monarchs for around 1,000 years. It is the oldest part of Britain's government.

The process comes in two parts, the first of which takes place without the new king, as "Privy Counsellors" and a bevy of other dignitaries "formally announce the death of the Monarch and proclaim the succession of the new Sovereign."

Charles will then join the council along with his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, and his son and heir, Prince William, who are also members, to attend his first session of the gathering and to declare his support for the British constitution and the Church of Scotland, of which the monarch is the official head. 

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed "deep sadness" and a sense of "emptiness" after the passing of the monarch and praised her "great affection for France."

Macron said in a video message that the queen mastered "our language, loved our culture and touched our hearts."

Macron described her as a "great head of state," and said that with her, Britain and France share "a warm, sincere and loyal partnership."

Speaking in English, the French president said: "To you, she was your Queen. To us, she was THE Queen."

Members of the United Kingdom's parliament gathered in the House of Commons on Friday to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. Prime Minister Liz Truss called the queen, who died the previous day at the age of 96, "the rock on which modern Britain was built," and "one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known."

"We remember the pledge she gave on her 21st birthday to dedicate her life to service," Truss said. "The whole house will agree, never has a promise been so completely fulfilled."

"As the longest-serving monarch this country has known she would have been assured of a notable entry in our history books even if it were not for the magnificence in which she undertook the role as Queen," the speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, said.

"She was the most devoted monarch. As well as Queen, she was a wife, a mother, a grandmother and great grandmother — roles she carried out with the same sense of occasion and human kindness as the role of Queen," Hoyle said.

The tributes on the floor of the House of Commons were expected to continue until about 10 p.m. local time.

Nelson Mandela was on first-name basis with Queen Elizabeth II, a rare privilege contravening royal etiquette, the late anti-apartheid hero's foundation said Friday, sharing anecdotes of their fond relationship.  

"By his own admission, Nelson Mandela was an anglophile, and in the years after his release from prison cultivated a close relationship with the Queen," the Nelson Mandela Foundation wrote in a statement, sending condolences to the royal family. "They also talked on the phone frequently, using their first names with each other as a sign of mutual respect as well as affection."

Fondly known to South Africans as Madiba, Mandela spent decades in prison before leading his country from white minority rule to a multi-racial democracy. He died in 2013 aged 95.

King Charles III left Balmoral Castle on Friday to travel back to London to meet Prime Minister Liz Truss and then deliver a televised speech to the nation in the early evening. Charles and the queen's three other children, and her grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry, all rushed to Balmoral on Thursday to be by her side.

A service of prayer and reflection will be held at London's St. Paul's Cathedral at 6 p.m. local time (1 p.m. Eastern), which the public will be allowed to attend and which will also be televised. The prime minister and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan were expected to attend.

If the timing of the king's speech coincides with the service, it is expected that the speech will be played to the audience inside St. Paul's Cathedral.

The Premier League has postponed its upcoming round of matches as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, adding to the cancellation of high-profile golf, cricket and horse racing events across Britain on Friday.

England's top-flight soccer clubs held a meeting Friday and said they wanted to "pay tribute to Her Majesty's long and unwavering service to our country."

The English Football League - the three divisions below the Premier League - also called off their games scheduled for the weekend. 

Important golf, cricket and horse racing events scheduled to take place on Friday have been postponed or canceled.

The England and Wales Cricket Board announced there would be no play on Friday in the third and deciding test between England and South Africa. There was no immediate update on whether play would be resuming over the weekend.

Other events called off included cycling's Tour of Britain, which also canceled the final two stages of the race scheduled for the weekend, and the third day of horse racing's St. Leger festival in Doncaster. The St. Leger, one of British racing's classics, will now take place on Sunday, organizers said Friday.

Horse racing was the queen's favorite sport.

Buckingham Palace said Friday that King Charles III had requested a formal "period of Royal Mourning be observed from now until seven days after The Queen's Funeral."

