The death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II was marked by a gun salute across the UK and elsewhere, with one round for each of the 96 years of her life.
Buckingham Palace said a period of royal mourning will be observed from today until seven days after the queen's funeral, the date of which has yet to be confirmed.
Gun salutes rang out in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland, as well as Gibraltar.
A large crowd in Hyde Park applauded as the final of 96 rounds were fired during the gun salute.
Thousands of people had stood in solemn silence for 16 minutes as the cannons boomed once every 10 seconds, sending smoke across the grounds with each round.
Bells also tolled across the UK, with churches, chapels and cathedrals encouraged by the Church of England to open for prayers or a special service for mourners.
Queen Elizabeth's son and successor King Charles III spoke of his grief soon after Buckingham Palace announced the death of the 96-year-old monarch, who died "peacefully" yesterday afternoon at Balmoral.
He left Balmoral this morning with Queen Consort Camilla to return to London by plane from Aberdeen airport and was greeted by large crowds at Buckingham Palace.
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Obituary: Queen Elizabeth's 70-year reign
'A Uachtaráin agus a chairde'
'End of an era' - tributes paid
An extraordinary life in pictures
Tributes from around the world have hailed the queen's unwavering commitment to serving the UK and the Commonwealth.
King Charles III acceded to the throne immediately on the death of Elizabeth II.
One of the first acts of the new monarch - whose chosen title was confirmed by British Prime Minister Liz Truss - was to speak of his grief and highlight the "respect and deep affection" in which the queen was "so widely held".
Crowds of people gathered at the gates of Buckingham Palace, Balmoral and Windsor Castle to pay their respects. World leaders sent their condolences, with US President Joe Biden describing her as "a stateswoman of unmatched dignity".
Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Truss heralded the late monarch as "the rock on which modern Britain was built".
She said that King Charles maintains a clear sense of duty and service even as he mourns the death of his mother.
"I was grateful to speak to His Majesty last night and offer my condolences. Even as he mourns, his sense of duty and service is clear," Ms Truss told parliament.
Buckingham Palace made the official announcement at 6.30pm yesterday with a brief 26-word statement.
King Charles will hold his first audience with the Prime Minister later today.
Ms Truss and senior ministers will attend a public service of remembrance at St Paul's in central London.
Tomorrow morning, an Accession Council - the formal proclamation of Charles as King - will take place at St James's Palace in London.
He will hold audiences, and the media will be briefed by the Earl Marshal, who is in charge of the accession and the queen's funeral.
A huge international media contingent is gathered outside Balmoral, standing on sodden ground behind security barriers under makeshift canopies and umbrellas.
Behind the scenes, the long-held London Bridge plans for the queen's death are being put into action, setting out the next 11 days according to a strict timetable which will feature a lying in state and then the solemnity and grandeur of a state funeral.
Floral tributes at the gates of Balmoral, Queen Elizabeth's Scottish residence, where she died yesterday afternoon and where her body remains @rtenews pic.twitter.com/4vxx0OAiQN
— Vincent Kearney (@vincekearney) September 9, 2022
The arrangements have a more complex factor due to the queen's death being in Scotland - and have triggered Operation Unicorn - the contingency plans in case for such an event.
Members of the royal family will be expected in the coming days to hold a vigil around the queen's coffin in St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, and the coffin will have to be transported by RAF plane back to London.
Additional reporting Vincent Kearney
