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The Queen's last summer was one of her happiest of recent years, entertaining a string of family and friends at Balmoral. Her Highland estate - every purple-hued sprig brimming with memories of her beloved Philip - had been a huge source of comfort after the most difficult of times. One source with close links to the Royal Household told me recently that she had not been suffering from any chronic condition. Another said: 'She's lost a lot of weight and has been feeling all the aches and pains that a 96-year-old woman would be expected to feel and has suffered terrible problems with her sore feet.'

Meghan Markle may not have travelled to Balmoral with Prince Harry over fears she may not have been 'warmly welcomed' by other members of the Royal family, the BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said. The Duchess of Sussex is thought to be staying in London tonight, after deciding not to travel to Scotland with Harry following what has been described as a late 'change of plan'. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed earlier today that the couple would be travelling to 'Scotland' together following news of The Queen's ill health. But conflicting reports then emerged in the following hours suggesting Meghan would not be going to Balmoral. While it is not clear what sparked the 'change of plan', one royal expert speculated the reason may be due to fears she 'might not be terribly warmly welcomed'. The BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said: 'She might not be terribly warmly welcomed, to be perfectly candid about it.' The Queen's death was then confirmed by the Royal Family at 6.30pm today, with Buckingham Palace saying she had died 'peacefully' at Balmoral this afternoon. Prince Harry is believed to have arrived at the royal estate shortly after the announcement

JAN MOIR: It was the BBC which caught the moment best. At 6pm the mood on screen was as solemn as a Bible. There were no snazzy Big Ben bongs, no music, none of the usual titles to announce the evening news programme. Auntie was slipping into full fig funeral mode, even though the Queen's death had yet to be officially announced. Newsreader Huw Edwards was already in his black tie looking tearful, while Witchell - ever the stickler for detail and protocol - was still in his blue tie. Edwards was speaking very, very slowly, but with exactly the layer of gravelly Welsh gravitas the occasion demanded. And then, in the most simple and perfectly judged moment after he relayed the sad details, the National Anthem was played as an official portrait of the young Queen filled the screen.

The statement 'from His Majesty The King' came just half an hour after the 'peaceful' passing of the Queen was announced. He is now effectively king although protocol dictates that he is proclaimed as the new monarch the day after the Queen's death. His statement read: 'The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.'

It is not hard to imagine the confusion of emotion and anticipation flooding through our new King's mind today. Sadness and grief at the loss of a mother whose love he only came to really fully understand in the latter half of his life; but also the enormity of the challenge in following the most successful sovereign in British history. She was 25 and a young mother when she came to the throne. Charles is 73 and a grandfather. Understandably, what most weighs on his mind is that time is short for him to make his mark as monarch, something crucially important to this student of royal history.

DOMINIC SANDBROOK Clearly, it is a testament to the late Queen's extraordinary tact and reserve that although she held weekly audiences with 15 Prime Ministers, from Sir Winston Churchill, via Ted Heath, John Major to Liz Truss, we know very little about what actually went on when the doors were closed. Even so, it is possible, by piecing together court rumours and political confidences, to get a pretty good idea of the Queen's relations with those who ran her governments. As somebody who loved horses and the countryside, she naturally got on best with premiers who shared her interests. Indeed, the tweedy Conservative PM Sir Alec Douglas-Home, who governed from 1963 to 1964, was already a family friend before he landed the top job. As one aide remarked, they were 'the same sort of people' and spent their meetings talking about 'dogs and shooting'.

A.N. WILSON: During three of the most dramatic periods of change in our national history, we have had a Queen reigning over us - it's a striking fact. When Elizabeth I became Queen, the date might have been 1558, but in many respects this country was still medieval. By the end of her reign, we had the American colonies, Shakespeare had written his plays, and we were recognisably a modern nation.

