Queen Elizabeth II has signed the Brexit Bill outlining the terms of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union on 31 January.
Earlier this week, the bill was approved by the UK Parliament after the House of Lords had backed down following the rejection of its amendments by the House of Commons.
Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay took to Twitter to announce the news.
Her Majesty the Queen has now granted #RoyalAssent to the #BrexitBill which therefore becomes the #BrexitAct. Enshrined in law, this enables the UK to leave the EU on 31st Jan. pic.twitter.com/hzv2o2bMfr
— Steve Barclay (@SteveBarclay) January 23, 2020
After the UK leaves the bloc on 31 January, a transition period will begin, focusing on post-Brexit trade cooperation.
The United Kingdom missed the Brexit deadline twice: in March and in October 2019. This led to early parliamentary elections in December that ended in victory for the Conservatives who gained 48 seats in the House of Commons. Labour lost 60 seats, prompting party leader Jeremy Corbyn to announce plans to step down.
The British people voted to leave the EU in a referendum in 2016. This was followed by years of debates amid fears that Scotland could seek to leave the UK to remain in the EU and concerns over the future of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
