Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, has sadly passed away, aged 96, it has officially been confirmed.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed the news in a statement released today.
During her 70 years on the throne, Elizabeth II served as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth – undertaking an important symbolic and unifying role as a head of state, spanning numerous geographical regions, cultures and religions.
She was not just the longest-reigning British monarch in history, but she was also the first-ever monarch to reign in the United Kingdom for 70 years and was beloved by many for her sense of duty and devotion to her role.
The statement reads in full: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
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The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
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 confirmation of HRH Queen Elizabeth II’s passing comes after Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday 8 September that she was “under medical supervision” at Balmoral after her doctors had become “concerned for Her Majesty’s health”.
A meeting of the Accession Council is now expected to gather at St James’s Place to proclaim the accession of Prince Charles as the new Sovereign.
As per the late Queen’s wishes, Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, will be known as Queen Consort and is also expected be crowned at his coronation.
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Arrangements for the lying-in-state and funeral must wait on the decisions of the new King, Charles III.
HM Queen Elizabeth II has died aged 96 / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Queen Elizabeth II’s Life
HRH was born Princess Elizabeth (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) in 1926.
Having left the UK for a tour of Kenya with her new husband of just five years, it was at the region’s Treetops Hotel that she would learn of the death of her father, George V, on 6 February 1952.
After receiving the news, she immediately canceled her projected journey to Switzerland and returned home urgently with the Duke of Edinburgh to be with her family and make arrangements for her father’s funeral.
The Coronation of Elizabeth II took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London.
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Elizabeth II acceded to the throne at the age of 25, being proclaimed Queen by her privy and executive councils shortly afterwards.
The Coronation of Elizabeth II took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
During her reign, she served as an important figurehead for the UK and the Commonwealth during times of enormous social change.
Throughout her life, she remained committed to public and voluntary service and was linked to over 600 charities, military associations, professional bodies and public service organisations.
From the preservation of wildlife and the environment to the protection of young children, in her role as Royal patron or president she brought much publicity to important charitable causes throughout her lifetime.
She was passionate about horses and racing, first learning to ride when she was just three years of age and continuing to ride up until the age of 94, which is the last time she was publicly spotted on horseback.
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A longtime racehorse owner, in 2021 she was presented with a horse racing honour that inducted her into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame.
In the BBC documentary, The Queen’s Racehorses: A Personal View, she said: “My philosophy about racing is simple. I enjoy breeding a horse that is faster than other people’s, and to me, that is a gamble from a long way back.
“I enjoy going racing but I suppose, basically, I love horses, and the thoroughbred epitomises a really good horse to me.”
HRH was also famous for her love for dogs, which was inherited from her father, King George VI – who brought home the family’s first corgi, a puppy named Dookie, in 1933.
Her Majesty bred over 30 canines during her reign and is credited with creating the Dorgi, a dachshund-corgi hybrid, after one of her pet corgis mated with her sister, Princess Margaret’s dachshund Pipkin.
Featured Image – Sergeant Adrian Harlen (via Crown Copywright)
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The nominees for the Critics’ Choice award at the 2026 BRITs in Manchester have been revealed
Danny Jones
With the upcoming BRITs ceremony coming to Manchester, we’re more all over the nominations than ever, especially now that the Critics’ Choice nominees for 2026 have been confirmed.
2023 was the annual Chanel ‘Metiers D’Art’ show, 2024 was the MTV EMAs, and next summer will see the BRITs; gosh, Manchester really is in vogue, isn’t it?
Commenting on the nomination, he told the BRITs: “Ya beauty! Tapadh leibh [‘thank you’ in Gaelic] for recognising my work for this award, you legends! Even though I’m Scottish and Irish before I’m British, I appreciate the BRITs critics for this recognition.
“I really care about and believe in this music, and it makes my world brighter every time it reaches someone else. Hopefully, this nomination means some more beautiful people might find something in this wee album. ‘Mon the gays!”
Rose Gray
Next up in the nods is London’s Rose Gray – a solo star who has developed a cult following thanks to songs like ‘ATTENTION!’, ‘Wet & Wild’, ‘Angel of Satisfaction’ and more.
Also the long-time partner and childhood sweetheart of Babygirl, Iron Claw and The King’s Man actor, Harris Dickinson, Gray has been riding a particular wave of popularity over the past year or so, especially after the release of her A Little Louder, Please (Deluxe) double album this past October.
She said in a statement: “I’m so excited for this nomination! This moment feels like a special reminder of how far this journey has carried me and what a crazy year it’s been. One year ago, I was manifesting so hard for my album to travel, to find its people, to really get its light. And it did. Releasing this record has genuinely changed my life…”
Lastly, in at number three is the 20-year-old singer-songwriter, Sienna Spiro, whose soulful voice sounds like one with much more life experience and years of emotion under its belt; it’s no wonder that she’s resonated with multiple generations, let alone been recognised by the panel.
