British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves after attending a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in central London, on March 13, 2017. AFP / POOL / Ben STANSALL
London: Queen Elizabeth II gave royal assent on Thursday to a bill empowering British Prime Minister Theresa May to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty and begin the process of leaving the European Union.
May has said she will send a letter to the European Council informing them of Britain's decision to leave the bloc by the end of March, following a majority vote for Brexit in last year's referendum.
