Queen Elizabeth II Dead at 96

Queen Elizabeth II -- the longest-serving monarch in British history -- has died.

The Royal Family announced Thursday, "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon" ... just a few hours after the palace had announced she was under medical supervision at Balmoral Castle, her estate in Scotland.

They also made it clear, King Charles is now in power, writing, "The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."

It was clear the situation was dire when the palace told all of Elizabeth's children to rush to her side.

As it turns out, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been in the UK for events this week. Harry went to Balmoral.

QE2's last public appearance came on Tuesday when she met with England's new Prime Minister, Liz Truss.

Her overall condition had been in question for awhile -- with her Royal duties being scaled back over the past year, and trips she might normally make without a second thought, especially within the UK, being nixed on doctors' orders at the last minute ... without any real explanation.

Her family and the country celebrated the Platinum Jubilee -- a 4-day celebration -- in June, honoring the 70 years she's been on the throne.

It's a sad moment for all of the United Kingdom and its Commonwealth realms -- of which Queen Elizabeth served as head of state ... and for the entire world too, as Her Majesty was generally beloved around the globe.

Elizabeth ascended to the throne at a very young age, just 25, in 1952 after the sudden passing of her father, King George VI ... who died from respiratory complications, leaving his daughter to take on the mantle and all of its responsibilities.

It was a difficult time to take the reins, as Europe was still recovering from WWII.

And yet, there were more geopolitical challenges ahead ... and QE2 had to navigate a number of conflicts that directly affected her nation, including the Troubles of Northern Ireland, the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, and the gaining of sovereignty for several nation-states that used to be either fully or partially under UK rule -- including Canada.

Elizabeth also oversaw the decolonization of Africa and the Caribbean during her reign ... as well as other territories in South Asia like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and more that gained independence and became republics.

There are several worldwide events the Queen weighed in on over the years -- including Australia's pivot from a parliamentary government to a full-blown republic, the patriation of the Canadian constitution, military coups and conflicts, S. African apartheid, the Gulf War and countless other landmark moments of the 20th century ... several of which the Queen was either explicitly involved in, or at least publicly addressed.

For many, her opinions carried enormous influence.

Of course, as Elizabeth navigated the choppy waters of royalty ... she had her husband, Prince Philip, by her side through the majority of it -- not to mention her children -- as well as her extended Royal family, including her sister, cousins, aunts, uncles and the rest.

As you well know ... the Royals were the subject of much speculation, gossip, innuendo and intrigue -- but perhaps not nearly as much as when Elizabeth's son, Prince Charles, married Princess Diana ... a relationship that resulted in extra-marital affairs and scandals -- thrusting the Queen right back into the spotlight -- only this time, in a new way she never had been.

Of course, that only intensified when Diana died in a tragic accident -- the impact of which is still discussed as it pertains to the larger Royal family, and the Queen by extension.

Ditto for the relationship between her grandson, Harry, and his wife, Meghan -- who accused the Royal family, without naming names, of racism in an explosive interview with Oprah. While Elizabeth herself wasn't directly implicated in the alleged comments about their son, Archie, she certainly seems to have taken the accusations to heart.

The Queen appears to have taken issue with their characterization of the Royal family -- and, by extension, the institution of the monarchy itself -- with veiled comments like "some recollections may vary," which was essentially seen as a denial to Harry and Meg's claims.

Despite the latest fracture in her family ... the Queen carried on with dignity and a profound sense of duty -- always upholding the monarchy's traditions, and fulfilling her obligations with grace.

Even after her longtime hubby, Philip, passed away in 2021 ... Elizabeth held her head high and continued to meet with heads of state, be it at G7 summits or right there at Windsor Castle. Through and through, the Queen has risen to serve out her role.

Queen Elizabeth is survived by her 4 children, 8 grandchildren and even more great-grandchildren -- not to mention the many extended Royal family members that run the gamut.

She was 96.

RIP