Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 96, Buckingham Palace has announced.

In a statement shared on Thursday (September 8) at 6.30pm London time, the palace said: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."

Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-reigning British monarch, and the longest-serving female head of state in recorded history. Here, we chart her life and reign in photos – from Princess to Queen.

The Duke and Duchess of York at the christening of their daughter Princess Elizabeth in 1926.

Princess Elizabeth in 1926, when she was a few months old.

Princess Elizabeth at St Paul's Walden Bury in Hertfordshire.

Princess Elizabeth aged two.

Princess Elizabeth of York seen here in 1931 aged five, arriving at the Royal Tournament with her parents, the Duke and Duchess of York.

Princess Elizabeth aged six, with her younger sister Princess Margaret, aged two.

Princess Margaret, aged three, and Princess Elizabeth, aged seven.

Princess Elizabeth aged nine.

Albert, Duke of York (later King George VI) with his daughter Princess Elizabeth on horseback.

Princess Elizabeth, aged 10, with two corgi dogs at her home in London.

Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) poses in the garden of the Royal Lodge at Windsor with her two daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, and their dogs.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth with their daughters, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose, in their coronation robes. Following her father's accession to the throne in December 1936, Elizabeth became heir presumptive.

Princess Margaret, aged 12, and Princess Elizabeth, aged 16, riding bicycles at Windsor. The princesses stayed at the castle through most of the Second World War.

Princess Elizabeth, aged 18, wearing her Sea Rangers uniform.

Princess Elizabeth stands with fiancé Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, Prince of Greece and Denmark.

Princess Elizabeth, her fiancé Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, her mother Queen Elizabeth, her father, King George VI, and sister Princess Margaret in a family photograph taken shortly before Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip's wedding.

Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace after their wedding at Westminster Abbey.

Members of the British royal family and guests pose around newlyweds Princess Elizabeth and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

The group to the right of the couple includes King George VI and Queen Elizabeth with Princess Alice of Athlone, plus bridesmaids including Princess Margaret, stood next to Prince Philip.

To the left of the couple, the group includes best man David Mountbatten, Marquess of Milford Haven, standing next to Princess Elizabeth. Queen Mary, King George VI's mother, stands at the left in front of the bridesmaids next to Princess Alice of Battenberg, Philip's mother.

The page boys are Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent. The picture was taken in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace on November 20, 1947, the royal couple's wedding day.

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh enjoy a walk during their honeymoon at Broadlands in Romsey, Hampshire in November 1947.

Princess Elizabeth holding her daughter Princess Anne at her christening in Buckingham Palace, with the Duke of Edinburgh at her side.

A family portrait of Prince Charles, Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Princess Elizabeth.

An official portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, whose reign began in February 1952. When asked for her choice of regnal name – the name by which she would be known by as monarch – she's reported to have said: "My own, of course."

Queen Elizabeth II with her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and her children, Charles and Anne at Balmoral castle in Scotland, September 28, 1952.

Queen Elizabeth II watching her son Prince Charles playing in his toy car while at Balmoral.

Queen Elizabeth II with her children Prince Charles, aged four, and Princess Anne, aged two, at Balmoral.

Queen Elizabeth II, aged 26, photographed with one of her corgis at Balmoral castle.

Queen Elizabeth's official portrait for the Coronation ceremony in 1953.

Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. Her coronation ceremony was the first to be covered live on television.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip's official portrait on Coronation Day.

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, before the royal couple left on a six-month tour of the Commonwealth.

The Queen is wearing the Blue Ribbon and Star of the Garter. Her diamond tiara and necklace were wedding presents.

A family portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and her children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne.

Queen Elizabeth II driving her children Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Windsor.

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II taken in the 1950s.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle.

Queen Elizabeth II holds her son Prince Edward, aged one.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with their children at Windsor on the Queen's 39th birthday.

The Queen during the 1966 State Opening of Parliament.

Charles, Prince of Wales riding a go-kart with his younger brother Prince Edward, while Queen Elizabeth II looks on.

Queen Elizabeth II crowns her son Charles, Prince of Wales, during his investiture ceremony at Caernarvon Castle on July 1, 1969.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip with their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Sandringham in Norfolk, 1970.

Queen Elizabeth II smiles radiantly during a picture-taking session in the salon at Sandringham House while her corgi looks up at her.

Queen Elizabeth II records her Christmas broadcast in December 1971. Her annual address airs on Christmas Day, continuing a tradition first established by her grandfather King George V in 1932.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on their 25th silver wedding anniversary celebrations held at Buckingham Palace on November 20, 1972.