The death of the Queen in Scotland has triggered contingency plans known as Operation Unicorn. Part of the long-held so-called London Bridge arrangements for the aftermath of Elizabeth's death, Unicorn sets in motion additional ceremonial events in Edinburgh ahead of the logistics of moving the Queen's coffin back to London. The Earl Marshal who is in charge of the plans will, along with royal aides and the Government, be rapidly adjusting the overarching timetable to incorporate the Scottish element, as the military, clergy and police turn their attention to the immense practicalities. 

The Prime Minister said the devastating' event marked the end of the second Elizabethan age and her passing was 'a great loss' the the nation and the world. She spoke in Downing Street , where Union Jacks flew at half mast following the end of the Queen's 70-year reign. The death of the beloved monarch at the age of 96 comes just days after Ms Truss travelled to Balmoral on Tuesday to formally be appointed prime minister. It would become the Queen's final personal political role before passing away this afternoon.

HENRY DEEDES: The House of Commons at its liveliest is a merciless cockpit, pumped with passion and rambunctious debate. But when it retreats without warning into sombre eeriness - that's when you know something bad is afoot. It happened yesterday shortly after midday, not long after Nadhim Zahawi's powerful form came striding into the chamber, a scribbled note dangling from his fingers. MPs were debating the Government's plans to tackle soaring energy bills. Tempers had been running high. But the new Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster had no interest in the proceedings. He made straight for the Prime Minister on the frontbench. He leant in to speak to her and his first words sent her bolt upright, as though she'd been jolted with a high voltage cattle prod.

MARGARET RHODES: Like the Queen, I once lived in what would turn out to be the last days of a long-lost world of seemingly unassailable privilege. She was my first cousin, just ten months younger than me. My father, the 16th Lord Elphinstone, had been born in 1869, exactly halfway through Queen Victoria's long reign. My mother was the Queen Mother's sister. Princess Elizabeth and I were in the last generation of girls from families like ours, who didn't go to school but were educated at home by governesses. And we were more or less brought up together. Full of fun: From left, Margaret Rhodes (then Elphinstone) and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret watching as the grown-ups play 'Are you there, Moriarty?

The passing of Her Majesty dominated the homepages of newspapers around the globe on Thursday as the 'world was crying' for Britain's longest-reigning monarch. Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully, surrounded by her family, at Balmoral in Scotland Thursday afternoon. All Her Majesty's children had rushed to the estate after doctors became 'concerned' for her health. At 6.30pm her death was confirmed. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow'. The 96-year-old monarch had been dogged by health problems since last year that have left her struggling to walk and stand. The Queen - an instantly recognisable figure to billions of people across the globe - was in her Platinum Jubilee year, marking 70 years since she succeeded her father king George VI in 1952. Newspapers across the world shared the devastating news to their readers on Thursday - while several world leaders said their thoughts were the Royal family during this difficult time.

The British public and admirers from around the Commonwealth and world are remembering the moment they met the Queen following Her Majesty's death at the age of 96. There has been an outpouring of grief from many including  public figures and world leaders online following Buckingham Palace's announcement this evening. But some of the most touching tributes have come from the 'ordinary' people who met her, with many taking to social media to reminisce about the time they were fortunate enough to have an audience with Queen Elizabeth II.

She became known for her stoicism and her calm demeanour during her 70 years on the throne. But long before she became Queen, the young Princess Elizabeth was known as a 'shy and humble' little girl - who had a bit of a temper and once threw ink over herself in a fit of frustration over learning French.  Born in Mayfair on April 21, 1926, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of York was granddaughter of the King, third in line to the throne and unlikely ever to be crowned.  That afforded 'Lilibet', a nickname given by her closest family members, and her sister Margaret, four years her junior,  a sheltered if privileged upbringing. But in 1936, when she was just 10, her uncle King Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, making her father King and changing her destiny forever. Left as a baby, centre aged four, right with her sister Margaret aged 15. Inset: Elizabeth is held by her parents as a baby and on the Buckingham Palace balcony aged 11.

