On today's special edition of Midday, a remembrance of Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday at the age of 96. Britain's longest-reigning monarch, she served for 70 years as the matriarch of the Royal Family and Britain's ceremonial head of government. She is succeeded on the throne by her son, now King Charles III, who addresses the nation on Friday at 1pm (Eastern).

Tom gets perspectives on the extraordinary life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth from University of Baltimore president and former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, who hosted the Queen during her visit to Baltimore in 1991.

We'll also be joined on Zoom from Somerset, England by Dr. Tony Steele-Perkins, a retired physician in the Royal Navy who served as the Surgeon Commander on the Royal Yacht Britannia from 1983-1985. In that capacity, he provided medical services to the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.

And we'll get historical perspectives on Queen Elizabeth's impact on Britain and the world, and what will likely follow her reign, from two scholars of British history:

Dr. Amy Froide, Chair of the History Department at UMBC, who is currently doing research at the Huntington Library in San Merino, California (which houses the largest collection of British papers outside of England); and

Dr. Julie Anne Taddeo, Research Professor of History at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Both scholars join us via Zoom.