Death of Queen Elizabeth II - latest: King Charles III pays tribute to ‘darling mama’ in address to nation

King Charles III has addressed the nation for the first time following the death of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The historic address at 6pm from the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace came as mourners gathered for a remembrance service at St Paul’s Cathedral at the same time, which is being attended by Prime Minister, Liz Truss.

God Save the King will be sung officially for the first time at the service, which will honour the Queen’s “long life spent in the service of this country”, love for her family and commitment to duty.

The King said his mother pledged to devote her life “to the service of her peoples” on her 21st birthday in 1947.

He said: “That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life. She made sacrifices for duty.”

The monarch also said he was creating his son and heir, William, Prince of Wales adding: “With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given.”

In his address, the King also wished to “express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas”.

Earlier, the King was given a rapturous welcome as he greeted well-wishers gathered outside Buckingham Palace, with crowds clamouring to greet him and offer their condolences.

It was the new King’s first walkabout and encounter with the public since his historic accession. The Royal Family have begun what will be a lengthy mourning period after Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully in Balmoral, aged 96.

The period of royal mourning will be observed from Friday until seven days after the Queen’s funeral. The funeral date and length of national mourning are yet to be released.

A number of gun salutes fired across London at 1pm - one round for every year of the Queen’s life.

Live coverage ends

22:04 , Josh Salisbury

Thank you for joining us for our live coverage throughout the day.

For a recap of the main events of the day, please visit here.

Sir Paul McCartney: Queen had fabulous sense of humour

21:59 , Josh Salisbury

Sir Paul McCartney said he feels “privileged" to have been alive during the entirety of the Queen's reign, as he shared decades of intimate memories with the monarch that had come "flooding back" after her death.

Writing on his website, the world famous musician recalled his multiple interactions with the Queen, the first of which had come in 1965, and the last in 2018.

He said he had been "a fan for a very long time" and had been "honoured and amazed" on each occasion that the pair had come together.

Recounting the last time he met the Queen, Sir Paul said: “Because of my respect and love for the Queen and her fabulous sense of humour when I was given the Companion of Honour medal I shook her hand, leaned in and said, 'We have got to stop meeting like this', to which she giggled slightly and got on with the ceremony.

"I did wonder if I was a bit too cheeky after saying this, after all this was the Queen, but I have a feeling she didn't mind."

MP recounts time Queen was told ‘you look just like the Queen'

21:46 , Josh Salisbury

Conservative MP James Wild recounted a story of when Queen Elizabeth II was told she looked just like the Queen.

The MP for North West Norfolk was speaking in the Commons as MPs paid tribute to the late monarch.

He said: "The people living in the villages around the Sandringham Estate have great affection for the Queen. She was a very special part of those close-knit communities.

"They have happy memories of encounters with the Queen, because as well as the private time she spent there, she chose to undertake many visits over the years."

He added: "She was a constant and cherished part of life in west Norfolk. And perhaps surprisingly she was even able to go about her life there without fuss. Indeed famously when out shopping one day a woman remarked to her: 'you look just like the Queen'.

"To which the Queen is said to have replied: 'how reassuring'. Presumably with a twinkle in her eye."

Area around Victoria memorial outside Buckingham Palace closed

21:33 , Josh Salisbury

Royal park staff have begun to close the area around the Victoria memorial outside Buckingham Palace.

Metal railings were placed in front of the entrance to the memorial as staff asked members of the public to leave.

Thousands of mourners remain outside Buckingham Palace.

King Charles: I was very lucky to have the Queen as a mother

21:00 , Josh Salisbury

King Charles III has said he was "very lucky" to have the Queen as his mother in a BBC tribute programme.

The monarch told the BBC: “I do have very happy memories of childhood up in Scotland, Balmoral in the summer. Yes, I was very lucky to have her as a mother."

The Princess Royal, Anne, said “the holiday times were pretty well kept from our perspective".

"She was always the Queen because that was always really important for all of us, but she was always my mother, so that is how you would remember her,” she said.

King Charles tells PM: Death of mother Queen Elizabeth was moment ‘I had been dreading’

20:34 , Josh Salisbury

King Charles was filmed describing the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth as the moment he had “been dreading”, in an exchange with Prime MinisterLiz Truss.

The prime minister’s first meeting with the new monarch came earlier Friday after Charles returned from Scotland to London to cheering crowds outside Buckingham Palace who had come to pay their respects to the queen.

“The moment I’ve been dreading, as I know a lot of people have,” Charles was heard saying to the prime minister at Buckingham Palace before an audience.

He told her: “It has been so touching this afternoon when we arrived, all those people who had come to give their condolences ... and flowers,” while the prime minister also offered her condolences.

As is custom, conversations between the monarch and the prime minister during the audience are never made public.

Scottish Church gives thanks to Queen

20:08 , William Mata

The minister at the Scottish church where the Queen's body is expected to lie in rest has told how the congregation there "gives thanks for her life of service".

Reverend Calum MacLeod, of St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh added they were now praying for the new King, and the rest of the royal family "in these days of loss"

The historic church is situated on the city's Royal Mile, halfway between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

First Minister of Wales says Prince represented nation well

20:05 , William Mata

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford said: "King Charles III has enjoyed a long and enduring friendship with Wales.

"In his first public duty as monarch, at this most demanding of times, he has bestowed the title of Prince of Wales to his eldest son William.

"We look forward to deepening our relationship with the new Prince and Princess of Wales as they take on their new duties."

Duke and Duchess included in unifying message from King

20:01 , William Mata

The King has shared his love for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they continue to build their lives in America.

Charles referenced his love for his son, Harry, and wife Meghan during an address to the nation in which he also shared his "feelings of profound sorrow" over the death of the Queen.

After referring to his eldest son William and his wife Kate in their new titles, as the Prince and Princess of Wales, he said: "I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas."

