Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is speaking after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Watch the PM speaking here:
Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, died this morning at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.
Ardern says the Queen’s commitment to her role and to all of us has been without question and unwavering.
“The last days of the Queen’s life captures who she was in so many ways, working to the very end on behalf of the people she loved.”
“This is a time of deep sadness, young or old there is no doubt that a chapter is closing today and with that we remember an incredible woman that we were lucky to call our Queen,” Ardern says.
“She was extroadinary.
“She was a woman who worked into her 90s, I think despite the fact there had been some discussion in public around her health and wellbeing, I think despite that, there will be some shock.”
Ardern says cops woke her up to give her the news: “I had a police officer shine a torch into my room at about 4.50am this morning.”
“When that torch light came into my room I knew immediately what it meant.”
Ardern says she went to bed after hearing the Queen was in ill health.
She says a formal service will take place in roughly 10 days’ time, and representatives from New Zealand were likely to go, including herself and the Governor-General.
Earlier, the Primie Minister’s Office released a statement saying, on the death of the Queen, the person first in line to the Throne immediately and automatically becomes Sovereign in accordance with the laws of succession, and therefore Head of State of New Zealand.
“At present, this means His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will become King of New Zealand.”
Ardern says she has spoken to King Charles many times and he has a commitment to the environment and children and she knows he will have a good relationship with NZ.
“The King, like his mother, has a deep love for New Zealand.”
In the earlier statemeDecisions on events and protocols following the death of the Queen will be made by the prime minister, but current planning includes the following elements.
“A period of national mourning starts immediately following the announcement of the Queen’s death and will continue until after the New Zealand State Memorial Service. The New Zealand service would happen after the Queen’s funeral in the UK – likely to be about day 10 following her death.”
The New Zealand flag will be flown at half-mast from the announcement of the death up to and including the day of the funeral, except on Proclamation Day – the day the new Sovereign is announced officially when flags are to be flown from the top of the mast.
Condolence books will likely be opened at Parliament and the National Library, as they were following the death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, and by local councils around the country.
The statement says there will be gun salutes and places will be designated for members of the public to leave flowers.
New Zealanders will receive full information and updates at the time via the Governor-General’s website, it said.
More to come…
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