Government issues advice on flying flags following death of Queen

The government has released guidelines on flying flags following the death of Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

After spending 70 years on the throne and recently celebrating her Platinum Jubilee earlier this year, the news of Queen Elizabeth II's passing was a sad moment for many people around the world.

The guide informs citizens: "All official flags, including the Union Flag, should be half-masted from as soon as possible today (8 September) until 08.00 the day following The Queen’s State Funeral.

"Flags may be flown overnight during this period but should remain at half-mast."

The government guide continues: "Any non-official flags flying or due to be flown, such as the Rainbow Flag or the Armed Forces Day Flag, should be taken down and replaced with a Union Flag at half-mast.

Other official flags scheduled to be flown can be flown as normal, but at half-mast.

"Half-mast means the flag is flown a third of the way down the flagpole from the top, with at least the height of the flag between the top of the flag and the top of the flagpole.

"On poles that are more than 45° from the vertical, flags cannot be flown at half-mast and should not be flown at all.

"The Union Flag must be flown the correct way up - in the half of the flag nearest the flagpole, the wider diagonal white stripe must be above the red diagonal stripe."

The news makes Elizabeth's eldest son Charles, 73, the new King of the United Kingdom with the official title of King Charles III.

This also makes his wife Camilla, former Duchess of Cornwall, the Queen Consort.

In an official statement sent from Buckingham Palace, King Charles wrote about his mother's passing: "The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family."