Madonna was able to get Fireboy DML to hop on a “Frozen” remix by sliding into his DMs. The Nigerian Afrobeats creator told TMZ Madge hit him up in 2019.
The Weeknd is reminding his fans “Halloween season starts tonight” with the opening of his haunted attraction, The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare at Universal Studios.
Andy Grammer treated his big brother Dave to an epic birthday meal at a Golden Girls-themed pop-up restaurant. “He’s about as good as they come,” Andy said on his Instagram Story, which shows his brother loudly singing along to the Golden Girls theme.
Ava Max is celebrating her hit “The Motto” being certified Platinum by the RIAA. “Woweeeeeeee,” she celebrated on her Instagram Story. Speaking of Ava, she is teasing the music video for “Million Dollar Baby,” saying she just wrapped shooting.
We just got the Pumpkin Spice Latte back on the menu, but Green Day is already thinking about Christmas! The band mashed up their song “Wake Me Up When September Ends” with Mariah Carey‘s holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Fans were confused by the remix, even more so by Green Day ominously telling them, “She’s coming…”
BLACKPINK broke its own YouTube record by amassing over 80 million followers on the platform. The group was already the most subscribed-to artist on YouTube and is now the first musical act to boast 80 million followers.
Speaking of K-pop sensations, you can now catch BTS’ concert film BTS: Permission To Dance On Stage – LA on the Disney+ streaming service. Disney is the parent company of ABC News.
The music video for Marshmello and Bastille’s “Happier” has amassed over 1 billion YouTube views. The DJ reacted to the news by acknowledging fans: “So thankful to everyone who has watched this video. I love you all.” This is Marshmello’s third billion-views video and Bastille’s first.
Madonna was able to get Fireboy DML to hop on a “Frozen” remix by sliding into his DMs. The Nigerian Afrobeats creator told TMZ Madge hit him up in 2019.
We just got the Pumpkin Spice Latte back on the menu, but Green Day is already thinking about Christmas! The band mashed up their song “Wake Me Up When September Ends” with Mariah Carey‘s holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Fans were confused by the remix, even more so by Green Day ominously telling them, “She’s coming…”
Ariana Grande reacted to the sweet shout-out from her Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo at the Pinocchio premiere. She reposted the exchange to her Instagram Story and wrote, “My stunning sweetest I love you, I love you. I know it’s only been a day but can you please hurry back,” adding she’s “very missed.”
Demi Lovato dropped their latest Vevo live performance video, this time for the chilling song “Freak.” Demi is dripping in leather and chains for this riveting performance with their band.
The fourth stand-alone Thor film, Thor: Love and Thunder, is now streaming on Disney+.
As reported, the launch of the film celebrates Disney+ Day, the annual celebration of the streaming service owned by ABC News’ parent company, Disney.
Written and directed by Oscar winner Taika Waititi, the Marvel Studios movie again stars Chris Hemsworth‘s God of Thunder, as he — and his former flame Dr. Jane Foster, played again by Natalie Portman — do battle against Christian Bale‘s haunted, and haunting, Gorr the God Butcher.
The scarred, pale-faced baddie was shunned by his own god and decides that they all must die by his hand as revenge.
The movie is also available Thursday for purchase on HD digital for those who don’t subscribe to the streaming service.
The movie, which also stars Tessa Thompson, Russell Crowe, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, and Waititi himself, hits Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD formats on September 27.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden said in a statement on Queen Elizabeth II’s death that “the thoughts and prayers of people all across the United States are with the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in their grief.”
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch,” Biden and first lady Jill Biden said Thursday in a written statement, shortly after the queen’s death was announced. “She defined an era.”
“In a world of constant change,” they continued, “she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her.”
The Bidens said the late queen helped make the U.S.-U.K. relationship “special.”
“Queen Elizabeth II was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States,” they wrote.
Senior advisers informed Biden of the queen’s death during a meeting in the Oval Office, according to a White House official.
He ordered flags flown at half-staff at the White House and on all public U.S. buildings around the world until sundown on the day her body is laid to rest. After her funeral, her body is expected to be buried at Windsor Castle outside London.
