Why did Mary become Queen after Edward died?

Mary became queen after Edward VI died because she was his half-sister and the next in line for the throne according to the legitimate succession established by Henry VIII. Although Edward had attempted to exclude her and her sister Elizabeth from the succession in favor of Lady Jane Grey, Mary had strong support from the populace and key nobles. Upon Edward's death, Lady Jane Grey's reign was short-lived, and Mary successfully claimed the throne, marking the restoration of Catholicism in England.