New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condoled the death of Queen Elizabeth II as he hailed her "inspiring leadership".

Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister recalled his memorable meetings with the Queen during his UK visits in 2015 and 2018.

"I will never forget her warmth and kindness. During one of the meetings, she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture," PM Modi tweeted.

The Prime Minister said Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered as a stalwart of our times.

"She provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people. She personified dignity and decency in public life. Pained by her demise. My thoughts are with her family and people of the UK in this sad hour," he said in a subsequent tweet.

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch of the UK, died earlier today at the age of 96.

"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," the Royal Family said in a statement.

Earlier today, the palace said that the Queen was under medical supervision at Balmoral after the doctors expressed their concern over her health.

"Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen's doctors are concerned for Her Majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision," the official statement from Palace said.

The Queen was born on April 21, 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London. She was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York - who later became King George VI - and Queen Elizabeth.

Then Princess Elizabeth and her family did not expect that she would one day become the monarch.

Her Royal Highness was expected to live a relatively normal, if privileged, life with her close-knit and loving family. But everything changed in December 1936 when her uncle - King Edward VIII - abdicated, leaving her father as King, and her as next in line to the throne.

Then Princess Elizabeth later married Philip Mountbatten in November 1947 at Westminster Abbey in London, United Kingdom.