The Bidens said they looked forward “to continuing a close friendship” with her son, now King Charles III, and his wife, Camilla, the queen consort, “in the years ahead.”
“We send our deepest condolences to the Royal Family, who are not only mourning their Queen, but their dear mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother,” they said. “Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world.”
The news of the death of the queen, who was 96, broke earlier Thursday as White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was holding a regular news briefing. Jean-Pierre learned of Buckingham Palace’s announcement from reporters.
“Our hearts go to the people of the United Kingdom, to the queen and to her family,” Jean-Pierre said.
At the Capitol, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also ordered flags lowered to half-staff.
“Today, Americans join the people of the United Kingdom in mourning the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II,” Pelosi tweeted. “Over her seven decades on the throne, Her Majesty was a pillar of leadership in the global arena and a devoted friend of freedom.”
Earlier Thursday, Biden spoke with British Prime Minister Liz Truss about the queen and told Truss he was “thinking very much” about the ailing monarch, the White House said.
On a pre-scheduled call with European leaders about Ukraine, which White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters was ongoing early Thursday afternoon, the president said he and first lady Jill Biden were “thinking” of the British royal family.
“He did convey to Prime Minister Truss, who is on the video teleconference, that he and Dr. Biden are thinking very much of the queen and the family and the people of the United Kingdom,” Kirby said.
Biden has been briefed on developments and “will be updated throughout the day concerning news out of the United Kingdom,” Kirby said.
“His and the first lady’s thoughts are solidly and squarely with the queen today, and her family,” Kirby said.
Buckingham Palace has said earlier Thursday that Queen Elizabeth’s doctors were “concerned for” her health, and had “recommended she remain under medical supervision.”
Queen Elizabeth met 13 sitting U.S. presidents in her lifetime, and met every U.S. president since World War II, with the exception of Lyndon B. Johnson.
Biden met with the queen last year during a trip to the United Kingdom — his first travel abroad as president.
He had previously met the queen in 1982 as a U.S. senator, during another trip to the U.K.
ABC News’ Allison Pecorin contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Steve Bannon, a onetime political adviser to former President Donald Trump, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan criminal court Thursday to charges of defrauding donors to the “We Build the Wall” fundraising campaign for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The six-count indictment charges Bannon and “We Build the Wall” itself with two counts of money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison. There are additional felony counts of conspiracy and scheme to defraud along with one misdemeanor count of conspiracy to defraud.
Bannon was released following his arraignment and is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 4.
“I’m going to stay and fight this,” he told reporters as he left the courthouse. “With this case, I’m begging you to remember the presumption of innocence.”
Earlier Thursday, as he arrived at the courthouse to surrender to authorities, he told reporters the charges were “all about 60 days to the election.”
“This is an irony, on the very day the mayor of this city has a delegation down on the border, they are persecuting people here who try to stop them on the border,” Bannon said, referring to a fact-finding delegation New York City Mayor Eric Adams has sent to Texas following the decision by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to bus migrants to New York.
The state charges, brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, resemble federal charges for which Bannon received a pardon by Trump, and allege that Bannon and “We Build the Wall” defrauded 430 Manhattan-based donors out of $33,600. Across New York state, there were more than 11,000 donors defrauded out of more than $730,000, according to the indictment.
The pardon by Trump only applied to the federal case and does not preclude the state charges.
The indictment quotes Bannon telling donors at a June 24, 2019, fundraising event, “Remember, all the money you give goes to building the wall.”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, speaking at a news conference announcing the charges Thursday afternoon, said that We Build the Wall raised $15 million from donors across the country based on “false pretenses,” citing a pledge organizers made that the group’s president would take no salary.
Instead, the campaign’s president, Brian Kolfage, received a salary of $250,000 that was secretly funneled to him by Bannon, who “directed” We Build the Wall to transfer tens of thousands of dollars to a nonprofit that he controlled, which then paid Kolfage, “thereby obscuring the source of funds,” according to Bragg.
“It is a crime to turn a profit by lying to donors, and in New York, you will be held accountable,” Bragg said. “As alleged, Stephen Bannon acted as the architect of a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud thousands of donors across the country — including hundreds of Manhattan residents.”
