Friday morning news briefing: Nation mourns death of the Queen – The Telegraph

From this morning's Front Page newsletter: World tributes after Her Majesty dies at 96, as reign of King Charles III begins. Sign up below
She was Britain’s longest-serving monarch and grandmother of the nation. The UK is in mourning after the death of Queen Elizabeth II aged 96, at the Balmoral home she loved so much. 
Her Majesty passed away "peacefully" yesterday afternoon, the news announced after her Queen’s family had flown in to be together at her Scottish estate. 
Queen Elizabeth II had pledged to dedicate her life to duty and did just that until her final days, appointing her 15th prime minister just 48 hours before her death. 
She is succeeded by her eldest son and heir, whom a spokesman confirmed will be known as King Charles III. 
In a written statement, he described the death of his "beloved mother" as a "moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family". The Duchess of Cornwall has become the Queen Consort. 
Queen Elizabeth’s death comes after one of the most significant periods of her reign, in which she rallied the nation during the Covid pandemic and felt the affection of her people as she returned to public life after the death of the Duke of Edinburgh and celebrated her Platinum Jubilee year. 
As royal editor Hannah Furness reports, her death will set in motion a period of national mourning. Latest updates will be posted here throughout the day.
The magnitude of the Queen’s death was captured by tributes from world leaders, her prime ministers and the public, the vast majority of whom, an estimated 58.8 million in the UK alone, have never known life without her. 
Standing for a second time in two days on the steps of Downing Street, new Prime Minister Liz Truss again addressed the nation, this time to hail the monarch as the "rock on which modern Britain was built". 
Read her moving speech, in which she spoke of the UK’s devastating loss. Follow more tributes as they are paid around the world.
Her Majesty’s health is understood to have deteriorated rapidly, with members of her family making last-minute arrangements to fly to Balmoral. 
The Duke of Sussex raced to be at his beloved grandmother’s bedside, but arrived more than an hour after Buckingham Palace announced her death. 
Prince Harry flew to Scotland separately from the rest of the Royal family and without his wife, Meghan, despite sources close to the couple saying they both planned to make the journey to Royal Deeside earlier in the day. 
It is only 10 days since a fresh interview by Meghan was greeted with a combination of anger and dismay behind Palace gates. 
Associate editor Camilla Tominey examines how the Queen’s grandsons finally put their differences aside.
For many, Her Majesty’s death will be a loss almost too great to process. Her long life, the home movie of our history; her face, the screensaver of the United Kingdom; a diadem in the national firmament; the stamp on every letter; the silhouette of the national self. Our Queen. 
But, as the Queen said in a message of condolence to the families of British victims lost in the 9/11 terrorist attack: "Grief is the price we pay for love." 
In a poignant article, Allison Pearson writes that Her Majesty’s own words of wisdom can provide comfort in our moment of sorrow.
During a period of remarkable change throughout her realms and the world at large, Her Majesty proved herself one of the most effective and best-loved sovereigns the nation has known. Read her obituary.
154 stunning photos capturing Her Majesty’s candid and rarely-seen moments. View the gallery
The United Kingdom will remain in a period of national mourning until the Queen’s state funeral, after Buckingham Palace set in motion a detailed accession plan that has been honed over a period of decades. Over the next 10 to 12 days, the British public, world leaders and the Royal family will come together to remember Queen Elizabeth II. Associate editor Gordon Rayner explains how Her Majesty will lie in state so her subjects can pay their respects in person.
Britain’s entire sporting schedule is being suspended today as national mourning begins after the death of the Queen. England’s series-deciding third Test against South Africa loses a day’s play and golf at Wentworth was also cancelled "out of respect for Her Majesty and the Royal family". As Tom Morgan reports, Premier League clubs are also preparing for the growing possibility the whole weekend of action will be wiped out too.
Postal and rail strikes have been cancelled following Her Majesty’s death. Members of the Communication Workers Union were due to continue a 48-hour walkout in a dispute over pay and conditions and The Transport Salaried Staffs Association also called off railway strikes that were being prepared for September. As political editor Ben Riley-Smith reports, usual government business has been scaled back, with announcements put on pause – although the new energy price freeze will still progress.
If you want to receive twice-daily briefings like this by email, sign up to the Front Page newsletter here. For two-minute audio updates, try The Briefing – on podcasts, smart speakers and WhatsApp.
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