Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, world's longest-serving monarch, dies at 96

Queen Elizabeth II, the world's longest-serving monarch who arsenic a teen witnessed the horrors of World War II and arsenic an aged sovereign saw the agonies of a deadly pandemic and the idiosyncratic symptom of her ain family's turmoil, has died.

She was 96.

Under a long-standing program known arsenic "Operation London Bridge," her decease ushers successful 10 days of nationalist mourning. On Day 1, Charles is expected to beryllium proclaimed king.

With hubby Prince Philip by her side, Elizabeth became queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand upon the decease of her father, George VI, connected Feb. 6, 1952. Her coronation was June 2, 1953.

On Feb. 6, 2022, Elizabeth became the archetypal British monarch to reign 70 years. In grant of the occasion, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth held a Platinum Jubilee successful June 2022.

The 96-year-old monarch made an quality with her household connected the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the archetypal time of the four-day-long Platinum Jubilee, waving to tens of thousands of radical gathered beneath and watching an aviation show successful her honor. But she was incapable to be events aboriginal connected during the celebrations owed to discomfort.

Elizabeth's reign covered a play of monolithic social, economic, technological and governmental change. It saw the translation of the once-global British Empire into a Commonwealth of 52 autarkic nations headed by the queen, and the country's entranceway into and exit from the European Union. Fifteen premier ministers served nether Elizabeth — from Winston Churchill connected her accession to the throne successful 1952 to Liz Truss, who was sworn successful by the frail queen lone 2 days earlier the monarch's decease was announced.

She besides presided implicit a household that saw tragedy, ungraded and turmoil, including the decease of erstwhile Princess Diana, the relation of lad Prince Andrew with the precocious millionaire enactment transgression Jeffrey Epstein, and the decision by grandson Prince Harry to question a much backstage beingness with his wife, the erstwhile Meghan Markle.  

Born April 21, 1926, Elizabeth was the archetypal kid of the Duke and Duchess of York, who became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth successful 1937 pursuing the abdication of Edward VIII. She was the 32nd great-granddaughter of King Alfred the Great, England's archetypal monarch, who reigned from 871 to 899.

"Lilibet" and her younger sister, Margaret, calved successful 1930, were educated astatine location by tutors, including a governess.

Soon aft the coronation of Elizabeth's father, the U.K. was plunged into World War II. At 14, she made her archetypal vigor broadcast successful 1940, addressing children who had been evacuated to the countryside and overseas to debar the bombings of British cities.

"We know, each 1 of us, that successful the end, each volition beryllium well," she intoned successful a delicate soprano to the BBC "Children's Hour" audience. "For God volition attraction for america and springiness america triumph and peace. When bid comes, retrieve it volition beryllium for us, the children of today, to marque the satellite of time a amended and happier place."

Later during the war, the teenage princess served arsenic a operator for the Auxiliary Territorial Service.

Princess Elizabeth met Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark successful 1934 astatine the wedding of his archetypal cousin, Princess Marina, to Prince George, Duke of Kent.

Thirteen years later, Elizabeth and Philip joined astatine Westminster Abbey successful an uplifting ceremonial — 2 years aft the extremity of World War II. Hundreds of thousands of radical lined the streets on the way from Buckingham Palace.

"For a little infinitesimal the gait of the strident unspeakable twentieth period was slowed to the trot of cavalry horses and the rumbling of coaches and pageantry evoked bitter saccharine memories of this island's old, heroic past," The New York Times' Drew Middleton wrote successful a dispatch from London.

Philip, the princess' 3rd cousin, had served with the Royal Navy during World War II. His household sanction was changed to Mountbatten from Battenberg during World War I due to the fact that of anti-German sentiment.

The national was not without controversy. Philip was broke and foreign-born, but nevertheless they received 2,500 wedding gifts from astir the world. A lad and heir, Charles, was calved successful 1948, followed by Anne, Andrew and Edward.

In 1952, Elizabeth and Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, began a circuit of Australia and New Zealand by stopping successful Africa. While they were successful Kenya, the quality reached them connected Feb. 6 that King George had died. At property 25, Elizabeth ascended to the throne and was crowned the pursuing twelvemonth successful the archetypal unrecorded tv coronation to beryllium broadcast astir the world.

In May 2017, a period earlier Philip's 96th birthday, Buckingham Palace announced that the duke was retiring from his royal duties arsenic of September.

Philip died astatine property 99 connected April 9, 2021, the 16th day of the matrimony of Prince Charles and Camilla, and the duke's ceremonial was 4 days earlier Elizabeth's 95th day connected April 21. On what would person been his 100th day connected June 20, the queen planted a specially bred roseate named the Duke of Edinburgh successful Windsor Castle's East Terrace Garden.

During her clip connected the throne, Elizabeth took her spot connected the planetary signifier on with elected leaders and dictators.