“Mr. Bannon took advantage of his donors’ political views to secure millions of dollars which he then misappropriated. Mr. Bannon lied to his donors to enrich himself and his friend,” added New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose office participated in the investigation.
Kolfage and Andrew Badolato, both of Florida, were indicted with Bannon in the federal case and pleaded guilty in April in connection with their role in the alleged scheme to defraud “We Build the Wall” donors.
A fourth defendant, Timothy Shea, stood trial in a case that ended in a mistrial.
Kolfage and Badolato are not named in the state indictment, but are referenced as co-conspirators 1 and 2, a sign they could have assisted Manhattan prosecutors build their case against Bannon.
The quartet allegedly used some of the $25 million raised through “We Build the Wall” on personal expenses, including a luxury SUV, a golf cart, and cosmetic surgery, the federal indictment said.
“The defendants defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction,” then-U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said when the charges were announced in 2020.
“My sole intent was to raise funds and donate those funds to the federal government,” Kolfage told the judge in the federal case.
“And you promised that 100% of the money would be used to build that wall? Is that right?” Judge Analisa Torres asked.
“Yes, your honor,” Kolfage replied.
“After keeping that large sum of money for yourself, you did not tell the IRS you received the money. Is that right?” Torres asked.
“Yes, your honor,” Kolfage answered.
Bannon’s surrender Thursday makes him the third defendant pardoned by Trump to subsequently face charges brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Paul Manafort, Trump’s one-time campaign boss, was charged with running a two-year scheme to obtain more than $19 million in residential mortgage loans based on fraudulent representations to various banks. The New York Court of Appeals ultimately threw out the case, deeming it too similar to Manafort’s federal conviction and therefore double jeopardy.
In the state case against Bannon, double jeopardy is not expected to apply because a jury was never convened to weigh the federal fraud charges over “We Build the Wall.”
Ken Kurson, a former editor of the New York Observer, associate of Jared Kushner and speechwriter for Rudy Giuliani, was pardoned by Trump in a federal cyberstalking case. Kurson eventually pleaded guilty to two state-level misdemeanors that accused him of spying on his former wife’s computer.
Kurson is due back in court next week so the judge can make sure he’s complying with his community service.
Trump pardoned Kurson during his final moments in office, but then-Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance announced an indictment seven months later that charged Kurson with eavesdropping and computer trespass.
Kurson, in 2015, surreptitiously installed spyware on his ex-wife’s computer from his work computer at the Observer in 2015, according to the indictment.
“We will not accept presidential pardons as get-out-of-jail-free cards for the well-connected in New York,” Vance said in a statement at the time the charges against Kurson were announced in 2021.
As part of Thursday’s streamed Star Trek Day Celebration, Paramount+ released a teaser for the third and final season of its Star Trek: The Next Generation spin-off, Picard.
The snippet shows Gates McFadden‘s Dr. Beverly Crusher apparently in trouble, and Patrick Stewart‘s Jean-Luc Picard gets the Star Trek: The Next Generation band back together to help. Jonathan Frakes‘ William Riker, LeVar Burton‘s Geordi LaForge, Marina Sirtis‘ Deanna Troi and Michael Dorn‘s Worf all appear in the teaser.
“Jean-Luc: Wherever you go, we go,” Riker insists.
“I need a ship,” Picard says.
“We need a ship,” Riker responds.
“I can’t ask you to put yourself in danger,” Picard tells his former first officer. “Since when?” Riker laughs.
As for that ship, they find one in the brand U.S.S. Titan. “Hello, beautiful,” Riker enthuses at the ship.
Fans also discover the ship is helmed by Jeri Ryan‘s Seven of Nine. Picard asks the commander to “do us the honor,” and she calls for the ship’s engines to “engage.”
The streaming service also revealed the show will return February 16, 2023.
(Note Language) The amount of drama surrounding Olivia Wilde‘s Don’t Worry Darling doesn’t seem to be abating, with weeks to go until its September 23 theatrical bow.
In a Vanity Fair cover story, Wilde again insisted she fired Shia LaBeouf from the film, in a role that eventually went to Harry Styles.
As reported, LaBeouf provided Variety with texts and video messages between him and the director, showing she was apparently eager to continue with him in the part, despite rumored tensions with co-star Florence Pugh.