Paddington Bear (right) has paid tribute (inset) to Queen Elizabeth II (left) just a few months after they warmed the nation's hearts with a hilarious afternoon tea sketch at 'Buckingham Palace'. At 6.30pm today, The Royal Family announced that the Queen had died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. And moments after the news broke that Her Majesty had died at the age of 96, Paddington joined in as tributes poured in. The bear said in a simple yet heartfelt message: 'Thank you Ma'am, for everything.'

Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, aged 96 Victoria Beckham and Sir Elton John led the celebrity tributes as the nation bid a fond farewell to The Queen after a historic 70-year reign. The former Spice Girl, 48, revealed she is 'deeply saddened' by the news while music icon Elton, 75, said he will 'miss her dearly' in a touching social media post.

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary arrived into the world at 2.40am on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street in London's Mayfair in the year of the General Strike. Fair-haired and blue-eyed, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York was a sensible soul who was educated at home by tutors and rather disliked maths. The Princess, who was given the nickname Lilibet when she found Elizabeth difficult to pronounce, was bright, well-behaved, methodical and tidy. This nickname has been in the news in recent months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave it to their second child, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born on June 4 in Santa Barbara, California. As for the Queen, her early life was sheltered. A secret trip on the London Underground and occasional trips on open-top double-decker buses brought much excitement. She was born only third in line to the throne with little prospect of being crowned. But the abdication of her uncle David, Edward VIII, in 1936 changed her destiny forever. Elizabeth was just 10 when her father became King George VI, altering her future overnight and making her the heir presumptive. Pictured: Baby Elizabeth with her parents, the future George VI and Queen Mother, at her christening in 1926 (left), with her mother on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after George VI's coronation in 1937 (centre) and with her father and their corgis in London in 1936 (right). Nobody could have predicted that she would have reigned for 70 years, helping steer the country through crisis after crisis as well leading the Windsors through choppy waters that at times threatened the future and integrity of the Royal Family right up until her death.

As one of the most photographed women in the world, the Queen's reign has been documented through a camera lens year after year. From the earliest picture in a black mourning outfit when she had been sovereign for just one day to walking her corgis and through coal mines, this stunning collection of photographs documents her historic reign. Pictured: The Queen in a black outfit as she returns to Clarence House in London after the death of her father King George VI on February 7, 1952 (top left); in a leopard-skin coat at a horseracing event in 1962 (top, second from left); in her study at Balmoral on September 1, 1972 (second from right); in the South Sea Islands in 1982 (top right); assessing the damage caused by the Windsor Castle fire in 1992 (bottom left); enjoying a walkabout during a visit to Canada in 2002 (bottom, second from left); laughing with the Duchess of Cambridge whilst watching a children's sport event in Nottingham (2012); and at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2022 (bottom right).

The heartbroken mother of three siblings murdered in their home in Ireland was consoled by friends and family as the coffins of her children arrived ahead of their funeral today. Margaret 'Twink' Cash McDonagh, 40, watched as three carriages drawn by horses carrying three white caskets with her children Lisa Cash, 18, and eight-year-old twin siblings, Christy and Chelsea Cawley arrived at St Aidan's Church, Brookfield, Tallaght. Thousands from the community turned out to pay their respects and offer their support to Ms McDonagh as the cortege made its journey from the funeral home. The three siblings were laid to rest in Bohernabreena Cemetery in Dublin to the sound of bagpipes as a lone piper walked ahead of the horses. Older brother Andy Cash, 24, has been charged with killing his three younger siblings in a horrific knife frenzy in the early hours of Sunday morning at their home up the road in Rossfield Avenue, Tallaght.

Liz Truss is committing the government to keeping costs for households at £2,500 a year until October 2024 - less than half the level many feared they would hit. Ms Truss conceded the intervention is on the scale of the response to Covid, insisting the alternative is to stand by and see the economy suffer massive damage. She said Russia's invasion of Ukraine had shown up the 'flaws' in the UK's energy strategy over 'decades'. The government says households will save £1,150 on average over the next year as a result of the support - which will be implemented using central contracts with suppliers. However, Ms Truss also declared that there must be change to ensure the country is not in this position again - with the fracking ban set to be ditched and a new era of oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. There will also be a package of help for businesses facing catastrophe due to soaring energy costs. They will get 'equivalent' support for at least six months, operating through the wholesale energy market.

