Political leaders from the United Kingdom and across the world have been paying their tributes to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who died on 8 September 2022.
Speaking outside Downing Street, the United Kingdom’s new prime minister, Liz Truss said, “We are all devastated by the news we have just heard from Balmoral. The death of Her Majesty The Queen is a huge shock to the nation and to the world. Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built. Our country has grown and flourished under her reign”.
In her address, Truss said Queen Elizabeth II’s “devotion to duty” was an “example to us all” adding, “Through thick and thin, Queen Elizabeth II provided us with the stability and the strength that we needed”.
The leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer said, “We will always treasure Queen Elizabeth II’s life of service and devotion to our nation and the Commonwealth; our longest-serving and greatest monarch. Above the clashes of politics, she stood not for what the nation fought over, but what it agreed upon”.
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The Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, said, “For many people – myself included – The Queen was an ever-fixed mark in our lives. As the world around us changed and politicians came and went, The Queen was our constant”. Continuing Sir Ed said, “The Queen represented duty and courage, as well as warmth and compassion. She was a living reminder of our collective past, of the greatest generation and their sacrifices for our freedom”.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issued a statement in which she said, “The death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, is a profoundly sad moment for the UK, the Commonwealth and the world. Her life was one of extraordinary dedication and service. On behalf of the people of Scotland, I convey my deepest condolences to the King and the Royal Family.”
In his own tribute, the First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford said of the Queen, that, “As our longest-reigning monarch, she firmly upheld the values and traditions of the British Monarchy”. Continuing he said, “I offer our deepest condolences to Her Majesty’s family during this sad time.”
Meanwhile Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle said, “The Queen has been involved in everything that is important to us and which makes us who we are – from state occasions to Royal weddings, and especially at Christmas, with her wise words and reflective annual message. She has been a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother – but she has been our Queen, and we will miss her beyond measure.”
Similar tributes have also been made by world leaders and former British prime ministers.
President Biden said that, “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch. She defined an era”. Continuing he said, “In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her. An enduring admiration for Queen Elizabeth II united people across the Commonwealth. The seven decades of her history-making reign bore witness to an age of unprecedented human advancement and the forward march of human dignity.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said, “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II embodied the British nation’s continuity and unity for over 70 years,” Continuing he said, “I remember her as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century”.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in which he said, “I had memorable meetings with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during my UK visits in 2015 and 2018. I will never forget her warmth and kindness”. Continuing he remembered, “During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture”.
Such comments have also been echoed by former British prime ministers and American Presidents.
Former British Prime Minister, Sir Tony Blair, said, “We have lost not just our monarch but the matriarch of our nation, the figure who more than any other brought our country together, kept us in touch with our better nature, personified everything which makes us proud to be British,” Sir Tony famously described Princess Diana as the ‘people’s princess’ following her death in 1997.
Sir Tony Blair’s comments were mirrored by his own predecessor, John Major who said, “For 70 years Her Majesty The Queen devoted her life to the service of our nation and its wellbeing”. Continuing he said, “In her public duties she was selfless and wise, with a wonderful generosity of spirit. That is how she lived – and how she led.”
Former President, Barack Obama said, “Like so many, Michelle and I are grateful to have witnessed Her Majesty’s dedicated leadership, and we are awed by her legacy of tireless, dignified public service.”
Meanwhile, the previous US President, Donald Trump has written, “Melania and I will always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor. What a grand and beautiful lady she was — there was nobody like her!”.
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