Her agelong reign saw her circling the globe galore times: Following her coronation, Elizabeth and Philip took a seven-month tour, visiting 13 countries and logging much than 40,000 miles.

She had met with each U.S. president from Harry S. Truman to Joe Biden, but for Lyndon Johnson. She was entertained astatine the White House by 5 presidents — Dwight Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. She besides met 5 popes, from Pius XII (in 1951 earlier she was queen) to Francis successful 2014.

In 2015, Elizabeth overtook her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria to go the oldest and longest-reigning British monarch. Upon the October 2016 decease of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, ending his 70 years connected the throne, she became the world's longest-reigning monarch and caput of state.

She celebrated six jubilees, her 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 65th and 70th years connected the throne, arsenic good arsenic the marriages of her 4 children and the births of 8 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

The storybook wedding of her lad Charles to Lady Diana Spencer connected July 29, 1981, was attended by 2,650 guests astatine St. Paul's Cathedral and witnessed by astir a cardinal tv viewers astir the world.

Elizabeth's reign was besides marked by crisis, including 2 assassinations attempts, successful 1970 and 1981 successful Australia and New Zealand, respectively. In 1979, her creation advisor, Anthony Blunt, was unmasked arsenic a communist spy, and Prince Philip's uncle, Lord Mountbatten, was killed by an Irish Republican Army bomb.

In 1992, the marriages of 3 of her children collapsed. Andrew divorced Sarah Ferguson, Anne divorced Capt. Mark Phillips and Diana's tell-all publication revealed Charles' matter with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Charles and Diana soon began a separation that ended successful divorcement 4 years later.

During an October 1992 sojourn by the queen to Dresden, eastbound Germany, whose interior metropolis was mostly destroyed by the 1945 British-American firestorm, she was pelted with eggs. Back location the adjacent month, connected the 45th day of her matrimony to Philip, fire heavy damaged Windsor Castle, 1 of her authoritative residences.

"1992 is not a twelvemonth connected which I shall look backmost with undiluted pleasure," she said successful the speech, 40 years aft she ascended to the throne and 4 days aft the Windsor fire. "In the words of 1 of my much sympathetic correspondents, it has turned retired to beryllium an 'annus horribilis.' I fishy that I americium not unsocial successful reasoning it so."

The twelvemonth 2002, wasn't truthful good, either. She mislaid her sister, Princess Margaret, successful February, and her mother, Queen Elizabeth, the 101-year-old Queen Mother, 7 weeks later.

In spite of enactment sentiments astatine location and successful the Commonwealth and disapproval of the royal family's lifestyle, Elizabeth seemingly managed to emergence supra the gossip and opprobrium, with her idiosyncratic popularity mostly remaining high.

To beryllium sure, she was vilified for remaining astatine Balmoral Castle successful Scotland for 5 days aft the decease of Diana connected Aug. 31, 1997. In the aboriginal greeting hours, Buckingham Palace issued a little connection saying the queen and Charles were "deeply shocked and distressed by this unspeakable news." But to the dismay of overmuch of the nation, the royal household hunkered down astatine Balmoral alternatively than to instantly instrumentality to London.

Many of her subjects were aghast that Buckingham Palace didn't alert the emblem astatine fractional staff. In fact, successful accordance with protocol, nary emblem flew connected the palace until she yet returned determination connected Sept. 4. The household aboriginal said they stayed astatine Balmoral to support and hole her grieving grandsons, Princes Andrew and Harry, past 15 and 12, for their mother's funeral.

Still, Elizabeth's soundlessness was deafening. "Your radical are suffering ... SPEAK TO US MA'AM," screamed the header connected The Mirror tabloid connected Sept. 4.

A time later, connected the eve of the funeral, the queen gave a unrecorded televised speech, lamenting "from my heart" the "dreadful news" astir the Princess of Wales, and remembering her arsenic an "exceptional and talented quality being" and devoted mother.

"No 1 who knew Diana volition ever hide her," the queen continued. "Millions of others who ne'er met her, but felt they knew her, volition retrieve her. I for 1 judge determination are lessons to beryllium drawn from her beingness and from the bonzer and moving absorption to her death. I stock successful your determination to cherish her memory."

A procreation later, successful a motion of conscionable however acold the monarchy itself had travel during her reign, the niece of the king who abdicated his throne truthful that helium could wed an American divorcee welcomed the November 2017 engagement and May 2018 matrimony of Harry to Markle, a divorced biracial American actress.

The queen expressed akin joyousness upon the commencement of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son, Archie, connected May 6, 2019.

But astir 2 years later, the House of Windsor was rocked by the self-exiled Sussexes' charges of racism and insensitivity to an outsider.

In aboriginal 2020, Elizabeth convened an exigency gathering with Charles, William and Harry to sermon the latter's effort to measurement backmost from royal duties and unrecorded portion clip abroad. In typically diplomatic language, the queen's post-meeting connection said:

"My household and I are wholly supportive of Harry and Meghan's tendency to make a caller beingness arsenic a young family. Although we would person preferred them to stay full-time moving Members of the Royal Family, we respect and recognize their privation to unrecorded a much autarkic beingness arsenic a household portion remaining a valued portion of my family."

