Top Updates on Queen Elizabeth II Funeral: Charles to be formally proclaimed as King today

A flag hangs at half-mast at the British Embassy following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, in Tokyo. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis took to Twitter and said, “Her Majesty lived a life of service, of constancy which inspired and continues to inspire deep respect and affection. On this sad day, I remember what She gave to my country and to so many people around the world.”

With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Joe Biden gained the distinction of being the 13th and final U.S. president to meet the woman whose reign spanned seven decades. According to an AP report, the queen, who died Thursday at her summer residence in Scotland at age 96, had met every American president since Dwight Eisenhower, with the exception of Lyndon Johnson, who did not visit Britain during his presidency.

China's President Xi Jinping has sent condolences to British King Charles III over the death of Queen Elizabeth, Reuters quoted state media on Friday.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday condoled the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Kejriwal took to twitter and wrote, “In the passing away of Queen Elizabeth II, the world has lost an exemplary leader. Her life signified the tenets of service and duty. It is the end of an era. I extend my condolences to her family and the people of UK.”

Elton John paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at his final concert in Toronto on Thursday night, saying he was inspired by her and is sad she is gone, as per an AP report. “She led the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace and decency and genuine caring,” John said. “I’m 75 and she been with me all my life and I feel very sad that she won’t be with me anymore, but I’m glad she’s at peace,” he said. “I’m glad she’s at rest and she deserves it. She worked bloody hard.”The singer-songwriter then performed his 1974 track “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.”

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joined the list of world leaders who paid their tribute to the Queen. Ardern described the death of Queen Elizabeth as the end of a chapter in history, as leaders across the Pacific mourned the death of the 96-year-old monarch.

A person bows at the gate of the British Embassy in Tokyo, following the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

UK's newly- elected Prime Minister Liz Truss has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II as the rock on which modern Britain was built.

Recently, Truss, was anointed by the Queen just days before on Tuesday at Balmoral Castle, stepped out at 10 Downing Street in London on Thursday to reflect upon the legacy of Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

She described her as a champion of the Commonwealth and a source of stability and strength over the course of 70 years of her reign. (PTI)

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to King Charles III, as per an AP report. “For many decades, Elizabeth II rightfully enjoyed the love and respect of her subjects, as well as authority on the world stage. I wish you courage and perseverance in the face of this heavy, irreparable loss,” he said.

President Joe Biden was informed of Queen's death during a meeting in the Oval Office, as per an AP report. Elizabeth, who the White House said had met with 14 American presidents, “was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States,” he and first lady Jill Biden said in a statement, saying she “she defined an era.” They later went to the British Embassy to offer condolences.

Condolences poured in from around the world Thursday after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who became a global icon of calmness and fortitude through decades of political upheaval and social changes at home and abroad. Elizabeth, who had been on the throne since 1952, when the nation was still rebuilding from the destruction of World War II, died Thursday afternoon at age 96 at Balmoral Castle, her summer residence in Scotland. Here are some reactions to her death: In India, once a British colony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Elizabeth “a stalwart of our times.” “She personified dignity and decency in public life,” Modi tweeted. ___Royalty across Europe mourned Elizabeth's death. Her life “set an example for all of us and will remain as a solid and valuable legacy for future generations,” Spanish King Felipe VI said in a telegram sent to her eldest son, now known as King Charles III. “We will miss Her dearly,” he wrote, speaking for himself and his wife. (AP)

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Elizabeth “a stalwart of our times.” “She personified dignity and decency in public life,” PM Modi tweeted.

The UK has a plan in place for the death of a monarch. The last time this was activated, however, was in 1952 after the death of Queen Elizabeth's father King George VI. Here's how the plan – Operation Unicorn, formerly London Bridge – will play out.

After declaring her death to the public, flags are flown at half-mast. Within a day King Charles III will return to London and the Accession Council announces his accession to the throne. Parliament suspends all business until her funeral.

The Queen's body will be brought to Buckingham Palace and then taken to Westminister Hall in a procession, where the public can pay their respects. After about 10 days a state funeral will be held. Two minutes of silence will be observed across the nation.

The Queen's body will be laid to rest at Windsor Castle next to her husband Prince Philip, who died in April 2021.

Also read: Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip dies aged 99

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canadians are grateful for the Queen's service to the nation and the Commonwealth for several decades. He issued a statement shortly after her death.

He tweeted: It was with the heaviest of hearts that we learned of the passing of Canada’s longest-reigning Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was a constant presence in our lives – and her service to Canadians will forever remain an important part of our country’s history.”

