After 47 years of membership and months of seemingly endless Brexit negotiations, it all finished rather swiftly.
In a highly symbolic moment, two officials strode across the European Council building in Brussels to remove the British flag.
It had sat alongside the 27 other EU members in a neat line, but in seconds had been removed and neatly folded away.
It came just hours ahead of the moment the UK officially leaves the European Union: 23h GMT or midnight CET.