The duke and duchess live in Montecito in California with their two children, Archie and Lilibet, having stepped down as senior working royals in 2020.

Tears and hugs in Northern Ireland at impromptu memorials

19:57 , William Mata

Tears fell and hugs were shared as people gathered at impromptu memorials to the Queen across Northern Ireland on Friday.

A mural erected to mark the Platinum Jubilee on Belfast's Shankill Road became one of the main focal points for those wanting to pay their respects.

Throughout Friday, a floral carpet below the large wall portrait of a youthful Queen spread out across the pavement.

A more recent image of the late monarch was added early on Friday morning bearing the poignant words "The People's Queen is Dead".

God Save the King sung for first time at St Paul’s service

19:10 , Josh Salisbury

An emotional congregation has sung God Save the King for the first time officially at the remembrance service for her late Majesty the Queen.

The lyrics to the national anthem have changed from "Queen" to "King" and "her victorious" to "him victorious" to mark that King Charles III has now taken over as the new monarch.

It comes after crowds spontaneously sang the version of the song outside of Buckingham Palace on Friday as the King arrived with the Queen Consort.

The anthem is also expected to be sung at the Kia Oval on Saturday as the England v South Africa Third Test Match resumes

Notice announcing Queen’s death removed from Buckingham Palace railings

18:58 , Josh Salisbury

A notice announced the Queen’s death has been removed from the railings of Buckingham Palace.

The notice, set in a foolscap imperial-sized dark wooden frame, had remained on the gates since the Queen’s death was announced on Thursday evening.

Two members of palace staff dressed in black removed the sign on Friday evening.

They then brought it back inside the palace.

Truss solemn as she gives reading at service

18:44 , Josh Salisbury

Prime Minister Liz Truss looked solemn as she gave her Bible reading from Romans 14. 7-12 in the remembrance service for the Queen.

She said: “We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

“For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

“Why do you pass judgement on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God.

“For it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.' So then, each of us will be accountable to God."

Tearful congregation as choir sings at St Paul’s remembrance service

18:32 , Josh Salisbury

Members of the congregation were tearful through the service as the choir sang.

One woman was seen using a handkerchief to wipe her eyes as she sat in the pews at St Paul's.

A total of 2,000 members of the public are in attendance at the service after obtaining wristbands earlier on Friday.

Speaking to those present, the Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally referred to her late Majesty’s “remarkable” Christian faith.

"Her Majesty had a remarkable Christian faith, about which she had increasingly spoken in recent years, referring to Jesus Christ as her anchor and role model,” she said.

"Here in this cathedral church on the 3rd of June, we joined to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee.

“The Archbishop of York spoke of her faith in Jesus Christ as a fountain and a well upon which she drew deeply, and by which she was replenished through all the challenges and joys of her life.

"If Christ was her anchor, her husband, the late Prince Philip was, in her own words, Her Majesty's 'strength and stay'. Yet even in the depths of her own mourning we saw once again her courage and her instinct for putting the needs of others first."

King Charles: Words of comfort from public ‘mean more than I can ever express'

18:28 , Josh Salisbury

King Charles also offered his thanks to the public both in Britain and around the world for their support in his time of grief.

He said: “In a little over a week’s time we will come together as a nation, as a Commonwealth and indeed a global community, to lay my beloved mother to rest.

“In our sorrow, let us remember and draw strength from the light of her example.

“On behalf of all my family, I can only offer the most sincere and heartfelt thanks for your condolences and support.

“They mean more to me than I can ever possibly express.”

King Charles: I count on ‘loving support’ of wife Camilla in time of change

18:25 , Josh Salisbury

As he spoke of “time of change for my family,” King Charles also wished the Duke and Duchess of Sussex well as they build their lives overseas.

“My life will of course change as I take up my new responsibilities,” he said.

"It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others.

“This is also a time of change for my family. I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla.”

He added in his address: “I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.”

King: My son William will be created Prince of Wales

18:22 , Josh Salisbury

Elsewhere, the King said in his historic address that Prince William would be known as Prince of Wales, the title he once held, and Catherine as the Princess of Wales.

He said: “As my Heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which have meant so much to me.

"He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall which I have undertaken for more than five decades.

“Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty.

“With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given.”

King pays tribute to ‘darling Mama'

18:20 , Josh Salisbury

The King ended his address with a touching tribute to his “darling Mama”, saying simply: “Thank you”.

“To my darling Mama, as you begin your last great journey to join my dear late Papa, I want simply to say this: thank you,” he said.

“Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years. May 'flights of angels sing thee to thy rest'."

King Charles: ‘I renew promise of life-long service to you all'

18:12 , Josh Salisbury

King Charles has vowed to “renew” his mother’s promise of “life-long service” to the nation.

He said: “That promise of life-long service, I renew to you all today.

“Alongside the personal grief that all my family feel, we also share with so many of you in the United Kingdom, in all the countries where the Queen was head of state, in the Commonwealth and across the world, the deep sense of gratitude for the more than 70 years in which my mother as Queen served the people of so many nations.”

King Charles III: ‘Queen Elizabeth was a life well-lived'

18:08 , Josh Salisbury

Beginning his historic broadcast to the nation, King Charles III said: “I speak to you today with feelings of profound sorrow.

“Throughout her life Her Majesty the Queen, my beloved mother, was an inspiration, an example to me and all my family and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family could owe to their mother, for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.

“Queen Elizabeth was a life well-lived, a promise of destiny kept, and she is mourned most deeply in her passing.”

Liz Truss arrives at St Paul’s for remembrance service

17:49 , Josh Salisbury

Prime Minister Liz Truss has arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral and taken her seat on the front row for the service of prayer and reflection.

Liz Truss will deliver a Bible reading from Romans 14.7-12.

A spokeswoman for the cathedral said Ms Truss is expected to be joined by Lord Mayor Vincent Keaveny.

