Live updates: Queen Elizabeth dies II at 96, King Charles III now Britain’s monarch

The first murmurs that the queen might have died came just after midday in parliament.

It was Liz Truss’ second day as British prime minister. Early Thursday afternoon, the new leader of Britain was facing a grilling from the leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer, about her plans for the country’s winter energy crisis. Starmer’s deputy passed him a note written on yellow paper. Within minutes, both Truss and Starmer had left the room. There was hushed talk. Something was up.