Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, has died. She was 96 years old. Britain’s beloved monarch, who took the throne in 1952, wasn’t originally supposed to be Queen; when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated in 1936, she became heir to the throne. The Queen went on to become one of the country’s—and the world’s—most dependable figures. Read our obituary of the monarch at the link in bio.