Cultural events postponed amid period of National Mourning

17:34 , Josh Salisbury

The National Television Awards is the latest cultural event which will be rescheduled as the nation mourns the Queen.

The prize ceremony was due to take place on September 15 live from Wembley’s OVO Arena, but will be rescheduled to October 13, organisers have announced.

Meanwhile, the chair of the Fourth Plinth commissioning group has said that all activity will be temporary paused during the national period of mourning.

A sculpture created by Samson Kambalu was due to be unveiled by the group on September 14 but this will now be rescheduled.

“As a mark of respect, all activity for the Fourth Plinth will be temporarily paused for the period of National Mourning and the unveiling of the new sculpture by Samson Kambalu planned for Wednesday September 14 2022 will be rescheduled,” said chair, Ekow Eshun.

‘Increasing’ numbers go to Balmoral to pay respects

17:17 , Josh Salisbury

Significant numbers of mourners have made their way to Balmoral in Aberdeenshire, with police saying an "increasing number" of members of the public have reached the estate, where the Queen died on Thursday.

Officers have had to ask some people travelling by car to leave to find alternative parking arrangements as the rural area is not equipped to cope with large numbers.

There are no parking spaces available for the general public and officers have since reported an increasing number of safety issues due to people parking in unsuitable areas.

Aberdeenshire Council has put in place park-and-ride facilities for Saturday which will operate from Monaltrie Park in Ballater between 8am and 7pm, and from Braemar Castle during the same hours.

Mourners begin taking seats at St Paul’s for remembrance service

17:00 , Josh Salisbury

Mourners are beginning to take their seats in St Paul’s Cathedral for the service of prayer and reflection which will begin at 6pm.

All 2,000 wristbands for Friday evening’s service were distributed to members of the pubic within three hours, according to Cathedral officials.

Union flags to be raised full-mast for 26 hours to mark Charles’s reign

16:53 , Josh Salisbury

Union flags on key public buildings and royal residences will be raised to full-mast for 26 hours over the weekend in recognition of Charles’s new reign.

The new King will be formally proclaimed monarch at a historic Accession Council in the State Apartments of St James’s Palace at 10am on Saturday.

A Principal Proclamation will then be read by the Garter King of Arms from the balcony at St James’s an hour later at 11am.

This will be followed by proclamations in the City of London at the Royal Exchange at midday on Saturday, and in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales at midday on Sunday.

Buckingham Palace said union flags will be flown at full-mast from the time of the Principal Proclamation at St James’s Palace until one hour after the proclamations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

This is “in recognition of the new Sovereign”, the Palace said.

At this point, 1pm on Sunday, union flags will return to half-mast in mourning for the death of the Queen.

‘Queen’s death will always have a connection with me’, says mourner

16:48 , Josh Salisbury

Among the thousands of mourners at Buckingham Palace is Giuseppe Convention, 62, from Italy based in London, who has witnessed many moments in royal history.

He was at Buckingham Palace for the funeral of Princess Diana in 1997.

He says the day of The Queen’s death has extra meaning for him, as it shares the same date his late mother’s birthday.

He said: “My mothers birthday was 8 September, she would have been 99 yesterday. The same day that The Queen died.

“That date will always have a connection with me.”

King holds audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss

16:29 , Josh Salisbury

The King has held his first in-person audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss at Buckingham Palace.

Ms Truss was estimated to be inside Buckingham Palace for around half-an-hour in her first audience with King Charles III, which came before the King makes an address to the nation.

The King greeted well-wishers gathered outside the Palace following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

It was the new King’s first encounter with the public since his historic accession and crowds lined up behind a barrier clamouring to greet him, many of them condoling him on his loss.

First rendition of God Save the King to be sung at St Paul’s

16:16 , Josh Salisbury

The first official rendition of God Save the King will be sung at St Paul’s Cathedral at the end of a memorial service for the Queen.

The lyrics to the national anthem will change from “Queen” to “King” and “her victorious” to “him victorious” to mark that King Charles III has now taken over as monarch.

It comes after crowds spontaneously sang the version of the song outside of Buckingham Palace on Friday as the King arrived with the Queen.

The anthem is also expected to be sung at the Kia Oval on Saturday as the England v South Africa Third Test Match resumes. It was paused on Friday following the Queen’s death.

Members of the royal family are not expected to attend the 6pm service at St Paul’s, which is open to the public and is being broadcast live by the BBC.

Charles has ‘love and support of nation’ say well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace

16:04 , Josh Salisbury

Some of those who shook King Charles’s hand and comforted him on his loss as he walked outside Buckingham Palace have said he has the “support of the nation”.

Emma Spreckley, 43, had travelled to Buckingham Palace with her friend Jacqueline Southwick, 55, from their homes in Mitcham.

“He looked a bit shocked, I suppose he is, as it's your mum at the end of the day, and now he's here shaking people's hands and trying to, I suppose, get through it as best he can,” she said.

Josephine Bennett, 53, from London, said a few words to the grieving King and recalled afterwards: “I said ‘we love you Charles’, and he said thank-you very much.

“This is all very surreal, but I’m so happy he’s here, I wanted to see him.”

Hundreds queue outside St Paul’s ahead of remembrance service

15:54 , Josh Salisbury

A hundreds-strong queue winding from St Paul's to beyond the Tube station streets away has formed, as mourners arrive for the service of remembrance due to start at 6pm.

Attendees were dressed smartly in black suits and ties while others wore black mourning veils as they waited to take their seat inside the cathedral.

One those queuing outside, Susanna Fataki, 40, was emotional as she described the profound reassurance the Queen offered her during the Covid pandemic in her address to the nation.

She said: “She's the queen of the world and I know Charles will be a great king, but she was the Queen, the woman who always showed forgiveness and dignity, even with the major scandals she always reacted with dignity and as an example of forgiveness.