Without intervention, the average household energy bill would have jumped 80 per cent from October 1, up from the current £1,971 to £3,549 a year under Ofgem's latest price cap, before surging to astronomical levels in 2023. The two-year plan is expected to save the average family around £1,000 from October and protect billpayers from further price hikes over the coming months. Businesses, hospitals and schools - which are not covered by Ofgem's domestic price cap - will see an equivalent injection of emergency support under a six-month support scheme offered by the Government. MailOnline has gathered all the details to work out what Thursday's turn of events mean for you as a household, whether you're a young family or a pensioner, or for small businesses and schools, care homes and hospitals.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the Mendy rape trial: 'All I remember is waking up to Ben being on top of me.' She fought back tears as she told the jury at Chester Crown Court in a pre-recorded video interview that she had been to a night club with Mendy and then back for a pool party at his £4.8million mansion in Prestbury, Cheshire. She is one of three women who claim they were raped by the Manchester City defender at the two day party on the 23 to 24 of July last year. The witness, who was 19 at the time, said she and a friend had been to Mendy's house and then onto a nightclub in Manchester before returning to the mansion for more drinks and a swim in the pool.

Eliana Keeling, 65, from Chorlton, Greater Manchester, was shocked when a routine blood test revealed she had a rare blood cancer a week before Christmas in 2020. The retired teacher started chemotherapy on Christmas Day but was given the devastating news her cancer was terminal in May 2021 despite two intensive rounds. Mrs Keeling was offered the chance to be part of experimental research in a phase I clinical trial in June 2021, at the expert cancer centre The Christie in the city.

Two men were on a motorbike just behind the man's black Mercedes on a London road when he stopped his vehicle, got out and confronted them armed with a large claw hammer. The man, (pictured) wearing a black baseball cap and a white t-shirt, screams at the pair and hits one on the head with the hammer, then threatens 'I'll f**** you up!' before finally getting back in his car. One of the men on the bike filmed the frightening incident on his helmet-mounted camera and uploaded the footage to YouTube. The driver of the motorcycle said the man hit him in the head with the hammer, but fortunately he was protected by his helmet.

Aaron Nee, a nutritionist from East Sussex, said his son Jacob came home with an NHS letter warning his parents to 'make healthy changes' in April. The boy, who 'hardly has an ounce of fat on him', was weighed at school in March when he was four years old and was deemed to be overweight at 26.2kg (4st 1lb) for his 3ft 11 frame. Mr Nee, 37, was furious to realise that the BMI measurement system, which fails to take into account muscle mass and bone density, was being used to assess the weight of children nationally.

Ukraine has pinned up to 30,000 Russian soldiers in the southern city of Kherson with a much-hyped counter-attack that got underway last month (left, bottom right) - drawing Putin's forces away from the east before launching a surprise second attack near Kharkiv yesterday (top right). Taking advantage of defences that had been thinned out to reinforce Kherson, Ukraine punched 12 miles through the Russian frontline and is now threatening key supply lines into the Donbas. If those are cut, it puts Putin's eastern offensive at risk of collapse by depriving troops there of crucial ammunition and food shipments. Though advances in Kherson have been slower, Ukrainian troops continue to inch forward - pressing Russian forces up against the Dnipro River from where they have no easy escape. If that city falls, then it could spell disaster for Putin's entire invasion.

The Town Moor racecourse in South Yorkshire welcomed hundreds of revellers - dressed in highly glamorous attire - for Ladies Day. The four-day meet began yesterday, with today reserved for fizz and finery. The course recently enjoyed £34 million redevelopment, with swish facilities including a five-storey grandstand

Aneel Zafar has accused Stoke-on-Trent City Council of bullying after planning officers launched legal action against him for getting windows (inset) fitted and painting his home which is in a conservation area. Now Aneel (pictured) is still refusing to replace his windows and repaint the property and is taking his case to the Planning Inspectorate.

