How the UK Royal Family used Twitter to tell the world the Queen had died

A picture of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II is set up in a London street, Thursday, Sept 8, 2022, after her death was announced. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. — AP

Queen’s Elizabeth II’s death after 70 years on the throne was announced first on Twitter – from the Royal Family’s own account.

A tweet stating the long-serving monarch had “died peacefully at Balmoral” was posted by @RoyalFamily at 6.30pm UK local time, two minutes ahead of the BBC’s own announcement on the platform.