“It was so, so reassuring when she gave the speech during Covid and I feel like I lost a member of my family.”

Pictured: Ukrainians leave flowers at British embassy in mark of respect

15:47 , Josh Salisbury

Ukrainians have left flowers outside the British embassy in Kyiv to show their respects on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

In a picture posted by the British ambassador to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons, flowers could been piled up outside the embassy’s door.

She said: “Thank you for the flowers and for all your kind words. Amid an invasion, so much kindness and sympathy.”

Wristbands for St Paul’s service sell out

15:30 , Miriam Burrell

All 2,000 wristbands for Friday evening’s service at St Paul’s Cathedral were distributed to members of the pubic within three hours, a cathedral spokeswoman said.

A hundreds-strong queue winding from St Paul’s to beyond the Tube station streets away has formed, as mourners arrive hours before the service of remembrance at 6pm.

Attendees were dressed smartly in black suits and ties while others wore black mourning veils as they waited to take their seat inside the cathedral.

The service will be livestreamed on BBC1 from 5.45pm.

King Charles and Queen Consort step inside Buckingham Palace gates

15:20 , Miriam Burrell

‘Reassuring’ to see King Charles in post

15:04 , Miriam Burrell

Among the crowds at Buckingham Palace, retired Ammar Al-Baldawi, 64, from Hertfordshire, said: “It was impressive, touching, a good move to come out to the crowds.

“I think that’s where the royal family needs to communicate with the people now.

“These are true loyalists here and it’s nice to see him back in post, taking charge of the family and the Crown, which is reassuring.

“Just seeing a glimpse of him gives you the sense we were there at that moment.

“I’m sure he wants to be on his own to think about his mother but he’s doing his duty.”

‘He’s thanked as many people as he could’

14:52 , Miriam Burrell

Cheers rang out at Buckingham Palace as the King and Queen Consort arrived, along with shouts of “God save the King”.

Many people held their phones aloft to try to catch a glimpse of King Charles and his wife Camilla as they greeted members of the crowd and looked at tributes left for the Queen.

Colin Hennessy, 52, said: “It’s great to see the King.

“You can see he’s very emotional but he was very grateful to everybody here.

“He thanked as many people as he could as he walked by.”

Pictured: King Charles at Buckingham Palace

14:49 , Miriam Burrell

Pictured: King Charles greets crowds outside Buckingham Palace

14:44 , Miriam Burrell

Britain’s new King has made his first public appearance in London outside Buckingham Palace, where he greeted a large crowd of mourners.

King Charles has a busy afternoon ahead despite his mother dying around 24 hours ago. He is expected to meet Prime Minister Liz Truss, arrange funeral details and address the nation in a televised speech.

Pictured: Families pay their respects on The Mall

14:39 , Miriam Burrell

King Charles arrives at Buckingham Palace

14:18 , Sami Quadri

King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived at Buckingham Palace.

There were cheers from the crowds as the King’s state Bentley arrived at the gates of the Palace.

He stepped from the car to greet the hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside.

Charles shook hands with countless members of the public lined up behind a barrier, thanking them for their good wishes.

King Charles III will be ‘his own person’ as the monarch

14:06 , Sami Quadri

King Charles III will be “his own person” as the monarch, according to his friend Sir Nicholas Soames.

The former Tory minister told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme: “Each sovereign is their own person, and he will be his own person.

“But… he’s served a very long apprenticeship at the feet of an absolute master.

“I mean by common consent the Queen never put a foot wrong in 70 years, and there is much to learn which he will have learned from her reign.

“But to an extent he will be his own King, of course he will, but within the constitutional constraints of being the sovereign.”

King Charles III heads to Buckingham Palace

13:55 , Sami Quadri

The King and Queen have left RAF Northolt by car and are heading towards Buckingham Palace.

Police stopped traffic on West End Road as a convoy of four black cars, a black van and a police car exited the air base.

The King waved to the crowd which had gathered outside the exit and his car passed by.

The sun shone as onlookers waved back at the King and filmed him on their mobile phones.

The crowd has now dispersed and few people remain outside RAF Northolt.

Archbishop of York recalls bonding with Queen over ‘difficult’ jigsaw

13:48 , Sami Quadri

The Archbishop of York recalled laughing with the Queen over a “fiendishly difficult” jigsaw they attempted together at Sandringham.

The Most Rev Stephen Cottrell said the monarch had been “very good at putting people at their ease”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme: “When I stayed with her at Sandringham on the Sunday evening when all the other guests had gone home – and the bishop always traditionally stays on, we sat and did a jigsaw and watched the telly and talked very ordinarily about stuff.”

The puzzle was “fiendishly difficult”, he said, remarking: “I’ve never attempted one like it.”

He added: “When the evening came to a close and she said to me, ‘well, I’m going to put the dogs out now, will you still be here when I get back, bishop?’, I said to her, ‘well, it depends how long you’re going to be’.

He said the Queen remarked she would be around 10 minutes, to which he replied: “‘Well, if when you get back, I’m not here, I’ve gone to bed. If the jigsaw isn’t here, it’s because I’ve thrown it into the fire because I’ve never, ever attempted such a difficult one’. And we laughed.”

Pictured: Plane carrying King Charles III arrives at RAF Northolt

13:45 , Sami Quadri

The plane carrying the King and Queen was watched by over 150,000 people on a flight tracking website as it landed.

According to FlightRadar24, 153,000 users were tracking flight KRH20R as it touched down at RAF Northolt at 1:35pm.

The Embraer Legacy 600 jet spent an hour and five minutes in the air, having left Aberdeen at 12:30pm.

Relationship between Queen and Parliament ‘never just on paper’

13:40 , Sami Quadri

The relationship between the Queen and Parliament was never “just on paper”, former Labour Cabinet minister Harriet Harman has said.