Wilde insisted to VF the messages were “released out of context.”
“All I’ll say is he was replaced, and there was no going forward with him,” Wilde said.
Further, Wilde addressed reported tensions that story brought about with Pugh, whose apparent concerns about LaBeouf were seemingly dismissed in the communications with Shia. In one message, Wilde told the actor, “I think this might be a bit of a wake-up call for Miss Flo.”
Some pointed to the fact that Pugh has skipped press events discussing the movie as proof there’s bad blood between her and Wilde.
“Florence did the job I hired her to do, and she did it exquisitely,” Wilde offered, explaining Pugh’s absence was due to her shooting the Dune sequel.
Wilde described the swirling attention and reported tension with the lead actress “ironic,” noting the movie explores “how easy it is to strip a woman of power by using other women to judge and shame them.”
Wilde also called rumors she split with Ted Lasso Emmy winner Jason Sudeikis to get with Styles “complete horse****.”
“Our relationship was over long before I met Harry,” Olivia insisted in part. “Like any relationship that ends, it doesn’t end overnight.”
The pair co-parent their children, Otis, 8, and Daisy, 6.
(LONDON) — Queen Elizabeth II’s death at age 96 comes over one year after the death of her husband, Prince Philip, who died in April 2021 at the age of 99.
Their deaths marked the end of a seven-decade love story that started before the queen ascended to the throne.
“He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments, but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years,” the queen said in 1997, paying tribute to her husband on their golden wedding anniversary. “And I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.”
The Greek-born Prince Philip first met then-Princess Elizabeth in 1934 at the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark and Prince George, the Duke of Kent.
Philip and Elizabeth shared a great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria.
Philip was a direct descendant of Princess Alice, the third child of Queen Victoria. Queen Elizabeth is a direct descendant of Queen Victoria’s oldest son, who became King Edward VII, according to the royal family’s website.
After their first meeting, Elizabeth and Philip met several times over the course of the next decade, and a very young Princess Elizabeth became smitten with the blond, blue-eyed Philip. Her governess recorded that Philip’s “Viking good looks” made quite an impression on the princess.
The couple exchanged letters and, in 1946, Philip, then in his mid-20s, was given permission by King George VI to marry his daughter, on the condition that they wait until Elizabeth was 21.
Her father’s courtiers, however, were less impressed.
There were reportedly reservations about Philip’s lack of financial resources and foreign roots, and King George VI was also reportedly concerned about his daughter’s young age.
The couple endured the doubts and married on Nov. 20, 1947, in a royal wedding in Westminster Abbey.
Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles and adopted the anglicized surname of his mother’s family, calling himself Lt. Philip Mountbatten. His new father-in-law, the king, granted him the titles of Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich.
For several years after their marriage, Philip and Elizabeth lived a relatively normal life. He continued to serve in the Royal Navy, and the couple soon had their two oldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
Philip and Elizabeth’s lives changed in 1952 when, while Elizabeth was touring Kenya, her father died.
She became Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 25, and Philip gave up his career in the Royal Navy to support his wife.
The queen did not give her husband the formal title of “prince consort,” as was done in the past. Five years after the queen ascended to the throne, though, in 1957, she made Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, a prince of the United Kingdom.
Philip, who had four children with the queen, had reportedly been angry to learn, after his wife’s accession, that his children would never bear his last name, according to a 2012 biography of the queen by author Sally Bedell Smith.
“I’m nothing but a bloody amoeba,” Philip reportedly said, according to the book. “I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children.”
Although they didn’t bear his surname, Philip took a very active role in the upbringing of his children — Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward — and was very protective of both his family and the family business into which he married.
He was by Elizabeth’s side on all 251 of the official overseas visits she made before Philip passed away, according to the palace.
For Philip’s 90th birthday in 2011, the queen made him a lord high admiral.
On their 70th wedding anniversary in November 2017, Elizabeth appointed Philip to be a knight grand cross of the Royal Victorian Order for his services to the sovereign.
The couple celebrated their last wedding anniversary together, their 73rd, on Nov. 20, 2020.
