Queen Elizabeth II Dies at 96 Amid Health Issues; King Charles III, Joe Biden, Liz Truss Mourn Death of Britain's Monarch

As international leaders paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth, who died on Thursday at the age of 96, ordinary people in the United Kingdom and throughout the world paid their respects to a lady who had been the face of her country for more than 70 years.

Thousands gathered outside Buckingham Palace in downtown London on a wet night, some putting flower tributes outside the black iron gates. Similar images might be seen outside the queen's Windsor Castle residence.

World Leaders, Celebrities Pay Tribute for Queen Elizabeth II

Portraits of Elizabeth were displayed on billboard displays at Piccadilly Circus and the Canary Wharf financial sector in downtown London and Times Square in New York. Outside the British Consulate General in New York, flowers were placed. In Washington, the US flag was flown at half-staff to commemorate the loss of a monarch whose legacy, according to President Biden, "will loom big in the pages of British history, and the story of our world."

Her passing was also commemorated in European towns. Flowers and candles were placed outside the British Embassy in Berlin, while 'God Save the Queen,' the British national song, was performed outside the Festival Buildings in Venice, as per Reuters via MSN.

President Joe Biden described Elizabeth as an unrivaled stateswoman of dignity and consistency who enhanced the foundational Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States. Biden and the first lady said in a statement that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a ruler. The death of a monarch whose reign spans era-defining events, from the discovery of penicillin to the ubiquity of the internet, sends the United Kingdom into the unknown.

With the death of the Queen, the United Kingdom will now enter a period of grief and at least ten days of meticulously orchestrated spectacle, dubbed 'London Bridge' by Buckingham Palace, the government, and police enforcement. For days, radio and television broadcasts, newspaper front pages, and conversations around water coolers and garden fences would be dominated by the happenings.

Crowds are expected to pay their respects when she is laid to rest in Parliament. World leaders will begin to arrive in the United Kingdom. to pay their respects in Westminster Abbey before the queen's formal burial. She will be laid to rest in Windsor Castle, which has housed Britain's monarchs and queens for almost 1,000 years, NBC News Reported.

Prime Minister Liz Truss stated Thursday that "the whole country will be very disturbed by the news from Buckingham Palace this afternoon." Truss was stopped during a House of Commons discussion to learn about Elizabeth's health.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expressed his admiration for the monarch. US Ambassador to the UK Jane Hartley and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby were among those who sent their thoughts and prayers.

Hundreds of celebrities have also paid heartfelt respects to Queen Elizabeth II after it was reported on Thursday afternoon that she had died 'peacefully' in her sleep at the age of 96. Those commemorating the Monarch and her seven-decade rule include Kris Jenner, Whoopi Goldberg, William Shatner, Barack, and Michelle Obama, Jennifer Garner, and Melinda Gates.

Soon after, poignant comments from Hollywood's most famous actors poured in, honoring her numerous achievements and hard work over the previous 70 years as a queen. In a joint statement issued to their Twitter accounts, Barack and Michelle said they were "joining so many others who are honoring her life and mourning her departure."

Other celebrities who have spoken out include Naomi Campbell, Australian model Elle Macpherson, Elton John, Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, and country singer Maren Morris, according to Daily Mail.

King Charles III Expresses "Greatest Sadness"

Meanwhile, King Charles III has paid homage to his loving mother, Britain's longest-serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who died at the age of 96.

As the nation mourned the Queen's death, Charles, the country's next monarch, led the sorrow, stating, "her loss will be strongly felt across the kingdom, the realms, and the Commonwealth, and by countless individuals around the world."

The 73-year-old king stated in his first statement as monarch, delivered immediately after his mother's death was revealed, that his family mourns the loss of a treasured Sovereign and a much-loved mother.

"The passing of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest anguish for me and all members of my family," said King Charles, whose wife, Camilla, is now Queen Consort, Independent reported.

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Queen Elizabeth II, Joe Biden