Paying tribute to the Queen in the Commons, the Mother of the House told MPs: “After Labour won the election in 1997, I went up to the Palace where, like other new secretaries of state, she pointed me to the Privy Council and bestowed on me the seals of office.

“They are actual seals which are given to you, and you take back to your department to be locked in a safe but when just a year later I was sacked…”

“And the seals taken out of the safe and taken back to Buckingham Palace, my diary was empty, and my phone stopped ringing. My office was astonished to get a call from Buckingham Palace. No one else wanted to have anything to do with me, but the Queen wanted to see me.

“I was invited to take Queen take tea with the Queen for her to thank me for my service as Secretary of State.”

She added: “My point is that the relationship between our Queen and Parliament and our Queen and Government was never just on paper, but was always active and always encouraging.”

Sir David Attenborough: ‘Whole nation bereaved'

13:21 , Miriam Burrell

Sir David Attenborough has paid tribute to the Queen saying she had an “extraordinary ability to put you at your ease”.

In a statement to the PA news agency, the natural historian and broadcaster said: “If there was a technical hitch, she wanted to know what it was, and if it had a funny side, she was quick to see the joke.

“Yet not for one second could you forget that you were in the presence of someone who had willingly accepted enormous responsibility and dedicated her life to serving the nation – that you were, in short, in the presence of royalty.

“The whole nation is bereaved.”

Theresa May dropped cheese in front of Queen

13:13 , Miriam Burrell

Conservative former prime minister Theresa May reduced the whole House of Commons to laughter with a story about the Queen and some dropped cheese.

Maidenhead MP Mrs May said: “I remember one picnic at Balmoral, which was taking place in one of the bothies on the estate. The hampers came from the castle, and we all mucked in to put the food and drink out on the table.

“I picked up some cheese, put it on a plate and was transferring it to the table. The cheese fell on the floor. I had a split-second decision to make.”

Mrs May paused as MPs burst into laughter, before adding: “I picked up the cheese, put it on the plate and put it on the table. I turned round to see that my every move had been watched very carefully by Her Majesty the Queen.

“I looked at her. She looked at me and she just smiled. And the cheese remained on the table.”

Mourner travels from Italy to Buckingham Palace

13:08 , Miriam Burrell

Cristina Schiatti, 55, from Italy, arrived in London this morning. She came to Buckingham Palace to pay her respects.

She had planned to come to London in the coming weeks, but following the news of Her Majesty, she decided to make the journey early.

She told the Standard: “She was a great woman. Yesterday I was in Italy, I arrived just this morning.“I had planned to go to Windsor today, but I decided to stay here in London, just to pay tribute to The Queen.”

Speaking of the atmosphere outside Buckingham Palace, she said: “It’s sad here. It feels really, really sad.”

Gun salute at Hyde Park and Tower of London

13:05 , Miriam Burrell

A gun salute has begun at London’s Hyde Park and Tower of London at 1pm on Friday.

A round will be fired for every year of the Queen’s life, 96 in total.

Queen ‘symbol of strength'

12:55 , Miriam Burrell

Shreya Klamath, 19, from London, is one of the many thousands of well-wishers who has paid respects to the Queen outside Buckingham Palace.

She told our reporter Jonathan Kanengoni: “I attended her Platinum Jubilee, and it was something that was just such a nice celebration.

“I’ve always been a fan of the royal family and I just believe she’s done so much for the country.

“I was just in London so I though what better way to pay my respects than to visit where she lives.”

Asked what Her Majesty The Queen meant to her, she said: “She’s a symbol of strength, she’s been there through so much change, and she was one thing that’s constant throughout that”.

Boris Johnson ‘choked up’ when speaking about Queen

12:49 , Miriam Burrell

Boris Johnson said he “choked up” and was “overcome with sadness” when interviewed by BBC television staff a few months ago about the Queen.

He told the House of Commons: “I’m not easily moved to tears but I was so overcome with sadness I had to ask them to go away.”

He said people’s shock is “keener today” as they realise “the full magnitude of what she did for us all”.

“Think of what we asked of that 25-year-old woman all those years ago.”

Thousands gather for gun salute at Hyde Park

12:46 , Miriam Burrell

Thousands of people have lined the pavement in the south-east corner of London’s Hyde Park ahead of the Queen’s Death Gun Salute.

Officials from the armed forces have begun assembling ammunition boxes a few hundred metres away, as the crowd eagerly awaits a viewing of the centuries’-old tradition.

Meanwhile crowds continue to grow outside nearby Buckingham Palace.

King Charles on his way to London

12:39 , Miriam Burrell

The King arrived at Aberdeen International Airport in a dark suit and was carrying what appeared to be a folder as he made his way towards the plane.

Charles stopped to shake hands and chat to three people at the plane steps before Camilla, his new Queen Consort, joined him holding an umbrella.

She was wearing a long black coat and made her way up the steps and on to the plane ahead of her husband.

King Charles arrives at Aberdeen International Airport

12:35 , Miriam Burrell

Proclamations to be read in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales

12:33 , Miriam Burrell

As is convention, a second Proclamation will be read in the City of London, at the Royal Exchange at midday on Saturday.

Further Proclamations will be read in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales at midday the following day, on Sunday.

In recognition of the new Sovereign, flags will be flown at full-mast from the time of the Principal Proclamation at St James’s Palace until one hour after the Proclamations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, after which flags will return to half-mast in mourning for the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

King to be proclaimed at Accession Council tomorrow

12:31 , Miriam Burrell

King Charles will be proclaimed at the Accession Council at 10am on Saturday in the State Apartments of St James’s Palace, London, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

“The Accession Council, attended by Privy Councillors, is divided into two parts. In Part I, the Privy Council, without The King present, will proclaim the Sovereign, and formally approve various consequential Orders, including the arrangements for the Proclamation.

“Part II, is the holding by The King of His Majesty’s first Privy Council. The King will make his Declaration and read and sign an oath to uphold the security of the Church in Scotland and approve Orders in Council which facilitate continuity of government.

