By Emmanuel Oladesu and Bola Olajuwon
A new chapter opened in the history of Great Britain yesterday, following the ascension of King Charles III of England.
The former Prince of Wales succeeded his mother, the country’s longest serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who passed on peacefully at her private castle in Balmoral, Scotland.
The Queen died, two days after appointing Liz Truss as the 56th Prime Minister, and the 15th in her 70 years reign.
The Queen was yesterday placed under medical supervision because doctors were concerned for her health.
She was aged 96.
Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952, following the passage of her illustrious father, King George VI.
Historians attested that her long and eventful reign witnessed enormous social change.
Queen Elizabeth was not only the Head of State, she was also the Head of the Commonwealth, and titular Head of the Church of England.
World leaders, who received the news of the grand passage of the topmost global eminent personality with a mixture of pain and understanding, sent messages of condolence to the prime minister, the royal household and the bereaved people of United Kingdom.
Confirming the news of her passage in a statement, King Charles III said: “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.
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”
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The king said during the period of mourning, he and his family would be “comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held”.
The King and the Queen Consort, Camilla, were at Balmoral yesterday. They are expected to return to London tomorrow, Buckingham Palace, said.
The Queen’s family gathered at her Scottish estate as concerns grew about her health. Crowds gathered at the Buckingham Palace awaiting updates on her condition. Many cried as the news of her death was broken to the public.
London Bridge is down, sympathisers echoed.
The Union flag on top of the palace was lowered to half-mast at 18:30 BST.
King Charles will lead Great Britain in mourning as the monarch and Head of State for 14 Commonwealth realms.
All the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision.
Her grandson, Prince William, was also there, later to be joined by his brother, Prince Harry.
The late Queen’s husband, Prince Philip, passed on last April at 99.
Queen Elizabeth led a life of humility, dignity; a life devoid of controversy.
A widely travelled, captivating and electrifying leader, she visited Nigeria in 1956 and in 2003 to preside over the meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of States and Governments.
Her death marked the end on an era in the world.
As the flag at Buckingham Palace was lowered to half-mast at 6.30pm, a group of armed police assembled with Palace staff.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) played the British national anthem, following the announcement, showing a photograph of the Queen, followed by a royal crest on a black background.
Queen Elizabeth was seen as a unifying presence for Britain, amid the massive social and economic changes, serving as a living reminder of the country’s best days and a steady force in periods of challenges.
In September 2015, she surpassed the length of reign of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, to become the longest-serving monarch in British history.
Her reign witnessed the rule of 14 British Prime Ministers. She became the world’s longest-reigning monarch and head of state when Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej died on October 2016 after he spent 70 years on the throne.
Elizabeth II was a symbol of stability as her country negotiated the end of empire, the dawn of the information age and the mass migration that transformed the country into a multicultural society.
The queen built a bond with the nation through a seemingly endless series of public appearance. She opened libraries, dedicated hospitals and bestowed honours on deserving citizens.
Born on April 21, 1926 in Mayfair, London, Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952 at 25.
Her father died at 56.
Initially, the palace declined to provide details about the seriousness of the queen’s condition, but there were other worrying signs as Prime Minister Liz Truss said “the whole country will be deeply concerned by the news” and other politicians expressed their disquiet.
Her fate dramatically changed when her childless uncle Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American. Princess Elizabeth’s father inherited the crown as George VI and she suddenly became heir to the throne.