A twelvemonth later, Harry and Meghan confirmed their decision. "While each are saddened by their decision, The Duke and Duchess stay overmuch loved members of the family," the queen said successful a statement.

Then successful March 2021, the Sussexes aired their charges of racism during an interrogation with Oprah Winfrey from their location successful Santa Barbara, California. Meghan alleged that a subordinate of "The Firm" had raised concerns during her gestation with Archie astir however "dark his tegument mightiness beryllium erstwhile he's born." The mates didn't place who had raised the issue, but said it wasn't Elizabeth oregon Philip. The Sussexes besides said the household had withdrawn information extortion for them, and Meghan said she had had "clear and existent and frightening thought" astir suicide.

In a connection aft the interrogation aired, the queen responded with interest and sensitivity: "The full household is saddened to larn the afloat grade of however challenging the past fewer years person been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, peculiarly that of race, are concerning, While immoderate recollections whitethorn vary, they are taken precise earnestly and volition beryllium addressed by the household privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie volition ever beryllium overmuch loved household members."

Three months later, successful June 2021, Meghan gave commencement to the queen's 11th great-grandchild, Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, named aft Harry's grandma and mother.

Around that time, Elizabeth was criticized after reports that she allowed Andrew to beryllium interviewed successful Buckingham Palace by the BBC successful November 2019 astir his narration with Epstein. Days aft the interview, Andrew announced that the queen "has fixed her permission" for him to "step backmost from nationalist duties for the foreseeable future."

The announcement happened to travel connected the 72nd day of the queen's matrimony to Philip.

An earlier illustration of however the queen's years of diplomacy and acquisition managed to triumph implicit radical was demonstrated successful the 2011 authorities sojourn to Ireland, a state that spent the archetypal fractional of the 20th period warring for independency from the U.K. and the 2nd fractional progressive successful the Northern Ireland "troubles" that saw 3,600 radical dead, including Philip's mentor, Lord Mountbatten. Her authoritative sojourn to Ireland, the archetypal by a British monarch successful a century, came astir 13 years aft the Good Friday bid agreement.

Addressing a meal successful her grant astatine Dublin Castle, Elizabeth helped the 2 countries enactment the erstwhile decades of strife down them by opening her code successful Gaelic: "A Uachtarain, agus a chairde" — "president and friends."

"It is simply a bittersweet and regrettable world that done past our islands person experienced much than their just stock of heartache, turbulence and loss. ... To each those who person suffered arsenic a effect of our troubled past I widen my sincere thoughts and heavy sympathy," she continued.

"With the payment of humanities hindsight we tin each spot things which we would privation had been done otherwise oregon not astatine all. But it is besides existent that nary 1 who looked to the aboriginal implicit the past centuries could person imagined the spot of the bonds that are present successful spot betwixt the governments and the radical of our 2 nations. So ladies and gentlemen, I inquire you to emergence and articulation maine successful a toast to the president and radical of Ireland."

Later during her reign, the satellite unopen down arsenic the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe.

On an aboriginal April time successful 2020, the queen appeared successful a uncommon video code from Windsor Castle to committedness her subjects that they volition prevail implicit the coronavirus. The code aired hours earlier past Prime Minister Boris Johnson was hospitalized for Covid-19. 

"While we person faced challenges before, this 1 is different," she said. "This clip we articulation with each nations crossed the globe successful a communal endeavor, utilizing the large advances of subject and our instinctive compassion to heal."

During the pandemic, Elizabeth and Philip stayed astatine Windsor Castle, wherever she performed duties remotely and wherever the mates received their archetypal vaccinations successful January 2021.

But Covid restrictions were inactive successful spot during Philip's ceremonial successful April 2021. To comply with the stringent pandemic-era societal distancing protocols successful effect crossed the country, the queen sat unsocial successful mourning, dressed successful black alternatively of her accustomed agleam colors.

A time aft Philip's death, daughter-in-law Sophie Countess of Wessex told well-wishers extracurricular Windsor Castle that "the queen has been amazing." On his casket, Elizabeth near a handwritten enactment signed "Lilibet," and connected her 95th day 4 days later, she issued a connection saying she had been "deeply touched" by her subjects' displays of "support and kindness."

In her televised code connected Palm Sunday 2020, the queen promised triumph implicit Covid.

"We volition win — and that occurrence volition beryllium to each 1 of us. We should instrumentality comfortableness that portion we whitethorn person much inactive to endure, amended days volition return: We volition beryllium with our friends again; we volition beryllium with our families again; we volition conscionable again."

— Phillip Tutt, formerly of CNBC.com, and Michele Luhn contributed to this story.