The palace has not yet confirmed the date for Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral, but it is expected to be held on Monday September 19.

"Royal Mourning will be observed by Members of the Royal Family, Royal Household staff and Representatives of the Royal Household on official duties, together with troops committed to Ceremonial Duties," the palace said in a statement.

The palace also confirmed that gun salutes would be fired Friday afternoon in London's Hyde Park and at the Tower of London, with one round being fired for each year of the queen's 96 years.

Poignant photographs of Queen Elizabeth II dominated the front pages of Britain's grieving newspapers Friday, charting her journey from coronation to matriarch of the nation.

A picture of the 27-year-old Elizabeth taken at her 1953 coronation, full of regal splendor clasping the Sovereign's Orb and Scepter in the vaulted walls of Westminster Abbey, covered the front pages of The Times, Guardian, Daily Star and Independent.

The Sun, Daily Telegraph, Daily Express and Daily Mirror instead chose images of the white-haired monarch as she neared the end of her record-breaking 70-year-reign.

The Telegraph carried a quote made by the queen for the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. "Grief is the price we pay for love," it said.

Most tabloids marked the occasion with subdued black-and-white front pages, although the Sun splashed its header in royal purple, above the headline "We loved you Ma'am."

"Rest in peace, Ma'am. The Sun and our readers loved you. We are proud you were our Queen," it added.

The Daily Express carried the headline "Our Beloved Queen is Dead," while the Daily Mirror simply wrote "Thank you."

"Our hearts are broken", said the Daily Mail headline. "How to find the words? Our grief is a hundred different emotions, all of them hard to grasp," said its front-page splash.

"As God Save the Queen played on the radio and TV, as we heard that our beloved monarch had died, a nation's heart broke," it added.

The story unsurprisingly filled the inside pages of the souvenir edition papers, with most dedicating at least 20 pages to the seismic events.

Britain's new Prime Minister Liz Truss was told at 4:30 p.m. local time (11:30 a.m. Eastern) on Thursday that Queen Elizabeth II had died. 10 Downing Street, the premier's office, confirmed that the Cabinet Secretary had informed Truss of the monarch's passing almost two hours before Buckingham Palace told the world.

It was Truss' second day on the job. She was chosen to take over the prime minister's office by members of her Conservative Party following the resignation of Boris Johnson, who was forced out by a succession of scandals.

The new prime minister was notified of Elizabeth's passing about four hours after the palace issued an extremely rare statement about the queen's health, saying doctors were "concerned," and had put her under medical supervision at her Scotland home, Balmoral Castle. The announcement caused immediate concern, and as every senior member of the royal family rushed to Balmoral to be by her side, it quickly became clear that the situation was serious.

When Buckingham Palace did tell the world about Elizabeth's passing at about 6:30 p.m., it said only that she had "died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon."

British railway and postal workers, at the forefront of sector-wide strikes over a cost-of-living crisis, have halted upcoming walkouts following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The Communication Workers Union had planned to continue a 48-hour stoppage Friday but this has been called off "out of respect for" the queen, CWU general secretary Dave Ward said in a statement late Thursday.

The RMT rail union said it was suspending walkouts planned the next week and the TSSA transport union has called off its September strikes. Train drivers union Aslef has also suspended a planned stoppage.

"RMT joins the whole nation in paying its respects to Queen Elizabeth," its general secretary Mick Lynch said in a statement. "The planned railway strike action on 15 and 17 September is suspended... We express our deepest condolences to her family, friends and the country."

Network Rail, which manages Britain's railways, said it welcomed "the unions' decision to call off" strikes.

Among the many world leaders sending condolences to Great Britain were Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

Putin sent a telegram to King Charles III saying in part, "For many decades, Elizabeth II rightfully enjoyed the love and respect of her subjects, as well as authority on the world stage. I wish you courage and perseverance in the face of this heavy, irreparable loss."