In honor of the anniversary, Buckingham Palace released a photo showing the queen and Philip looking at a card made by three of their great-grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, the children of Prince William and Duchess Kate.
Elizabeth and Philip are survived by three sons, Princes Charles, Andrew and Edward; one daughter, Princess Anne; eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
(LONDON) — Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, has died at the age of 96, Buckingham Palace announced Thursday.
With the queen’s death come questions about what happens next, as the world has not witnessed a changeover in Britain’s monarchy in 70 years.
The U.K. government and the royal family have been planning for years to ensure a smooth transition after the queen’s death, and to appropriately honor her history-making reign.
Here’s what’s likely to take place in the coming days.
When and where will Elizabeth’s funeral take place?
The queen’s funeral will take place 10 days after her death, following the traditional observance of a national period of mourning.
Elizabeth’s funeral is expected to be held at Westminster Abbey, which would make her the first sovereign to have a funeral there since 1760.
The queen’s funeral is expected to be attended by dignitaries and heads of states from around the world.
Westminster Abbey normally holds 2,200 congregants, but extra seating can be arranged to accommodate more than 8,000 people, as it did at the queen’s coronation.
Where will the queen be buried?
The queen is expected to be laid to rest in a private burial at St. George’s Chapel, on the grounds of Windsor Castle, where she spent many of her final years.
The queen will be buried next to her father King George VI, her sister Princess Margaret, and Prince Philip, the queen’s beloved late-husband of 73 years.
Will there be a procession or memorial for the public to attend?
The queen’s coffin is set to lie in state in Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster to allow the public to pay their last respects.
Crowds of people have continued to grow outside the gates of Buckingham Palace since the queen’s death was confirmed.
When will Prince Charles’ coronation take place?
Charles, the eldest child of Elizabeth and Philip, became King Charles III upon his mother’s death.
The Accession Council, led by government figures, is expected to meet at St. James’s Palace in London the day after the queen’s death to formally proclaim Charles the new sovereign.
Charles’ coronation is likely to take place several months from now.
The queen’s coronation, for example, took place on June 2, 1953, 14 months after she ascended to the throne upon her father’s death.
Will Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, be crowned alongside Charles?
Yes, Camilla and Charles are expected to be crowned side-by-side.
In February, the queen requested that Camilla be known as Queen Consort when Charles became king.
Queen Consort is the title given to the spouse of a king, and under U.K. law, whoever is married to a king would immediately become that and be known as queen.
When Charles and Camilla married in 2005 there was some debate as to what title Camilla, a divorcee, would take when Charles became king. At the time of their wedding, a spokesperson for the couple suggested she would take the title Princess Consort.
The queen’s request, laid out in a letter marking her 70 years on the throne, was the first time the 96-year-old queen had publicly addressed her daughter-in-law’s role in the future monarchy.
Will Prince William and Kate receive new titles?
Now that Charles is king, his oldest son Prince William becomes heir to the throne and becomes the Duke of Cornwall.
With the new title, William inherits the Duchy of Cornwall, the private estate that was established in 1337 to provide financial independence for the heir to the throne and his family. Kate, formerly the Duchess of Cambridge, inherits the new title of the Duchess of Cornwall.
Charles still has to appoint his son as the Prince of Wales, which is expected to happen sometime in the coming days.
William, Kate and their three children — Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte — moved this summer from Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage, a four-bedroom cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
With the death of the queen and the ascension of their grandfather Charles to king, George, Louis and Charlotte have each moved up in the line of succession.
Is Prince Harry still in the line of succession?
Charles’s youngest son Prince Harry is still in the line of succession as he is still a member of the royal family.
He is now fifth in the line of succession, and his two children Archie and Lilibet are now sixth and seventh, respectively.
Harry and his wife Meghan are expected to keep their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The couple stepped down from their roles as senior working royals in 2020.
(LONDON) — Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II is under “medical supervision” on Thursday, according to Buckingham Palace.
The queen is being monitored by doctors at Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
At age 96, Elizabeth is Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. She ascended to the throne in 1952 and, in June, celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne.
The queen’s royal family members, including her four children, are now gathering by her side in Balmoral, according to the palace.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Sep 08, 3:36 PM EDT
Meet the new king
The eldest son of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch has taken his late mother’s place on the throne.
