The flags are at half mast. On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96, Buckingham Palace reported in a statement. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and Queen consort will remain at Balmoral tonight and return to London tomorrow,” it read.

Already in the afternoon of this Thursday, the state of health of the queen had caused concern in the United Kingdom. While she was at Balmoral Castle, her doctors said in a statement sent by Buckingham. “Following a further assessment this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have resumed that she remains under medical supervision. The Queen continues to feel comfortable.”

At the announcement of the disappearance of Elizabeth II, tributes followed one another on social networks and via press releases. The President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, had greeted the sovereign “who embodied the continuity and unity of the British nation for more than 70 years. I remember a friend of France, a queen of hearts who forever marked his country and his century”.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre also saluted the memory of the sovereign. “The UK is one of our closest allies, and our thoughts are with the people of the UK, the Queen and her family.”