Britain's Queen Elizabeth II "died peacefully" on Thursday, Sept. 8, at Balmoral Castle, the British royal family's estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. She was 96.
Elizabeth was Britain's longest-reigning monarch. She ascended to the throne in 1952 and, in June, celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years as queen.
Man who fought Windsor Castle fire waits in line to pay respects
Peter Stratford, one of the firefighters who battled the blaze at Windsor Castle in 1992, joined the queue to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II.
A view of Windsor Castle after a major fire, causing millions of pounds of damage, in Windsor, England, Nov. 20, 1992.
Denis Paquin/AP, FILE
Stratford, from Surrey, said he met the queen five years later when he was invited to a reception at Windsor Castle to celebrate its restoration.
"She was so lovely," Stratford told ABC News on Friday as he waited in line.
Peter Stratford, one of the firefighters who battled the blaze at Windsor Castle in 1992, joined the queue to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II.
ABC News
"I'm 70 years of age," he said. "Seventy years she's been my queen. It's very touching."
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Man who fought Windsor Castle fire waits in line to pay respects to queenPeter Stratford, one of the firefighters who battled the blaze at Windsor Castle in 1992, joined the queue to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II.
ABCNews.com
-ABC News' Faith Abubey
Sep 16, 2022, 2:55 PM EDT
King Charles, Princess Anne, Princes Andrew and Edward hold vigil at queen’s coffin
Queen Elizabeth’s children -- King Charles, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward -- have arrived at Westminster Hall to hold vigil in front of their mother’s coffin.
Members of the public remained in line and silently filed past the queen's children as other members of the royal family -- including Camilla, the Queen Consort, and grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth -- watched.
Britain's King Charles, Britain's Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward attend a vigil, at the coffin of Queen Elizabeth, at Westminster Hall, Sept. 16, 2022 in London, Britain.
Hannah Mckay/Reuters
King Charles III, Princess Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex prepare to mount a vigil around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, in Westminster Hall, Sept.16, 2022, in London.
Daniel Leal/Pool via Reuters
Andrew, who served in the Royal Navy and flew in the Falklands War, was permitted to wear his military uniform for the vigil even though he was stripped of his honorary military roles following his alleged involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking scandal.
Britain's Prince Andrew attends a vigil for Queen Elizabeth II, as she lies in state in Westminster Hall, Sept. 16, 2022, in London.
Hannah Mckay/AP
Queen Elizabeth’s eight grandchildren will hold vigil at her coffin on Saturday, including the heir to the throne, William, the Prince of Wales, and his brother, Harry, the Duke of Sussex. King Charles requested that William and Harry both wear military uniforms at the vigil, which will mark the first event since the queen’s death that Harry is seen in uniform. (Harry has a decadelong career in the military, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan, but he's no longer a working royal).
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for 70 years, is adorned with the Imperial State Crown.
ABC News Photo Illustration
Sep 16, 2022, 2:04 PM EDT
King Charles speaks on diversity
King Charles said to faith leaders at Buckingham Palace on Friday, "I am a committed Anglican Christian, and at my Coronation I will take an oath relating to the settlement of the Church of England."
But he also spoke of diversity in Britain.
King Charles III delivers a speech to faith leaders during a reception at Buckingham Palace, London, Sept. 16, 2022.
Aaron Chown/Pool via Reuters
"I have always thought of Britain as a 'community of communities,'" he said.
Charles said he feels the sovereign has a "duty to protect the diversity of our country, including by protecting the space for Faith itself and its practice through the religions, cultures, traditions and beliefs to which our hearts and minds direct us as individuals."
Sep 16, 2022, 12:00 PM EDT
Queen’s youngest son on 'precious' family memories
Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth’s youngest child, opened up in a personal statement Friday, saying, "The Queen’s passing has left an unimaginable void in all our lives."
"Sophie and I have taken huge pleasure in seeing our [children] James and Louise enjoying the places and activities that their grandparents loved so much. Given that my mama let us spend so much time with her, I think she also rather enjoyed watching those passions blossom," he said. "Those times together, those happy memories, have now become massively precious to each and every one of us."
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex view floral tributes during a visit to Manchester in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at St Anns Square on Sept. 15, 2022 in Manchester, England.
Cameron Smith/Getty Images
Sophie Countess of Wessex, looks at floral tributes left by members of the public at Windsor Castle on Sept. 16, 2022.
Carl De Souza/AFP via Getty Images
Edward said he’s "overwhelmed by the tide of emotion that has engulfed us and the sheer number of people who have gone out of their way to express their own love, admiration and respect to such a very special and unique person who was always there for us."
Prince Edward speaks with people gathered outside Windsor Castle, following the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in Windsor, Britain, Sept. 16, 2022.
Peter Nicholls/Reuters
He also looked to the future, ending his statement with, "May God bless Her Majesty and may her memory be long cherished even as the baton she has carried for these past 70 years now passes to the next generation and to my brother, Charles. Long Live The King."
