In pictures: Day 1 without the Queen; a nation plunged into mourning

A day after Buckingham palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II, several ordinary citizens gathered to pay tribute to the country's longest-reigning monarch and the nation's figurehead for seven decades.

A tribute to Queen Elizabeth appears on the screen of the Nasdaq MarketSite billboard in Times Square, New York.

LBC newscaster Andrew Marr chokes up while delivering the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II in the middle of his talk show.

As is tradition, a darkly framed official announcement is placed outside Buckingham Palace. It simply reads, "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."

Citizens react to the official notice once it was ceremonially hung outside the palace's gates.

Also according to tradition, the Union flag atop Buckingham Palace was lowered to half mast.

Several also gathered at the Queen Victoria Memorial statue outside Buckingham Palace.

Police were deployed to conduct crowd control at the Memorial.

The Royal Banner of Scotland above Balmoral Castle is flown at half-mast following the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.