“The Accession Council will be followed by the Principal Proclamation, which will be read at 11.00hrs from the balcony overlooking Friary Court at St James’s Palace. The Proclamation will be read by Garter King of Arms, accompanied by the Earl Marshal, other Officers of Arms and the Serjeants at Arms. This is the first public reading of the Proclamation.”

Starmer: ‘We must pull together'

12:25 , Miriam Burrell

The late Queen would have wanted us to turn our collar up and face the storm. To carry on,” Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told MPs.

“She would want us to remember it is in these moments we must pull together.

“At this moment of uncertainty...we must always remember one of the greatest lessons of our Queen’s reign. We are always better when we rise abve the trivial... to focus on the things that unite us, rather than the things that divide us.

“Her legacy will live on forever.”

Starmer: Queen ‘held nation close like no one else'

12:22 , Miriam Burrell

Sir Keir Starmer said the British people “love” the Queen.

In his tribute in the House of Commons, the Labour leader said the Queen had a simple message during lockdown which gave people strength and courage when they needed it most.

“Covid closed the front doors of every home in the country...but she was able to reach beyond that and reassure us...at the time we were most alone.

“She held the nation close in a way no one else could have done. For that, we say thankyou.”

Truss spoke to King Charles after Queen’s death

12:19 , Miriam Burrell

“We must show the world that we do not fear what lies ahead,” Liz Truss said in the House of Commons on Friday.

“We pay tribute to our late Queen and we offer loyal service to our new King.”

The prime minister said she spoke to King Charles III to send her condolences.

“Even as he mourns his sense of duty and service is clear.

“God Save the King.”

Truss says Queen shared ‘deep experience’ of Govt

12:16 , Miriam Burrell

“She remained determined ot carry out her duties even ag age of 96,” Prime Minister Liz Truss said of the Queen.

“Just three days ago she invited me to form a government at Balmoral.

“She generously shared with me her deep experience of government, even in those last days.”

Truss: Queen was ‘greatest leader world has known’

12:14 , Miriam Burrell

Liz Truss has paid tribute to the Queen in the House of Commons.

“Her late Majesty was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known,” she said.

“She knew this generation of Britons would be as strong as any. As we meet today we remember the pledge she made...to dedicate her life to service.

“Never has a promise been so compltely fulfilled. Her devotion to duty remains an example to us all.”

‘Most devoted monarch’: Speaker of the House pays tribute to Queen

12:11 , Miriam Burrell

Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle has led tributes to the Queen among MPs this afternoon.

He said Queen Elizabeth II welcomed each new prime minister with “quiet wisdom”.

Over her reign she had seen unprecedented social, cultural technological change, he said.

“She was the most devoted monarch,” he said.

Church bells ring out at midday

12:04 , Miriam Burrell

Church bells are ringing out across the nation at midday to commemorate the Queen.

In an hour’s time, a gun salute will fire in locations across London - one round fired for each year of the Queen’s life.

MPs to give tributes in House of Commons

12:02 , Miriam Burrell

Prime Minister Liz Truss is set to lead tributes for the Queen read out by MPs this afternoon.

A minute’s silence will begin what is expected to be a 10-hour session in the House of Commons, starting around midday.

Premier League matches postponed

11:55 , Miriam Burrell

The Premier League, EFL and WSL have announced the postponement of all football matches this weekend following the death of the Queen.

A full slate of ten fixtures was due to take place in the top-flight across Saturday, Sunday and Monday but will now be rearranged as a mark of respect for Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, who passed away at Balmoral on Thursday at the age of 96.

More details can be found here.

Is the St Paul’s service open to the public?

11:49 , Miriam Burrell

A commemorative service being held at London’s St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday evening is open to the public.

The first 2,000 people to get a wristband will be allowed into the service of prayer and reflection following the Queen’s death, beginning at 6pm.

For those who miss out, the service will broadcast live on television.

Prime Minister Liz Truss is expected to be among MPs who will attend.

First glimpse of King Charles following Queen’s death

11:42 , Miriam Burrell

Official guidance for mourning

11:34 , Miriam Burrell

The Government has released guidelines on what the period of national mourning should look like in the coming days.

There is “no obligation” for events or sporting fixtures to be cancelled, or for entertainment venues to be closed, during the period of national mourning, it said.

But official guidance suggests organisations may with to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing venues on the day of the state funeral “as a mark of respect”.

Organisations can acknowledge the period of national mourning by adding black edging or banners to their websites, the Government has advised.

King Charles leaves Balmoral

11:27 , Miriam Burrell

King Charles has been photographed leaving Balmoral Castle along with his wife, Queen Consort, Camilla.

The new head of state is travelling to London to meet with Prime Minister Liz Truss, make arrangements for his mother’s funeral and address the nation.

Macron: Queen was ‘very close ally'

11:18 , Miriam Burrell

French president Emmanuel Macron has said the Queen was a “very close ally” in a moving tribute.

In a speech on Friday he said: “In her I have known a great head of state, a unique example of devotion to her people and a very close ally.

Speaking to the British people, he said: “To you, she was your Queen. To us, she was the Queen.”

Mr Macron said the Queen never ceased to promote values of democracy and freedom.

Pictured: The scene outside Buckingham Palace

11:08 , Miriam Burrell

Courts fall silent as QCs change to KCs

10:57 , Miriam Burrell

The courts have fallen silent and cases were briefly brought to a halt as judges expressed their “profound sorrow” at the death of the Queen.

Lawyers and court users gathered in the Great Hall of the Old Bailey to observe the two-minute silence at 10am. Among them were dozens of senior barristers whose titles will now change from Queen’s Counsel to King’s Counsel.

Before the two minutes’ silence, the new King was acknowledged as the first case of the day was heard.

In a small change from the traditional announcement, a court usher solemnly declared: “Silence be upstanding in court.

