Queen Elizabeth II passed away Thursday afternoon at her Balmoral Castle in Scotland, according to a statement from the Royal Family. She was 96 years old.
Her rule began 70 years ago in 1952. This makes her the longest ruling monarch in Britain’s history.
The queen's oldest son, Prince Charles, is next in line for the throne.
When the queen first ascended the throne, she became the queen of seven independent commonwealth nations: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
She led Britain through major events since the end of World War II, including the U.K.’s transition from an empire to a commonwealth, the Cold War, the Troubles in Northern Ireland and Britain's exit from the European Union.
