The condolences book opened Friday during working hours, and will be open again Monday, September 12-Wednesday, September 14, between 10.00 a.m. and 4 p.m.. Estonian time, at the British Embassy building, Wismari 6, Tallinn.

An online book of condolences is also open, here.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday, at the age of 96, after 70 years and 214 days on the throne, the longest reign of any British monarch.

This year was also her Platinum Jubilee year. The Queen's Consort, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, passed away in April last year.

The late Queen famously visited Estonia in 2006, while the-then Prince of Wales had visited in 2001. All three of the Queen's other children have also visited Estonia in an official capacity in recent years, as has one of her grandchildren, Prince Harry.

Since the succession of UK monarchs has no interregnum, the heir to the throne became King Charles III, automatically on her passing.

Charles' proclamation as King is taking place at St. James's Palace in London Saturday, and is highly unlikely to be contested, though the new King's coronation oath may take a different wording from that of his mother, which she took on June 2 1953, including with regard to its religious component.

Charles' coronation ceremony is likely to follow next year.

The preceding two monarchs with the same first name were father and son, and reigned in the 17th century, during a time of great upheaval, and exhibited a tendency towards absolutism. The current form of the British monarchy which emerged during the Glorious Revolution of 1688-1689 as much as anything derived from these earlier events.

Am 18th century pretender to the throne were also called Charles, whose claims to the crown also dated to the events of the previous century.

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