The 73-year-old former Prince of Wales officially became the new King of England.
There is a new king on the British royal throne. In Buckingham Palace's official statement announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth II, her eldest son, Prince Charles, has named the new King of England.
"The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," the statement read. "The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."
Not only has the 73-year-old royal been named king, but his wife, Camilla, the former Duchess of Cornwall, is also now the new Queen Consort. The decision to give Camilla this title was at the "sincerest wish" of Queen Elizabeth herself in February 2022, when she celebrated her Platinum Jubilee.
"When, in the fullness of time, my son, Charles, becomes King, I know you will give him and his wife, Camilla, the same support that you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service," said the queen in her message to mark her Platinum Jubilee at the time.
Her Majesty died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at the age of 96 with Charles and her other three children, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, along with several other members of the royal family all traveling to be there.
In June 2022, Charles honored his mother's "lifetime of selfless service" during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
"Your family now spans four generations. You are our Head of State. And you are also our mother," Charles said, before bringing up his late father, Prince Philip, in his speech. "My papa would have enjoyed the show and joined us wholeheartedly in celebrating all you continue to do for your country and your people."
In July 2022, Queen Elizabeth's "official duties" were outlined in the Palace’s annual Sovereign Grant report, and the list of duties she "must fulfill" was removed to lighten her workload amid her declining health. At the time, Prince Charles took on many of his mother's duties as she was dealing with "episodic mobility issues."
For updates on Queen Elizabeth's death, visit ET's ongoing coverage here.
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