Emotional Katie Price hit back at claims she fabricated the story about being raped at gunpoint in South Africa on Thursday. During an appearance on Steph's packed Lunch, the former glamour model, 44, declared that she 'didn't make any of it up' but is constantly branded a 'liar'. Katie, who is set to detail her traumatic ordeal in a hard-hitting Channel 4 documentary, previously revealed to MailOnline that she was raped at gunpoint during a 2018 carjacking, which led her to suffer a mental breakdown.

Haley Mohler, 27, a personal assistant, and her bride-to-be-friend Tori, 24, were attempting to pose for a photograph in front of the fountain at the Las Vegas hotel after a 12-hour drinking session. In the footage, both are stood to take the picture but just as it has been taken, Tori slips. She knocks Haley off balance and in a bid to regain her balance, she tries to move so that she is sitting by the fountain. But as soon as she tries to sit down, she realizes that there are spikes and she folds in half, falling into the fountain.

Cara Delevingne has launched a new collaboration with celebrated designer Karl Lagerfeld amid growing concern for her personal wellbeing and following claims that her family will stage an intervention. The British model stars in a dramatically shot campaign for sustainable capsule collection CARA LOVES KARL, developed exclusively by Delevingne with the German fashion icon and available to buy from September 8. In a series of striking images, the 30-year old ditches her natural light brown hair colour for a bold peroxide blonde bob while modelling each carefully curated piece.

The small bridge was built to help locals in Kinshasa's Mont-Ngafula cross a river during the rainy season. It was replacing a temporary structure which also used to break frequently during floods. Footage shows organisers gathered on the bridge during the opening ceremony. But just as the moment the ribbon was cut, the bridge buckled, both its handrails broke off, and the central section slumped into the stream a couple of yards below.

At least 10 people were injured after they were thrown off roller coaster carts that derailed at an amusement park in northeastern Brazil. The group was enjoying the ride when it suddenly jumped out off the track at the park in Maranguape, Fortaleza, on Tuesday night. A video, recorded by one of the victims seated towards the back of the ride, showed the group enjoyed themselves and yelling as the roller coaster was nearing a turn on the tracks.

Amateur chefs from around the world, have been sharing their kitchen disasters - with a handful of the very worst curated into a gallery by Bored Panda. Pictured (clockwise from L): spaghetti that has somehow caught fire as it's being boiled, a waffle that's been incinerated beyond recognition, and the remains of curly flies that were left in an over while the cook fell asleep.

Will, four, was at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay theme park with her mother Ashleigh, who filmed her on the 'Air Grover' ride. Footage shows the four-year-old excited to try the Sesame Street themed ride with a huge smile on her face. Will is happy as the ride begins and her mother films her with her hands in the air. When construction worker Ashleigh, from Tampa, Florida, asks if she is excited, she says 'yes' and when asked if she is scared, she says 'no', as the two ride the child-friendly ride. But the excitement and happiness about being on the ride soon turns to fear.

The airport staff were busted on Tuesday by a woman sitting in a terminal, as she was waiting for her Air Canada flight to board. TikTok user @sugywitdahoodie filmed the staff through a window overlooking the runway, and as they were taking photos around the plane. 'Everyone on our flight wondering why we're 3+ hours delayed,' a caption on the video - which has been viewed more than 300,000 times - says. 'The flight attendants are having a literal photoshoot outside, ON THE PLANE.' The footage showed one flight attendant sitting on the plane's engine, as baggage handlers wearing high-visibility snapped their photo.

A rabbit made a Bugs Bunny-style escape at a greyhound race in Ballarat on Wednesday night; with the oblivious dogs skating right past the lucky fluffer in the fourth race of the evening, which was abandoned due to the intruder.