Broadcaster Huw Edwards delivers news of the Queen's death on BBC

After an image of the flag at Buckingham Palace was shown at half mast, he told viewers: "A few moments ago Buckingham Palace announced the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."

Edwards then read out the statement from the Palace which said: "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."

The broadcaster was dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and black tie, in line with the BBC's dress code for when a member of the royal family dies as a mark of respect.

Edwards had been presenting rolling news coverage on BBC One since midday when Buckingham Palace released its first statement which said royal doctors were concerned for the Queen's health.

The veteran broadcaster has anchored on major royal milestones throughout the years including the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh last year.

He has also presented coverage of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018.

Major UK broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV are likely to adjust their schedules for the rest of the day to allow for continuous coverage of the Queen's death.

Programmes that were scheduled to air tonight include EastEnders and Celebrity Masterchef on BBC, Emmerdale on ITV and the documentary Katie Price: Trauma And Me on Channel 4.