“All persons who have anything to do before My Lords and Ladies, the King’s Justices at the Central Criminal Court draw near and give your attendance.”

Mourners brave the rain

10:47 , Miriam Burrell

Mourners continue to flock outside royal residences such as Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace to pay their respects, despite the rain.

Stamps of Queen remain vaild

10:33 , Miriam Burrell

Royal Mail says all stamps featuring the Queen remain valid for use.

It confirmed that stamps bearing the image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II remain valid for use until the end of January 2023.

“These include definitive stamps – regular ‘everyday’ stamps – and special stamps.

“All special stamps that have already been announced will be issued, although the launch dates of some may change.

“In line with past practice, following the death of a monarch all existing post boxes will remain unchanged. Post boxes already in production or being prepared for installation, will also retain the insignia of Queen Elizabeth II.”

Ukraine soldiers pay tribute

10:25 , Miriam Burrell

Ukrainian military officials have posted a photo of artillery shells covered in tributes to the Queen.

One said ‘keep calm and carry on’, while another reads ‘RIP Queen Elizabeth II’.

Cabinet Office warns of large crowds in capital

10:18 , Miriam Burrell

Details of the Queen’s funeral and other forthcoming ceremonial and commemorative events will be announced “in due course”, the Cabinet Office said.

The department also warned of crowding and delays on some public transport as people seek to pay their respects.

It said: “We recognise that many people will travel to Buckingham Palace and other royal residences as a mark of their respect.

“We expect large crowds, which can pose risks to public safety. We expect significant crowding and delays on some public transport. The public should check ahead and plan accordingly.

“As you would expect, a number of organisations will now be making practical preparations including contingency planning for the state funeral and related events. Access to some areas, especially in central London, will be restricted, with road closures and diversions that will cause delays to vehicles and pedestrians.”

Pictured: Prince Harry leaves Aberdeen

10:11 , Miriam Burrell

Service to be held at St Paul's

09:49 , Miriam Burrell

A service of prayer and reflection on the death of the Queen will be held in St Paul’s Cathedral in London at 6pm.

The Prime Minister and Lord Mayor of London are expected to attend the service which will be broadcast on the BBC.

The audio of the King’s televised address to the nation will be played inside the cathedral if it coincides with the service.

London florists sell out

09:40 , Miriam Burrell

Charity staff are selling bouquets in Green Park after several nearby shops sold out due to rocketing demand in the area as mourners go to lay flowers for the Queen.

People are streaming along the paths through the central London park en route to the royal residence.

Prince Harry arrives at Aberdeen International Airport

09:38 , Miriam Burrell

Two dark Range Rovers arrived at Aberdeen International Airport, led by five police motorbikes, at around 9.20am.

It got there around an hour after Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was seen leaving Balmoral.

Prince Harry is believed to be one of the first members of the Royal Family to leave the Castle afte he rushed to be at his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s bedside before she passed away.

Street art dedicated to Queen emerges in London

09:35 , Miriam Burrell

American street artist Pegasus has painted a two-metre mural commemorating the Queen behind St Mary’s Church Walthamstow in London.

It took the artist, Chris Turner, eight hours to complete the project in the rain as the “sad news broke”, he said.

The artwork can be spotted on Vinegar Alley overlooking a historical graveyard.

Today’s timeline

09:26 , Miriam Burrell

12pm: Church bells are expected to ring out across the country in commemoration of the Queen as MPs pay tribute to the monarch in the House of Commons, led by Prime Minister Liz Truss and Speaker of the House Lindsay Hoyle

1pm: Gun salutes – one round for every year of the Queen’s life – will be fired in London’s Hyde Park and the Tower of London

Audience with the PM: King Charles will have his first audience as monarch with Prime Minister Liz Truss this afternoon

6pm: The King will make a televised address to the nation, which he is due to pre-record. He will pay tribute to the Queen and pledge his duty to his service as the new sovereign

Service: The Prime Minister and senior ministers will attend a public service of remembrance at St Paul’s Cathedral in central London

Gun salute in Hyde Park and Tower of London

09:21 , Miriam Burrell

Buckingham Palace has confirmed details of a gun salute to take place in honour of the Queen’s life - with one round to be fired for each year of her life.

This will take place in Hyde Park and the Tower of London from 1pm today, Sky News reports.

The Palace has also confirmed that flags at Royal Residences will remain half-masted until 8am on the morning after the final day of Royal Mourning.

New dedicated sites for floral tributes

09:16 , Miriam Burrell

Those who wish to leave floral tributes at Buckingham Palace will be guided to lay them at dedicated sites in Green Park or Hyde Park, the Palace said.

Flowers left outside the Palace gates will be moved to the Green Park Floral Tribute Garden by The Royal Parks.

At Windsor Castle, floral tributes can be left at Cambridge Gate on the Long Walk. These flowers will be brought inside the castle each evening and placed on the castle chapter grass on the south side of St George’s Chapel and Cambridge Drive.

At the Sandringham Estate, people are encouraged to leave floral tributes at the Norwich Gates.

At Balmoral Castle, floral tributes can be left at the main gate.

At the Palace of Holyroodhouse, people are encouraged to give floral tributes to the wardens at the entrance to The Queen’s Gallery. Those flowers will be laid on the forecourt grass in front of the Palace’s north turret.

At Hillsborough Castle, floral tributes may be laid on the castle forecourt in front of the main gates.

Royal residences to close until after funeral

09:14 , Miriam Burrell

Buckingham Palace said royal residences will close until after the Queen’s funeral, including the Queen’s Gallery and the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, as well as the Queen’s Gallery in Edinburgh.

Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House, the Queen’s private estates, will also close for this period, as will Hillsborough Castle, the sovereign’s official residence in Northern Ireland.

There will be no physical books of condolence at the royal residences.

An online book of condolence is available on the royal website.

