Since Buckingham Palace announced the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, tributes have been pouring in from across the world, honouring the monarch’s remarkable life of service.
The Queen’s son, our new King, honoured his mother in a touching statement. Released by the Palace under the announcement, ‘A Statement from His Majesty The King’, it reads: ‘The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
‘We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world. During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.’
The Queen’s only daughter, Princess Anne, also shared a heartfelt message, released on Tuesday as she accompanied her mother’s coffin on its journey from Edinburgh to London. It reads: ‘I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest Mother’s life. It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys. Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting.
‘We will all share unique memories. I offer my thanks to each and every one who share our sense of loss. We may have been reminded how much of her presence and contribution to our national identity we took for granted. I am also so grateful for the support and understanding offered to my dear brother Charles as he accepts the added responsibilities of The Monarch.
‘To my mother, The Queen, thank you.’
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Anne’s younger brother, Prince Edward, later added his own message, stating: ‘As a family, we have grown up learning to share our parents, especially our beloved mama, with the nation, her realms and the Commonwealth. While it has been lovely to have spent time saying our own farewell privately at Balmoral, it is now time to allow others to be able to say their farewell.
‘We have been overwhelmed by the tide of emotion that has engulfed us and the sheer number of people who have gone out of their way to express their own love, admiration and respect to such a very special and unique person who was always there for us. And now, we are there for her, united in grief. Thank you for your support, you have no idea how much it means.
‘The Queen’s passing has left an unimaginable void in all our lives. Sophie and I have taken huge pleasure in seeing our James and Louise enjoying the places and activities that their grandparents loved so much. Given that my mama let us spend so much time with her, I think she also rather enjoyed watching those passions blossom. Those times together, those happy memories, have now become massively precious to each and every one of us.
‘May God bless Her Majesty and may her memory be long cherished even as the baton she has carried for these past 70 years now passes to the next generation and to my brother, Charles.
‘Long Live The King.’
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Prince William, the new Prince of Wales and now heir apparent to the throne, released a touching statement of his own. The late Queen’s grandson reflects: ‘On Thursday, the world lost an extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute. So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign.
‘I, however, have lost a grandmother. And while I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly grateful. I have had the benefit of The Queen’s wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade. My wife has had 20 years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives. She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life. I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.
‘I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me. And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all. My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen. I will honour her memory by supporting my father, The King, in every way I can.’
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Soon after making his statement, William was joined by his wife, the Princess of Wales, and brother and sister-in-law, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as the two couples viewed floral tributes to the Queen at Windsor Castle. Sombrely dressed in mourning clothes, the group spoke to some of the members of the public who had gathered in honour of the late monarch.
A day after making the appearance alongside his brother, Prince Harry released a statement in honour of his late grandmother on the Archewell website. The duke said: ‘In celebrating the life of my grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen – and in mourning her loss – we are all reminded of the guiding compass she was to so many in her commitment to service and duty. She was globally admired and respected. Her unwavering grace and dignity remained true throughout her life and now her everlasting legacy. Let us echo the words she spoke after the passing of her husband, Prince Philip, words which can bring comfort to all of us now: “Life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings.”
‘Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings – from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren. I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over. And as it comes to first meetings, we now honour my father in his new role as King Charles III.
‘Thank you for your commitment to service. Thank you for your sound advice. Thank you for your infectious smile. We, too, smile knowing that you and grandpa are reunited now, and both together in peace.’
From a black holding page on the official Royal Family website, to a ‘Day of National Mourning’ to coincide with the state funeral
Prime Minister Liz Truss, who met with the Queen to be formally appointed to the role just days ago, offered her own words of praise soon after the monarch’s death. Speaking outside Downing Street, she said ‘we are all devastated’ at the news, dubbing the Queen ‘a rock on which modern Britain was built’. She said that ‘Britain is the great country it is today because of her’, calling the monarch’s ‘devotion to duty… an example to us all.’ She added that the monarch leaves behind her a ‘great legacy’.
She went on to acknowledge the accession of the Queen’s heir, continuing: ‘Today the Crown passes, as it has done for more than a thousand years, to our new monarch, our new head of state, His Majesty King Charles III. With the King’s family we mourn the loss of his mother and come together. We offer him our loyalty and devotion, just as his mother devoted so much to us for so long.’
She finished her statement by speaking of ‘the passing of the second Elizabethan age’, before concluding: ‘God save the King.’
Truss's predecessor, who similarly had an audience with the Queen on Tuesday, also voiced his admiration for the late monarch. Posting on Twitter, Boris Johnson dubbed today ‘our country’s saddest day', commending Elizabeth II's ‘deep wisdom’, ‘historic understanding’, and her ‘seemingly inexhaustible but understated sense of duty’.
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Meanwhile the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ‘The nation and the world mourns today in recognition of the extraordinary service of our Queen - Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She served for 70 years with unrivalled grace, dignity and purpose. Throughout a period of unprecedented transformation, she was a source of great stability, inspiring hope during the most testing of times and exemplifying the best of what it means to be British.’ Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer called the Queen ‘our longest-serving and greatest monarch’, adding that while she ‘stood as the head of our country… in spirit, she stood amongst us.’
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Public figures across the world have posted their own messages of condolence. Joe Biden – the 13th and final US president to meet the Queen – and First Lady Jill Biden dubbed the late Queen a woman who ‘defined an era’, leading ‘always with grace’ and ‘an unwavering commitment to duty’.
Former US president Barack Obama tweeted: ‘Like so many of you, 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. Our thoughts are with her family and the people of the United Kingdom at this difficult time.’
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French President Emmanuel Macron added: ‘Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II embodied the British nation’s continuity and unity for over 70 years. I remember her as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century.’
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The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, sent his ‘sincere condolences’, while Justin Trudeau lamented the passing off ‘Canada’s longest-reigning Sovereign’, speaking of her many years of ‘service to Canadians’.
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Leading figures in the media and entertainment industries also chimed in to honour the Queen's life and legacy. Peter Morgan, creator of royal historical drama The Crown, described the Netflix hit as ‘a love letter to her’, telling Deadline that production on the show will likely ‘stop filming out of respect’ for a period.
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Anna Wintour, Chief Content Officer at Condé Nast and Editor-in-Chief of US Vogue, said the Queen ‘touched everyone… maybe because despite her sense of absolute adherence and devotion to the role, who she was as a woman always shone through’.
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Music legends Sir Mick Jagger and Sir Elton John were quick to lament the monarch’s death, with The Rolling Stones frontman reflecting that ‘For my whole life Her Majesty… has always been there’; while the Rocket Man singer dubbed her ‘an inspiring presence’ who led the nation ‘with grace, decency and a genuine caring warmth’.
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Across the pond, figures as wide-ranging as Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates and former Tatler cover star Paris Hilton voiced their sadness, with Gates expressing his ‘deepest condolences’ and Hilton dubbing the Queen ‘the original girl boss’.
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Actor Daniel Craig, who appeared as James Bond alongside the Queen in a skit for the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony, told the PA news agency that he was ‘deeply saddened by the news’, adding that the monarch ‘leaves an incomparable legacy and will be profoundly missed’.
And few will remain unmoved by a special tribute from Paddington Bear, who charmed the world this summer by appearing in a heartwarming sketch with the Queen to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. Concise yet potent, his tweet reads simply: ‘Thank you Ma’am, for everything.’
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