King Charles III is the first child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Upon the death of his mother on Sept. 8, Charles succeeded her as king of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms.
Charles, 73, was born at Buckingham Palace in London in 1948. He was just 3 years old when he became the heir apparent as his mother acceded to the throne as queen, following the death of her father, King George VI.
Sep 08, 3:26 PM EDT
Biden orders flags to half-staff
In a new proclamation, President Joe Biden has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff “until sunset, on the day of interment,” as a “mark of the respect for the memory of Queen Elizabeth II.”
“I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, on the day of interment,” the proclamation reads.
He continued, “I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Sep 08, 3:15 PM EDT
Former US presidents react over queen’s death
Former presidents of the United States have released statements in reaction to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
President Bill Clinton said in a statement that he and former first lady Hillary Clinton are mourning the passing of Her Majesty with the royal family and the rest of the world, describing her life as “extraordinary.”
“Throughout her remarkable 70-year reign, she led Britain through great transformations with unfailing grace, dignity, and genuine care for the welfare of all its people,” Bill Clinton said. “In sunshine or storm, she was a source of stability, serenity and strength.”
Bill Clinton added that he and Hillary Clinton “will always be grateful” to the kindness the queen showed them during visits to Buckingham Palace in 1995 and 2000.
President George W. Bush said in a statement that he and former first lady Laura Bush were “honored” to know the queen, describing her as a “woman of great intellect, charm and wit.”
“Spending time at Buckingham Palace, and having tea with Her Majesty — and her Corgis — is among our fondest memories of the presidency,” George W. Bush said.
The queen was able to lead the U.K. through dark moments with “her confidence in her people and her vision for a brighter tomorrow,” George W. Bush said.
“Our world benefitted from her steady resolve, and we are grateful for her decades of service as sovereign,” George W. Bush said. “Americans in particular appreciate her strong and steadfast friendship.”
President Barack Obama said in a statement that he and former first lady Michelle Obama were “lucky enough to come to know Her Majesty,” adding that the queen “meant a great deal to” to them.
“Back when we were just beginning to navigate life as President and First Lady, she welcomed us to the world stage with open arms and extraordinary generosity,” Barack Obama said. “Time and again, we were struck by her warmth, the way she put people at ease, and how she brought her considerable humor and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance.”
Barack Obama continued, “Like so many, Michelle and I are grateful to have witnessed Her Majesty’s dedicated leadership, and we are awed by her legacy of tireless, dignified public service. Our thoughts are with her family and the people of the United Kingdom at this difficult time.”
President Donald Trump also released a statement following the news of the queen’s death, saying that he and former first lady Melania Trump will always cherish their time together with the queen and will “never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor.”
“Melania and I are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” Donald Trump said on Truth Social, his social media platform. “Together with our family and fellow Americans, we send our sincere condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom during this time of great sorrow and grief. Queen Elizabeth’s historic and remarkable reign left a tremendous legacy of peace and prosperity for Great Britain.”
Sep 08, 2:47 PM EDT
UK thrived under Elizabeth’s reign, says Liz Truss
The newly appointed prime minister of the United Kingdom, Liz Truss, emphasized the importance of Queen Elizabeth II’s rule while addressing the death of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch on Thursday.
“Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built,” Truss said outside of 10 Downing Street on Thursday. “Our country has grown and flourished under her reign. Britain is the great country it is today because of her.”
Among the accomplishments Truss highlighted were Elizabeth’s accomplishment of growing the Commonwealth from a small group of seven countries to a “family of 56 nations” as well as visiting more than 100 countries as sovereign.
The queen, who met with Truss on Tuesday at Balmoral, invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party, to form a new government as prime minister, an act emblematic of the queen’s devotion to duty, Truss said.
“Earlier this week, at 96, she remained determined to carry out her duties as she appointed me as her 15th prime minister,” Truss said, describing her as the “the very spirit of Great Britain.”
Truss also extended condolences to the now-King Charles III, calling for the country to support him in the passing of the crown.
“We offer him our loyalty, and devotion, just as his mother devoted so much to so many for so long,” Truss said.