With big theatrical ballads like ‘Die On This Hill’, ‘You Stole The Show’, as well as heavily-streamed songs like ‘MAYBE.’, ‘BACK TO BLONDE’ and more in her impressive and fast-growing discography, we know she’ll go far even if she doesn’t win – you can bank on that.
She added: “So beyond honoured and grateful to be nominated for this year’s Critics’ Choice BRIT Award! To think I started releasing music last year, I would never have expected this at all. Thank you so much!”
Having looked again at the list of people who’ve been both shortlisted and those who have gone on to win it, trust us, you’ll want to be paying attention to this one…
For context:
Past BRITs Critics’ Choice / Rising Star winners and nominees
2008 – Adele (Duffy, Foals)
2009 – Florence + The Machine (Little Boots, White Lies)
2010 – Ellie Goulding (Delphic, Marina and the Diamonds)
2011 – Jessie J (James Blake, The Vaccines)
2012 – Emeli Sandé (Michael Kiwanuka, Maverick Sabre)
So yeah, it’s fair to say that anyone even in the running for this accolade tends to go on to do even more bigger and better things than they already have.
Tickets to be at the 2026 BRIT Awards at Co-op Live in person for whoever picks up the Critics’ Choice gong, as well as all the other categories, are live now.
Featured Images — Audio North/Press shots (supplied)
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The best restaurant in the UK has been named, and it’s just an hour from Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The top 100 restaurants in the UK have just been named, and the North West has come out fighting, taking three of the top 10 spots including the number one position.
Harden’s Top 100 Best UK Restaurants 2026 has named Moor Hall, a three-Michelin star restaurant less than an hour from Manchester, as the best place to eat in the entire UK.
And hot on its heels is another big name from the North West, fellow three-Michelin star restaurant L’Enclume, up in village of Cartmel, which placed second.
Also in the top 10 is a Manchester newcomer, Skof, which launched in the city centre last year with chef Tom Barnes at the helm.
Skof has skipped ahead of Mana, which until recently was the only restaurant in Greater Manchester to hold a Michelin Star, and which placed 11th.
The Harden’s Best UK Restaurants 2026 list has found that the North West has the most entries of any region outside London, with 12 restaurants in the top 100.
Mark Birchall’s Moor Hall in West Lancashire has rocketed into the top spot from last year’s ranking at number 74, with diners praising it as being ‘superb from beginning to end’.
On our recent visit, we declared Moor Hall ‘hospitality on an unparalleled level’.
Moor Hall has been named the best restaurant in the UK. Credit: The Manc Group
Peter Harden, co-founder of Harden’s, comments: “Moor Hall has been a recurring name in the Harden’s Top 100 UK Restaurant’s list for many years now, as has runner-up L’Enclume which was in the top spot a couple of years ago.
“In a Top 100 where restaurants are very much at the mercy of diner reports from the first six months of the year, the consistent performance from these two venues is a testament to the high quality of the food, service and location.
“It’s wonderful to see Mark and his talented team reach this year’s pole position and, whilst diners who took part in our national survey did often flag the higher price point, it appears to be a venue regarded as well worth it, albeit for a rare treat.”
Chef-patron of Moor Hall, Mark Birchall adds: “I’m honoured that Moor Hall has been awarded the No. 1 spot in this year’s Harden’s Top 100 UK Restaurants list. This has already been a landmark year for us, and I’m delighted to see the team’s dedication recognised once again.
“Our success is driven by the talent, consistency and commitment of everyone who contributes to the experience at Moor Hall. It’s a wonderful acknowledgement of their hard work and passion, and we’re proud to share this achievement with everyone who dines with us.”
Tom Barnes and the Skof team outside the restaurant. Credit: Cristian Barnett.
Reflecting on this year’s findings, Peter Harden added: “It’s understandable that over the last 12 months the hospitality industry has been toiling away under a cloud of gloomsterism. Hit by food inflation, rising wages, relentless rent increases and soaring utilities – some long-term operators say that 2025 is the toughest year they can recall.
“However, what our survey results and data-crunching from across the sector shows is the remarkable resilience at work from those in the trade – particularly in the North West. Our number of entries remains very steady, and strong newcomers are emerging in each area of a quality that is probably better than ever.
“What is challenging for suppliers can be good for consumers. Customer expectations are so high now, restaurants have to work ever-harder to cut through and we’re seeing a number of new openings from across the UK going straight into the Top 100 – or, in Skof’s case, the Top 10!
“This really is testament to the rigorous standards, hard work and innovation being put in by front and back of house teams who are impressively determined to find a way in difficult circumstances and continue to raise the bar to bring diners high quality experiences.”
The Manc -
8th September 2022 
