Charles III is now officially the King of England following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor II, who died at age 96 after reigning for 70 years.
Buckingham Palace released a statement on Thursday, Sept. 8, announcing the Queen had “died peacefully” at Balmoral, the Scottish holiday home belonging to the Royal Family.
Doctors had previously put the Queen under medical supervision Thursday morning, leading her children to all gather together. Prince William, her grandson, was also there, and his brother, Price Harry, reportedly was on his way, according to BBC News.
The Queen came to the throne in 1952 and acted as the UK’s longest-serving monarch. Her rule lived through a lot of social and political change, including the transition from empire to Commonwealth, the UK’s entry into the European Union, and the later withdrawal.
BBC News reported crowds had gathered outside Buckingham Palace when the Queen’s health began its decline, and people began crying upon the news of her death.
Charles, the former Prince of Wales and the Queen’s eldest son, will act as the Commonwealth’s new King and head of state. The new King has faced lots of controversies since the decision was made, even in the United States.
Asbury student Hannah Wall said, “I don’t like that Charles is the new king because of everything that went down with Princess Diana.”
The late Princess of Wales had been married to Charles until they divorced in 1996 due to an affair between him and the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles. Bowles will now be known as the Queen Consort.
“Since Camilla was given the title of Princess Consort before she married Charles, I don’t think she should be named Queen Consort,” another Asbury student, Anna Lowe, said. “It frustrates me.”
King Charles led the procession of the Queen’s coffin to St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh and will remain in London as of Sept. 12.
