JUST IN: Prince Charles succeeds Queen Elizabeth as king

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Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday that Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history and an icon instantly recognisable to billions of people worldwide, had passed away at the age of 96.

Following the queen’s record-breaking 70-year reign, her eldest son Charles, 73, assumes the throne immediately in accordance with centuries of tradition, ushering in a new, less secure chapter for the royal family.