The Queen appears in an official photograph following the wedding of Anne, Princess Royal to Mark Phillips in November 1973.

Also pictured are Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Viscount Linley, Katharine, Duchess of Kent, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, King Constantine II of Greece, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, and King Harald V of Norway and Queen Sonja of Norway.

Queen Elizabeth II with Princess Anne and her first grandchild, Peter Phillips, as they pose for a photograph at Balmoral.

After the Privy Council sanctioned their wedding in March 1981, Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles pose for a photo with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace.

An official royal family photo taken on July 29, 1981, the wedding day of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

The Queen and Prince Philip chatting together during the Royal Windsor Horse Show in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The Queen with her grandchildren Prince William and Prince Harry in the royal box at Guards Polo Club, Smiths Lawn, Windsor.

The Queen in the Green Room at Windsor Castle.

The royal family visit a museum in Sandringham, where the children climb on a fire engine. From left to right: Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry, wearing a blue coat, Peter Philips, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Zara Phillips and Prince William.

An official family portrait taken on the day of Prince William's confirmation in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle in March 1997. William's five godparents are pictured on the back row, while Prince Harry, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince Charles and the Queen sit on the front row.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip ride in the Golden State Carriage at the head of a parade from Buckingham Palace to St Paul's Cathedral celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee on June 4, 2002.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh chat while seated during a musical performance in the Abbey Gardens, Bury St Edmunds, during her Golden Jubilee visit to Suffolk on July 18 2002.

Queen Elizabeth II with her consort Prince Philip, joined by their son Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, and his son, Prince William – three generations of the British Royal Family gathered at Clarence House.

Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, with Prince Harry, Prince William, Camilla's children Tom and Laura Parker Bowles, the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II and Camilla's father Major Bruce Shand. The photo was taken in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle after Charles and Camilla's wedding ceremony on April 9, 2005.

Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh walk at Broadlands, Hampshire in 2007 – the year of their diamond wedding anniversary. The photograph mirrors another taken at the same location during their honeymoon in 1947.

Queen Elizabeth II presents Prince Charles, Prince of Wales with the Royal Horticultural Society's Victoria Medal of Honour during a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show on May 18, 2009 in London. The Victoria Medal of Honour is the highest accolade that the Royal Horticultural Society can bestow.

Queen Elizabeth II speaks during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on July 27, 2012. The Queen also cameoed in a short film alongside Daniel Craig as James Bond as part of the opening ceremony, which took place in her Diamond Jubilee year.

Prince Philip, Camilla, Queen Elizabeth, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William at Princess Charlotte's christening at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham Estate in 2015.

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh stand on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour on June 11, 2016, as part of the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations.

Queen Elizabeth II stands with her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, her son Prince Charles, and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, along with the Queen's grandson Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, as they pose for a photograph ahead of the annual evening reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps at Buckingham Palace.

Queen Elizabeth II poses for a photo in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace after recording her annual Christmas Day message.

Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch a military fly-past to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF), on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Queen Elizabeth II at the funeral of her late husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on April 17, 2021. The Queen sat alone at the small royal ceremonial funeral at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle due to COVID-19 regulations which were in place at the time.

Queen Elizabeth II is photographed at Sandringham House to commemorate Accession Day on February 6, marking the start of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee Year. The red box on the table is a despatch box – these are used to transport government papers.

Queen Elizabeth II looking at Queen Victoria's Autograph fan, alongside a display of memorabilia from her Golden and Platinum Jubilees, in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle.

Queen Elizabeth II cuts a cake to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee year during a reception in the ballroom of Sandringham House.

Queen Elizabeth II attends an audience with the President of Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis, at Windsor Castle.

Queen Elizabeth II visits the 2022 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London.

The Queen officially opens the first Crossrail line, named the Elizabeth Line in her honour, on May 24, 2022. Her visit to Paddington station to unveil the plaque was a surprise. She previously became the first reigning monarch to travel on the London Underground when she opened the Victoria line in 1969.

Four generations of the royal family assemble alongside the Queen for Trooping the Colour, an official celebration of the reigning monarch's birthday, on June 2, 2022. It also officially opened the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The Queen smiles as she watches the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in central London on June 5, 2022, as the four-day official celebrations come to a close.

Queen Elizabeth II and her eldest son Charles, then the Prince of Wales, attend an event at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in summer 2022. Following the Queen's passing, Charles now becomes King.