And Xi offered "sincere sympathies to the British government and people," noting that the queen was the first British monarch to visit China.

Elizabeth's death came amid increasingly tense relations between Britain and China. Xi said he's willing to work with Charles on promoting "healthy and stable" bilateral ties.

-- CBS/AP

David Caplan, executive editor of digital content for the two all-news radio stations in New York, WCBS and WINS, noted a special salute to the late Queen Elizabeth II:

With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II Thursday, her first son Charles has ascended the throne. Charles, 73, had been the Prince of Wales — the title reserved for future British kings-in-waiting — for longer than anyone else in the history of the United Kingdom's monarchy.

Buckingham Palace confirmed that the new monarch would be known as King Charles III.

In many ways, Charles has been the first modern heir to the British throne: He was sent off to school rather than being tutored privately at the palace, and after that he went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree at Cambridge.

The young prince then served in both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, being deployed on several warships during the 1970s.

CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips takes an in-depth look at Charles role in the royal family up to this point, his rocky love life and some of his "bonkers" pursuits. Read the full story here. 

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, decades of symbols in Her Majesty's honor – from the national anthem to currency – will likely see a shift. 

The national anthem, "God Save the Queen," will likely be reversed to "God Save the King," its original title. The first verse of the song will now be recited as, "God save our gracious King! Long live our noble King! God save the King! Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the King."

Another change will be the currency, which currently includes an image of the queen facing toward the right. Now, with King Charles III in charge, all new coins will likely have his image, and facing toward the left, as is tradition.

Other similar changes are likely for the U.K.'s stamps and flags. Read the full story here.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the queen's death a "great loss" in a statement on social media early Friday morning.  

"I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family, the government and the people of the United Kingdom," Kishida said. "The loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is a great loss not only to the British people but also to the international community. Japan's thoughts are with the United Kingdom as the British people overcome this deepest sadness."

The U.S. Tennis Association held a moment of silence before the first U.S. Open women's semifinal match Thursday night — won in straight sets by Ons Jabeur over Caroline Garcia.

"We would like to pause to remember Queen Elizabeth II," the stadium announcer said. "Our thoughts are with the people today of the United Kingdom. Remember to be part of us in a second of silence."

For years, the U.K. government has had a detailed plan – codenamed Operation London Bridge – in place for what happens after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Although it was a closely guarded secret, following the queen's death Thursday, the plan was widely reported by the British media.

The government plan refers to the day of the queen's death as D-Day, or D+0. However, since the queen's death came so late Thursday, the schedule was shifted, and D-Day was pushed to Friday.

This means that the state funeral for the queen, D+10 under the plan, will take place on Monday, Sept. 19, in Westminster Abbey.

Read the full story on Operation London Bridge here. 

Celebrities from Sir Elton John to Victoria Beckham shared tributes to Queen Elizabeth II on social media on Thursday.

"She was an inspiring presence to be around, and lead the country through some of our greatest, and darkest, moments with grace, decency, and a genuine caring warmth," John shared with his fans on Instagram. He ended his tribute with, "Queen Elizabeth has been a huge part of my life from childhood to this day, and I will miss her dearly."

Sir Paul McCartney, also no stranger in his love and admiration for the queen, wrote on his Instagram: "God bless Queen Elizabeth II / May she rest in peace / Long live The King." McCartney's connection to the queen goes back decades to when he was just 10 years old. He wrote an essay about her for a competition that was being held in England for school-aged kids, and he won for his division. 

"Today is a very sad day not just for our country but for the entire world. I'm deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved Monarch, Her Majesty The Queen," Beckham, the fashion designer and singer, shared on her Instagram. "She will be remembered for her steadfast loyalty and service and my thoughts are with the royal family at this incredibly sad time." 

Read the full story here.

Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general, tweeted that he was "deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."

"Over more than 70 years, she exemplified selfless leadership and public service. My deepest condolences to the Royal Family, to our #NATO Allies the United Kingdom and Canada, and to the people of the Commonwealth."

Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister of Spain, offered his condolences to the royal family and the people of the U.K.

He called the queen "a figure of global significance, witness and author of British and European history," in a tweet Thursday.

Sir John Major, who served as Britain's prime minister from 1990 to 1997, opened about his relationship with Queen Elizabeth, describing their conversations when he was in office as "lively."

In an interview with "CBS Evening News" anchor and managing editor Norah O'Donnell on Thursday, Major said the queen had the gift of being resilient.

"One of the many gifts the queen has is that when she faces great difficulty, she has the capacity to be a stoic," Major said. "She puts her head down. She plows on. She knows whatever the problems are, she will come through the other end of that."

"It is part of the training for monarchy," he continued. "I mean, self evidently, you need to be very selfless. You need to have a great understanding of the way your nation works and the way people think and act in order to be a successful monarchy. And you need a great capacity to discharge your obligations and your duty. And the queen had a remarkable sense of duty all her life."

Major also described her as "very funny."

"The conversations with her weren't starchy, dull, boring," he said. "They were very lively. You were talking to someone with a lively intellect. She was she was fun to be with."

As a monarch to millions and mother to four, Queen Elizabeth II faced "unique challenges," according to historian and author Amanda Foreman."

Queen Elizabeth II as a mother had some unique challenges," Foreman told CBS News. "She had to be away for many months at a time, and yet she took her duties as a mother very seriously."

She was often called detached for leaving her children with nannies and sending them to boarding school.

"Those comparisons, I think, hurt her feelings greatly because she loved her children — that was always obvious," Foreman said.

As her children grew, their lives often exploded on the front page of tabloids and TVs around the world.

"Queen Elizabeth had to walk a very difficult line, kind of a mediator between the public's expectations of her and her children and how her children were actually feeling," Foreman said. "And it was very difficult."

The queen's legacy will include leading her family and her country into a modern era.

"She showed that yes, you can be a mother, you can be a wife, but you can still be a woman in a position of power and influence," Foreman said.

As the flag lowered in London and all over the United Kingdom, crowds began to gather at the golden gates of Buckingham Palace. Mourners sang the national anthem, "God Save the Queen," for a much-loved monarch.

Mourners who gathered outside Windsor Castle told CBS News what the loss meant to them.

"She was everything to us and it was a massive part of our upbringing," a crying woman said. 

"It's a very sad moment, a very sad moment," a man said.

"She's always been there and it'll never be the same again," an elderly woman said.

A young man in the crowd said Queen Elizabeth was "a queen with a lot of love for her people."

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, cycling's Tour of Britain has canceled its final three stages, set to take place Friday through Sunday.

Spanish cyclist Gonzalo Serrano, the leader after Thursday, was declared the winner.

"The Tour of Britain organisation, alongside the teams, riders and officials involved in the event, send their deepest condolences to the Royal Family at this sad time," the race said in a statement. 

Manchester United's home clash in the Europa League against Real Sociedad went ahead but a minute's silence was held before kick-off and players wore black armbands.

The Premier League said it was "deeply saddened" by the queen's death.

Play at the PGA Championship at Wentworth, near London, was suspended on Thursday evening when news broke about the death of the 96-year-old monarch and it was later confirmed that there would be no play on Friday.

"Out of respect for Her Majesty and the Royal Family, play has been suspended at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club for the remainder of Thursday and flags at Wentworth Club will be lowered to half-mast," a European Tour statement said.

"Furthermore, no play will take place at the BMW PGA Championship on Friday and the golf course and practice facilities will be closed."

Six palaces, designated as the Historic Royal Palaces, will be closed to guests on Friday after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The sites include the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace and Hillsborough Castle.

"Historic Royal Palaces joins millions of people around the world in mourning the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II," its website said.

Guests who booked tickets for the palaces will be refunded, and ticket sales have been temporarily suspended, according to its website.

