Her coffin left Buckingham Palace for the last time Wednesday, borne on a horse-drawn carriage and saluted by cannons and the tolling of Big Ben, in a solemn procession to Westminster Hall.
There are tributes worldwide to Queen Elizabeth II — from the Empire State Building to the British Embassy in Tokyo — for the United Kingdom's longest-reigning monarch.
Throughout her 70 years as queen, Elizabeth II sought to maintain strict political neutrality. While Charles has been careful not to tread too publicly, he does have a history of wading into politics.
The queen served as the United Kingdom's monarch since 1952. Her reign spanned a remarkable arc in British history and was defined by duty to country — and considerable family pain.
Queen Elizabeth, who reigned for 70 years as Britain's monarch, died Thursday at Balmoral, her estate in the Scottish Highlands. She was 96. Her son Charles, 73, is now king.
Taking the crown on Feb. 6, 1952, the queen has ruled the United Kingdom for more than 70 years. Her tenure on the throne is second only to French King Louis XIV.
Huge crowds converged on central London on Thursday for the start of four days of public events to mark the queen's history-making 70 years on the throne.
Queen Elizabeth II is marking 70 years on the throne, but recent years have been bumpy for the British monarchy. Public support for the institution has fallen, even as the queen remains popular.