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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who was the second-longest reigning monarch in history, after France's Louis XIV, died yesterday at the age of 96. Several leaders across the world have issued statements paying tribute to her.
She died peacefully at her estate in Balmoral, Scotland , according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.
Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son, Charles, succeeds as king immediately, according to centuries of protocol, beginning a new, less certain chapter for the royal family after the queen's record-breaking 70-year reign.
"The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family," King Charles said in a statement.
Britain's King Charles shook hands with dozens of members of the public outside Buckingham Palace on Friday, as emotional well-wishers snapped pictures and greeted the new monarch following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth on Thursday.
The king proceeded to shake hands with dozens of well-wishers and looked at floral tributes to his mother for more than ten minutes. Several members of the public sang "God save the King" and one shouted, "Love you, Charles!"
The British government even declared a period of mourning for Queen Elizabeth, and a ceremonial 96-gun salute was fired in her memory.
The 96 shots - one for every year of her life - were fired from Hyde Park and the Tower of London in the capital, Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland and Cardiff Castle in Wales, as well as the Channel Islands and Gibraltar.
US President Joe Biden ordered flags at the White House and other federal buildings to be lowered to half-staff Thursday "as a mark of respect" for Britain's late Queen Elizabeth II.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday hailed the "wisdom and empathy" of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, saying that "we all feel an emptiness" following her death.
"With her, France and the United Kingdom shared not just an 'entente cordiale', but a warm, sincere and loyal partnership. To you, she was your Queen. To us, she was the Queen," Macron said in English in a video message posted on Twitter.
"We are grateful for her deep affection for France: Elizabeth II mastered our language, loved our culture and touched our hearts," he added.
"I express my heartfelt respect and gratitude to the queen for the many achievements and contributions she has made," Emperor Naruhito said in a statement issued by the Imperial Household Agency.
"Her way of always wishing for peace and tranquillity in the world deeply impressed many people."
For Queen Elizabeth II, India Declares State Mourning On Sunday
A day of state mourning will be observed in India on September 11 "as a mark of respect" for the death of Queen Elizabeth, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced today. She died yesterday at the age of 96.
Additionally, the National Flag will be flown at half mast throughout the country on all buildings where the flag is flown regularly. "There will be no official entertainment on the day," the ministry said.