British politicians across the political spectrum united in sorrow Thursday at the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a passing that brought the country's usually fractious politics to a halt.

For the next several days, essential government functions will continue, but much of the routine business of politics will be put on pause. Parliamentary business will give way to two days of tributes from lawmakers in the House of Commons on Friday and Saturday.

A rainbow appeared over Buckingham Palace in London shortly before the queen's death was announced. Not long after, as people gathered outside of Windsor Castle to mourn her death, a double rainbow appeared there as well.

Queen Elizabeth II grew up at Windsor, and throughout her time as monarch, she spent many of her private weekends and a month around Easter at the castle, according to the Royal Collection Trust. Several members of the royal family have been married there, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in May 2018; Princess Eugenie in October 2018; and Princess Beatrice in 2020.

In a statement after the queen's death, London Mayor Sadiq Khan celebrated her "extraordinary service."

"Throughout a period of unprecedented transformation, she was a source of great stability, inspiring hope during the most testing of times and exemplifying the best of what it means to be British," he wrote.

"I'm proud to have served as Mayor of London while Queen Elizabeth II was our monarch. I know Londoners, and people across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, are immensely proud and grateful for what she achieved for us all over so many years."

He offered his condolences to the royal family.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog extended his "deepest sympathies to the British people and all nations of the Commonwealth" following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.  

"Queen Elizabeth was a historic figure: she lived history, she made history, and with her passing she leaves a magnificent, inspirational legacy," Herzog said in a statement. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote in a statement that "Australian hearts go out to the people of the United Kingdom who mourn today."

"This is a loss we all feel, for few have known a world without Queen Elizabeth II," he wrote.

The Australian leader also reflected on the queen's history with the country. 

"From her famous first trip to Australia, the only reigning sovereign to ever visit, it was clear Her Majesty held a special place in her heart for Australia," Albanese wrote, adding, "She celebrated our good times, she stood with us in the bad. Happy and glorious but steadfast too."

Albanese called the queen's death "the close of the second Elizabethan age."

The English Football League (EFL) has postponed all of its scheduled matches for Friday "as a mark of respect" to the former monarch.

Earlier, the league tweeted: "The EFL and its Clubs are truly saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, at the age of 96."

It has not yet determined whether the matches scheduled for the remainder of the weekend will be played.

The Eiffel Tower's lights were turned off Thursday night following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, tweeted.

The Empire State Building in New York City will "shine in purple and sparkle in silver to honor the life and legacy of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II" on Thursday night.

Pope Francis said Thursday he was "deeply saddened" at the death of Queen Elizabeth II, offering prayers for her "eternal rest" and for her son Charles as he becomes king.

In a personal telegram to the new monarch, the head of the Catholic Church paid tribute to the queen's "life of unstinting service... her example of devotion to duty, her steadfast witness of faith in Jesus Christ," and, addressing the new King Charles III, said, "I invoke an abundance of divine blessings as a pledge of comfort and strength in the Lord."

Indian President Droupadi Murmu also offered her condolences to the royal family and the people of the United Kingdom.

"In the demise of  Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of UK, the world has lost a great personality," the president's tweet said. "An era has passed since she steered her country and people for over 7 decades. I share the grief of people of UK and convey my heartfelt condolence to the family."

Italian Premier Mario Draghi in a condolence message hailed the queen as having been "the absolute protagonist of world history of the last 70 years." 

Draghi, who is now acting in a caretaker role ahead of Italian parliamentary elections later this month, said Queen Elizabeth II had represented the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth "with equilibrium, wisdom, respect for institutions and for democracy."

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted Thursday that the queen "embodied continuity and the unity of the British nation over 70 years. I retain the memory of a friend of France, a queen of hearts who marked as never before her country and her century."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who were in England at the time of Queen Elizabeth II's death, posted a tribute to the late monarch on their organization's website.