The Queen had last met with Trudeau in March 2022. He was the first visitor she had after recovering from COVID this year.

It is a common knowledge that there is already a set of protocols in case of demise of Britian's Queen. It is known as 'Operation London Bridge'. Many pointed out that the operation was already activated in the evening after the BBC cancelled its daily shows and switched to rolling coverage from the Palace. All news presenters were also dressed in black. But when the news was confirmed that Queen Elizabeth is no more, Operation Unicorn was kicked off. The name change is because of the place of the demise. Since the Queen died in Scotland, the name of the main action plan was changed. Unicorn is the national animal of Scotland. It is also part of the royal coat of arms. The coat of arms also features the lion of England along with the Unicorn.

More than 70 years later, Britain will have a new Queen. King Charles III's wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, will be the new Queen of Britian. Officially, she will be known as Queen Consort. Though Camilla takes the title, she will have no sovereign powers as such.

No official details have been released about what will happen over the coming days, but it is anticipated that the Queen will be given a full state funeral, as is traditional to mark the death of a monarch. It is also expected that her body will lie in state to allow the public to pay tribute. King Charles III will sign off the final plans in the coming days. – PTI

As world remembers the Queen, internet is bringing back some of the most iconic moments of the Queen's extraordinary life that reminds us of what a monarch she was. Here's a clip of 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony that Twitter is tearing up over

They say that a picture speaks a thousand words. Soon after the news of Queen's demise, people in the thousand-strong crowd could be seen outside the Buckingham Palace. At that same time, several onlookers spotted a double rainbow over the palace that appeared after the heavy rainfall. The photos of the double rainbow over Buckingham Palace have gone viral.

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have condoled the demise of Queen Elizabeth II. In a statement, the Bidens said that the Queen was 'more than a Monarch' and that she defined an era.

The website of British Monarchy has gone dark following the death of the Queen. The Royal website – http://www.royal.uk – has a note on the homepage saying that it is currently unavailable. The homepage shows a photo of Queen Elizabeth II as part of the homage.

Queen Elizabeth's last public appearance was on Tuesday, 6 September 2022, when she met with Britain's new prime minister Liz Truss, at Balmoral Castle. This was the first time the Queen was welcoming a new prime minister within her home. The Queen then postponed a virtual meeting with the Privy Council the next day on doctors' advice.

See tweet from The Royal Family:

The pound fell against the U.S. dollar and the euro on Thursday in choppy trading after Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning monarch and the nation's figurehead for seven decades, died. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

Sterling was last down 0.3%, at $1.1506. It hit as high as $1.1516 following the news. The euro rose 0.1% against the pound, to 86.85 pence. – Reuters

Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and expressed his anguish over Queen's death. “My condolences to the people of UK and the Royal Family on the passing away of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” Gandhi said in a tweet. “She had a long and glorious reign, serving her country with utmost commitment and dignity,” he said.

Queen Elizabeth's eldest son, Charles, formerly Prince of Wales and heir apparent, will now take charge as King Charles III. His official coronation will be a few months away, but the throne is never vacant, so he assumes charge immediately. UK parliamentarians will gather within a day to swear allegiance to the new head of state. His partner, Camilla Parker Bowles, formerly duchess of Cornwall, will now be addressed as Queen Consort.

Britain's new King says that the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth is the moment of 'greatest sadness' in his life. Charles said that Her Majesty's demise will be felt across Britain and countless people around the globe.

“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered as a stalwart of our times. She provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people. She personified dignity and decency in public life. Pained by her demise. My thoughts are with her family and people of UK in this sad hour.”

“As the United Kingdom's longest-lived and longest-reigning Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II was widely admired for her grace, dignity, and dedication around the world. She was a reassuring presence throughout decades of sweeping change, including the decolonization of Africa and Asia and the evolution of the Commonwealth. “Queen Elizabeth II was a good friend of the United Nations, and visited our New York Headquarters twice, more than fifty years apart. She was deeply committed to many charitable and environmental causes and spoke movingly to delegates at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow. “I would like to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II for her unwavering, lifelong dedication to serving her people. The world will long remember her devotion and leadership.” – Reuters

British Prime Minister Liz Truss hailed Queen Elizabeth on Thursday as the “very spirit of Great Britain” and the rock on which modern Britain was built after the monarch died peacefully at her home in Scotland. Speaking outside her Downing Street office and residence, Truss said the queen had been “a personal inspiration to me and to many Britons”. – Reuters

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth following her death on Thursday, praising her clarity of thinking, capacity for careful listening, inquiring mind, humour and extraorindary kindness. – Reuters