Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has spoken after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Ardern says cops woke her up to give her the news: "I had a police officer shine a torch into my room at about 4.50am this morning."
She says a formal service will take place in roughly 10 days' time, and representatives from New Zealand were likely to go, including herself and the Governor-General.
Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, died this morning at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.
Ardern says the Queen's commitment to her role and to all of us has been without question and unwavering.
"The last days of the Queen's life captures who she was in so many ways, working to the very end on behalf of the people she loved."
"This is a time of deep sadness, young or old there is no doubt that a chapter is closing today and with that we remember an incredible woman that we were lucky to call our Queen," Ardern says.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met the Queen in a private audience in June. Photo: RNZ Pool
"When that torch light came into my room I knew immediately what it meant."
Ardern says she went to bed after hearing the Queen was in ill health.
People fill out messages of condolences in a book at the Beehive after the death of Queen Elizabeth II Photo: RNZ / Jane Patterson
Flags will fly at half mast.