Sep 08, 2:21 PM EDT
Charles on queen’s passing: ‘A moment of the greatest sadness’
The queen’s eldest son and new king of England — who will be known as King Charles III — released a statement following his mother’s passing.
“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,” Charles said.
“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world,” the statement continued.
Sep 08, 2:06 PM EDT
UK lowers flags to half-mast as rainbows appear
The U.K. ordered all flags to fly at half-mast in the wake of the queen’s death Thursday.
In a bit of fortuitous timing, the rain clouds eased up following the announcement and rainbows appeared over Buckingham Palace.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also ordered the flags to fly at half-mast over the Capitol in tribute to the monarch, according to her deputy chief of staff.
Sep 08, 2:02 PM EDT
How the British royal line of succession changes
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, there is a new line of succession to the British throne.
The queen’s oldest son, Charles, the Prince of Wales, is now the new king. Members of his direct family — including his sons, Princes William and Harry — are now higher in the line of succession.
In general, succession falls to the first-born child of the heir and their children, followed by the next oldest sibling of the heir and their offspring and so on.
Sep 08, 1:51 PM EDT
What comes next after queen’s passing?
With the queen’s death come questions about what happens next, as the world has not witnessed a changeover in Britain’s monarchy in 70 years.
The U.K. government and the royal family have been planning for years to ensure a smooth transition after the queen’s death, and to appropriately honor her history-making reign.
Buckingham Palace announced Thursday that Queen Elizabeth II has died. She was 96.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the palace said in a statement. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
Elizabeth is survived by her three sons, Charles, Prince of Wales; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex; her daughter, Anne, Princess Royal; her eight grandchildren, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge; Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex; Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie; Peter and Zara Phillips; Lady Louise Windsor; and James, Viscount Severn. She is also survived by 12 great-grandchildren.
Her oldest son, Charles, succeeds her as king. His wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is expected to become queen consort, a title that Elizabeth requested at the time of her Platinum Jubilee in June.
Charles’s oldest son, William, is now heir apparent to the throne.
Sep 08, 1:10 PM EDT
Biden briefed on queen’s health, White House says
U.S. President Joe Biden has been briefed on Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and “will be updated throughout the day concerning news out of the United Kingdom,” given the reports of her health, White House spokesperson John Kirby said Thursday
“His and the first lady’s thoughts are solidly and squarely with the queen today and her family,” Kirby told reporters.
Biden also expressed that his thoughts are with U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss, who took office on Tuesday and is currently taking part in a previously scheduled phone call with Biden and other allies focused on “continued support for Ukraine,” according to Kirby.
“I can tell you that in this video conference that the president is having as we speak, I can tell you that he did convey to Prime Minister Truss, who is on the video teleconference, that he and Dr. Biden are thinking very much of the queen and the family and the people of the United Kingdom,” Kirby said.
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Sep 08, 10:05 AM EDT
UK prime minister ‘deeply concerned’ about queen
U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss took to Twitter on Thursday to say that her “thoughts — and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom — are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this time.”
“The whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime,” Truss tweeted.
Truss, who was recently selected as the new leader of the United Kingdom’s ruling Conservative Party, had an audience with the queen at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Tuesday, during which she was formally asked to form a new government as prime minister after Boris Johnson’s official resignation. It was the first time in the queen’s 70-year reign that the ceremonial transfer of power was held at Balmoral, rather than at Buckingham Palace in London.
Sep 08, 9:41 AM EDT
Senior royals head to Balmoral Castle
Senior members of the British royal family are either at or on their way to Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where Queen Elizabeth II remains “under medical supervision.”
The queen’s oldest child and the heir to her throne, Charles, prince of Wales; and his wife, Camilla, duchess of Cornwall; as well as the queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, are already at Balmoral, according to their respective spokespersons.
Meanwhile, the queen’s other sons, Prince Andrew, duke of York; and Prince Edward, earl of Wessex; as well as Edward’s wife, Sophie, countess of Wessex; Charles’ two sons, Prince William, duke of Cambridge; Prince Harry, duke of Sussex; and Harry’s wife, Meghan, duchess of Sussex, are all on their way to Balmoral, their respective spokespersons confirmed.
