Queen Elizabeth Dies at 96, Royal Family in Mourning

The longest reigning monarch in British history – indeed, in the world – has passed away. Queen Elizabeth II sat on the throne for 70 years. Buckingham Palace said she "died peacefully" this afternoon at her Balmoral residence in Scotland. Just hours earlier, international media were reporting that the royal family was concerned about her failing health.

The Telegraph reports this:

Buckingham Palace confirmed on Thursday lunchtime that Her Majesty had been under medical supervision at Balmoral after her doctors had become "concerned" about her health. 

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

All of the Queen's children, as well as  the Duke of Cambridge, travelled immediately to Balmoral. The Queen was last pictured formally appointing the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, at Balmoral on Tuesday, her final public duty. She postponed a virtual Privy Council meeting the following day after being advised by doctors to rest.

Her eldest son, Prince Charles, will now become King, while his eldest son, Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, assumes the position of heir to the throne. 

According to the BBC:

Queen Elizabeth II's tenure as head of state spanned post-war austerity, the transition from empire to Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War and the UK's entry into - and withdrawal from - the European Union.

Her reign spanned 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill, born in 1874, and including Liz Truss, born 101 years later in 1975, and appointed by the Queen earlier this week.

She held weekly audiences with her prime minister throughout her reign.

QEII's reign was truly monumental. According to britroyals.com, "Her reign of over 69 years has seen 14 Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, and numerous Prime Ministers in the Commonwealth Realms of which she is (or was) also Head of State; between them she has had a total of over 170 Prime Ministers including 12 Canadian and 18 Australian Prime Ministers during her reign. There have been 14 US Presidents during her reign."

RELATED: What to expect when Queen Elizabeth II dies - britishheritage.com

70 Secrets About Queen Elizabeth II That Are Royally Fascinating - eonline.com 

Timeline for Queen Elizabeth II - britroyals.com/kings

THAILAND'S CURRENT AND COMING CHAOS

EARLY WARNING: Thailand is about to crack under the pressure of internal political forces. Der Spiegel has a startling report about Thailand's impending, potential collapse into chaos. Islamic separatists are part of the overall picture, but by no means are they the whole picture. Next week, the parliament is set to elect a new prime minister. The power plays behind the scenes are furious; many fear bloodshed regardless of who the parliament elects. Monarchists and members of the Thai middle class have successfully tried their hand at revolt, plunging the country into a crisis. But now pro-government elements are gearing up for the counterattack and are demanding payback. Remember the protesters who closed down the Bangkok airports? (See: Suspected protester's body found at Bangkok airport: police, (breaking). Tip of the iceberg, implies Der Spiegel, that's just the beginning of the end. And it's far from over: Bangkok airport mess spilling into Changi (breaking). The airport occupiers and their supporters are revolting against a democratically elected government whose political base consists of the poor rice farmers of northeastern Thailand. They are leading the fight for a middle-class minority with allegiance to the king and pro-military views, which calls itself the "revolution of the middle class." If it comes into power, it will do away with democracy and allow only one-third of the representatives of the people to be elected by the people. This comes as no surprise, given the fact the representatives of this segment of society lost the last four elections. Full Report... RELATED: Battle to form Thailand's next government heats up Puea Pandin tight-lipped on next move Thai opposition 'set for power' Magazine pulled over Thai story Thailand 'bans' Economist Thai distributor bans Economist over king article Thailand information at countrystudies.us