It’s truly the end of an era – or should we say reign? Queen Elizabeth II has died at 96 years of age.
She was at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where she was spending the summer, and “died peacefully”, according to The Royal Family’s official Twitter account.
Queen Elizabeth began her reign in 1952, at just 25 years old, and continued to rule over the U.K. and 14 other commonwealth realms for 70 years. She was Britain’s longest-serving monarch.
The Queen’s firstborn son, Charles – formerly Prince of Wales and now, King Charles III – immediately ascended the throne, as per the British line of succession. Although it’s unclear at this stage when his coronation will take place.
Tributes for The Queen have poured in around the world. US President Joe Biden said in a statement, “Queen Elizabeth II led always with grace, an unwavering commitment to duty, and the incomparable power of her example,” while award-winning singer/songwriter Sir Elton John wrote on Twitter, “Along with the rest of the nation, I am deeply saddened to hear the news of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s passing.”
RIP Queen Elizabeth II. Here are some of her most iconic moments worth celebrating upon her passing.
Queen Elizabeth II fires a British L85 battle rifle in Surrey, England in 1993. While she looks badass doing it, we’re a bit shocked by the lack of ear protection.
The Queen with a few of her corgis. Her lifelong love of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi began in 1933 with Dookie, the first corgi owned by her family. Throughout her life, the Queen owned more than 30 of the diminutive dogs, according to the American Kennel Club.
Liz out in Scotland behind the wheel of a Land Rover Defender. The Queen loved driving and has been spotted over the years driving a number of different Land Rover/Range Rover models. Before her 93rd birthday in 2019, she reportedly gave up driving on public roads voluntarily, something that no doubt pained her.
The Queen as a second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) during WWII in 1944, being visited on the job by the Queen Mother. Elizabeth would have been 18 at the time. Once she joined up, the then-Princess passed a military driving test, learned to read maps and repaired engines as a mechanic.
Read Next