Queen Elizabeth II died last month in Balmoral. (Suzanne Plunkett/Getty Images)
Questions have risen about what comes next for the British royal family after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
“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,” announced Buckingham Palace.
Members of the royal family made their way to Scotland despite having formal engagements elsewhere. The heir to the throne, Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Edward and Princess Anne are understood to have travelled to the castle on Thursday.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, who are currently in the United Kingdom, will also travel to Scotland. The duo had been due to attend the WellChild Awards ceremony in London on Thursday evening where Harry was delivering a speech.
Bated breath: A staff member in the courtyard of Buckingham Palace. (Daniel Leal/AFP)
Renewed concerns about the queen’s health surfaced on Wednesday after she withdrew from a scheduled meeting with her senior political advisors.
Harry and Meghan, who controversially abandoned their royal lifes in Britain and moved to the United States, arrived in the UK at the start of the week for formal engagements at multiple charity organisations. However, it is not confirmed whether the queen had met with the couple before Thursday.
On Tuesday, she welcomed newly elected Prime Minister Liz Truss, into a role only three women held in British history. On Wednesday the queen was told to rest, and consequently withdrew from a meeting.
A lengthy reign: A file photo shows Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral Castle in 1952. Photo: UPI
The monarch started showing health difficulties in October last year, months after the passing of her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on 9 April 2021. Prince Philip and the Queen had been married for 73 years.
In November 2021, it was reported that the queen spent a night in hospital in London.
Due to her waning health, the monarch missed several official engagements, including her Platinum Jubilee celebrations held in June this year.
The Queen is the longest reigning monarch in British history, after she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.
The passing of the Queen was announced on Thursday evening.
*This story was updated to reflect the passing of Queen Elizabeth II