Queen Elizabeth died on Thursday at the age of 96. The queen's closest family members had rushed to be at her bedside at Balmoral, a private residence set among thousands of acres in the Scottish Highlands. Her body is expected to remain there initially before being taken Sunday to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. After Elizabeth's death, her eldest son Charles became the king. Aged 73, he is the oldest monarch yet to ascend the throne. Both mother and son shared a special bond. Charles used to escort his mother to the throne for one of her royal duties: Opening Parliament every year.
Here's a look at their most memorable images:
King Charles is the first child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He was born at Buckingham Palace in London in 1948. (Picture credit: Getty)
When Queen Elizabeth gave birth to Charles, she broke a royal tradition. A top politician, such as the Prime Minister or the Home Secretary, used to attend every royal birth. But Charles became the first royal to be born without a witness. According to royal historian Kate Williams, the Queen's father, George VI, "put an end" to that tradition. (Picture credit: Getty)
When Queen Elizabeth succeeded to the throne following the death of her father, King George VI, Charles was just four years old. (Picture credit: Getty)
Young Charles had nothing in common with his frank, undemonstrative mother, but the two grew close and warmly attached over time. (Picture credit: Getty)
The Queen has recently given her eldest son Charles more duties, and as a result, he became a dependable presence by the queen's side at public events and on occasions like this year's Jubilee celebrations. (Picture credit: Getty)
Charles, now king, wrote in a statement shared by Buckingham Palace on Twitter, "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." (Picture credit: Getty)Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
