The Queen is dead, long live the King.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday, ending the longest reign of a British monarch and what was widely considered to be the second-longest reign of any monarch in world history.

In her place, the former heir and Prince of Wales, Charles has ascended to the throne, taking the title of King Charles III and becoming the fifth royal Head of State of Canada since the Statute of Westminster was enacted in 1931.

The Queen's passing set a longstanding plan known as Operation London Bridge into motion, which reportedly saw Buckingham Palace use the cryptic phrase "London Bridge is down" to signal to media and other groups that the inevitable had occurred.

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. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 8, 2022

Elizabeth's health had been the subject of speculation for years, with notable scares during the pandemic years. News on Thursday that the Queen had been placed under medical supervision had media crews flocking to Balmoral Castle, where members of the Royal Family were by the Queen's side.

The Queen's passing will bring about changes affecting the lives of everyday Canadians, most notably a nationwide mourning period where government officials will be expected to dress in black clothing, wear black armbands and show other signs of respect for the late Queen.

You can also expect a day off work, as a national holiday will likely be called on the day of her funeral.

Queen Elizabeth II will remain the face of Canada and other Commonwealth nations' currencies in the interim, as mints refrain from preemptively designing new coins to depict yet-to-be-crowned monarchs.

Those that still use cash can expect to wait at least a couple of years before the newly-crowned monarch appears on the obverse of Canadian coins.

You'll also see new passports issued in the coming years, as countries scramble — and pay generously — to replace the former Queen’s royal insignia from all official documents.