Royal mourning period to last seven days after funeral

09:10 , Miriam Burrell

A period of royal mourning will be observed from now until seven days after the Queen’s funeral, the date of which will be confirmed in due course, Buckingham Palace said.

Royal mourning will be observed by members of the Royal Family, royal household staff and representatives of the royal household on official duties, together with troops committed to ceremonial duties.

Plane for King Charles refuels in Aberdeen

08:57 , Miriam Burrell

The plane that will carry King Charles to London is being refuelled at Aberdeen International Airport.

Britain’s new head of state is travelling to the capital on Friday after spending the night at Balmoral Castle as his mother died.

He is expected to meet with Prime Minister Liz Truss and address the nation in a televised speech.

MPs to gather for tributes

08:49 , Miriam Burrell

Parliament will be brimming with memories of the Queen as MPs and peers gather to pay tributes in a special session of condolence.

Both Houses are due to sit at 12pm on Friday to allow members to pay their respects, with normal politics on hold for a period of mourning.

The tributes, led by Prime Minister Liz Truss, are due to last until 10pm on Friday.

There will also be a rare Saturday sitting, where senior MPs will take an oath of allegiance to the King from 2pm, with condolences continuing again until 10pm.

Prince Harry leaves Balmoral

08:45 , Miriam Burrell

Prince Harry has been seen leaving Balmoral Castle.

The Queen’s grandson sat alone in the back of a car as it left the main gates on Friday morning.

The Duke of Sussex arrived in Scotland later than other members of the Royal Family on Thursday evening, and after the Queen had passed.

His wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, did not attend Balmoral with him.

‘That part of our lives taken for granted is no longer there’

08:31 , Miriam Burrell

For many people it feels as though “a part of our lives we’ve taken for granted...is no longer there”, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said in the wake of the Queen’s death.

Justin Welby told BBC Breakfast: “The Queen constantly showed us the meaning of life – she was joyful, she was humorous, her life was full.

“But she never, even in bad moments, lost hope.

“I obviously spoke to her after the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, and spent some time with her and there was just a solidity of hope in her life.”

He added: “It feels as though for so many people around the world, especially in the UK, that a part of our lives we’ve taken for granted as being permanent is no longer there.

“I think many people will be finding that sense of not just grief, but also uncertainty and to some extent a wondering about what is permanent.”

The world reacts

08:25 , Miriam Burrell

An image of the Queen has been displayed in New York’s Times Square, meanwhile the European Union flag flew at half mast as a double rainbow formed over the European Council building in Brussels, Belgium.

In Nairobi, Kenya, many were spotted reading newspapers on Friday morning following the Queen’s death.

Sir Nicholas Soames feels ‘desperate sadness’

08:13 , Miriam Burrell

Sir Nicholas Soames, the former Conservative MP and grandson of Winston Churchill, said he feels “desperate sadness” at the Queen’s death.

He told Times Radio: “As the sort of absolute guarantor, in my view, of our stability – through hard times, through bad times, through thick and thin, the Queen was always there, wonderfully reassuring, calm, I think, sage figure, fortified and sustained, obviously by a profound faith.

“So my feeling is one of desperate sadness. I really am so sad for her family, and I think it’s also worth remembering that the King has lost his father only quite recently, and now loses his mother. And for all the royal family, this is on every account, a very, very bad day indeed.”

Commonwealth pays tribute to Queen as Britain slept

08:03 , Miriam Burrell

Overnight, Commonwealth countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Singapore have paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth.

Floral tributes were placed outside the British High Commission in Singapore while flags flew at half staff at The Shrine in Melbourne, Australia.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wrote in a condolence book at Parliament.

What happens today?

07:48 , Miriam Burrell

King Charles and Camilla, now the Queen Consort, return to London from Balmoral and King Charles meets with Prime Minister Liz Truss.

He will also make a televised address to the nation which he is due to pre-record, in the early evening, following his mother’s death.

The Government will confirm the length of national mourning, which is likely to be around 12 days, from now up to the day after the Queen’s funeral. They will also announce that the funeral day will be a public holiday in the form of a Day of National Mourning.

Union flags on royal buildings are flying at half-mast. Bells will toll at Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and Windsor Castle.

Churches are being urged to toll their bells across England at noon.

Gun salutes – one round for every year of the Queen’s life – will be fired in Hyde Park and at other stations.

Pictured: Floral tributes line Buckingham Palace

07:35 , Miriam Burrell

Mourners visit Buckingham Palace

07:30 , Miriam Burrell

Mourners have lit candles and left flowers outside Buckingham Palace on Friday morning. Young and old, members of the public continue to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth.

Nation’s papers react to Queen’s death

07:24 , Miriam Burrell

The Independent lets the Queen’s coronation image speak for itself, though an editorial carries the Queen’s own words from her tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales: “(We now have) a chance to show to the whole world the British nation united in grief and respect.

“Thank God for someone who made many, many people happy.”

The Daily Telegraph strips the colour from its front, juxtaposing a picture of the Queen in her later years with the poignant message she gave to New York after the September 11 attacks: “Grief is the price we pay for love.”

The Daily Mail mourns the Queen’s death with the headline: “Our hearts are broken.” Sarah Vine, a columnist for the paper, writes: “How to find the words?

“Our grief is a hundred different emotions, all of them hard to grasp.”

The nation’s papers react to Queen’s passing

07:15 , Miriam Burrell

The Times carries a striking image of the Queen at her coronation on June 2, 1953 – a picture which several papers deemed the perfect background to their tributes.

In its obituary, The Times described the the Queen as “the woman who saved the monarchy in this country”.

The Guardian opts to let the Queen’s coronation image stand alone, bar some simple text on the left-hand side which reads: “Queen Elizabeth II 1926 – 2022”.

Inside the paper, columnist Jonathan Freedland writes her death heralds not just the end of the Elizabethan age, but the start of “a new future”.