The Archewell homepage is completely black, with a simple "In loving memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022" written in white on the page.

Prince Harry, one of the queen's grandsons and the second son of now King Charles III, traveled to the Scotland estate where his grandmother died.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement Thursday that he was "deeply saddened" by Queen Elizabeth II's passing and he offered his "sincere condolences to her bereaved family, the Government and people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the wider Commonwealth of Nations."

Guterres said Elizabeth, "was widely admired for her grace, dignity, and dedication around the world. She was a reassuring presence throughout decades of sweeping change, including the decolonization of Africa and Asia and the evolution of the Commonwealth."

He called her "a good friend of the United Nations," and praised her commitment to environmental issues in particular.

"The world will long remember her devotion and leadership," Guterres said.

Both the U.N. General Assembly and Security Council observed moments of silence Thursday in honor of the late monarch.

In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote of the queen's impact on the people of Canada, saying most of its residents have "known no other Sovereign."

"Queen Elizabeth II was a constant presence in our lives," he said. "Time and again, Her Majesty marked Canada's modern history. Over the course of 70 years and twenty-three Royal Tours, Queen Elizabeth II saw this country from coast to coast to coast and was there for our major, historical milestones."

"She would proclaim 'it was good to be home' when returning to her beloved Canada. She was indeed at home here, and Canadians never ceased to return her affection."

Trudeau said Canadians will enter a "period of mourning" — along with the rest of the Commonwealth — "ending with a national day of mourning when a commemorative service will be held to mark the passing of our Sovereign."

Britain's new Prime Minister Liz Truss said that Queen Elizabeth II was "the rock on which modern Britain was built."

In a statement outside her residence at Number 10 Downing Street, Truss said the loss of the queen was "a huge shock to the nation and to the world," and that the country must come together to support the new monarch, King Charles III.

"Through thick and thin, Queen Elizabeth II provided us with the stability and the strength that we needed. She was the very spirit of Great Britain, and that spirit will endure," Truss said.

Earlier this week, Truss had met with the queen at her home in Balmoral to be officially appointed as prime minister, after the resignation of the former U.K. leader, Boris Johnson.

"She has been a personal inspiration to me and to many Britons. Her devotion to duty is an example to us all. Earlier this week, at 96, she remained determined to carry out her duties as she appointed me as her 15th prime minister... In the difficult days ahead, we will come together with our friends across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the world, to celebrate her extraordinary lifetime of service. It is a day of great loss, but Queen Elizabeth II leaves a great legacy," Truss said.

Britain's former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who resigned from the nation's top political post only two days before Queen Elizabeth II's passing, issued a long statement Thursday mourning the late queen and calling it Britain's "saddest day."

The late queen, Johnson said, had a "unique and simple power to make us happy. That is why we loved her."

"It is only really now that we grasp how much she meant for us, how much she did for us, how much she loved us," the former prime minister said. 

"Though our voices may still be choked with sadness we can say with confidence the words not heard in this country for seven decades. God save the King," concluded Johnson. 

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden issued a statement Thursday to remember the queen, calling her "more than a monarch. She defined an era."

"In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her," the Bidens said.

Read more here.

Speaking outside her residence at Number 10 Downing Street on Thursday, Britain's new Prime Minister Liz Truss said that Queen Elizabeth II was "the rock on which modern Britain was built."

Truss said the loss of the queen, who had officially appointed Truss only two days before her death, was "a huge shock to the nation and to the world," and that the country must come together to support the new monarch, King Charles III.

Clarence House later confirmed the king's title.

Truss finished her statement by saying "God save the king."

Charles, Britain's new king, has made a statement after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

"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," the statement says.

"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."

A statement released by Buckingham Palace announced the queen's passing and the ascension of her eldest son, Prince Charles, as the new king:

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.

As the world awaited news from Balmoral, where the senior members of the royal family gathered to be by the queen's side on Thursday, a rainbow appeared outside Buckingham Palace in London.