A look back at the tributes paid to Queen Elizabeth II
As we approach the first anniversary of her death, we look at the tributes paid to Her Majesty from around the world
On Thursday 8th September, Buckingham Palace confirmed the sad news that Her Majesty the Queen had died, aged 96.
As we approach the first anniversary of her death, we take a look back at the immediate tributes that were made from around the world to the UK's longest-serving monarch.
After the announcement, there was an outpouring of tributes from the Royal Family, and people from around the world, from heads of state to members of the general public.
His Majesty The King said in a statement: '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 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.'
Prince William also paid tribute to his beloved grandmother, writing: '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.
'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.
'My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives.
'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.'
On Monday 12th September, Prince Harry paid a touching tribute on his website.
It read: '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.
The Duke of Sussex added: '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.
'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.'
The then UK Prime Minister Liz Truss made a statement outside of Downing Street on the day the Queen died, saying: “We are all devastated. It is a day of great loss, but Queen Elizabeth II leaves a great legacy.
“It’s an extraordinary achievement to have presided with such dignity and grace for 70 years. Her life of service stretched beyond most of our living memories. In return she was loved and admired by the people in the United Kingdom and all around the world.
“She has been a personal inspiration to me and to many Britons, her devotion to duty is an example to us all.
“Britain is the great country it is today thanks to her… She was the very spirit of Great Britain, and that spirit will endure."
She ended her statement saying: “God save the King.”
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson also paid his respects in a lengthy statement:
Then First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon also paid her respects, writing: '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.'
Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford tweeted that he was “incredibly sad to hear of the passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II”.
He added: 'As our longest reigning monarch, she firmly upheld the values and traditions of the British Monarchy.
'On behalf of the people of Wales I offer our deepest condolences to Her Majesty’s family during this sad time.'
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: 'We are all deeply mourning the profound loss of a great monarch, who served our country so faithfully all her life and who was loved the world over.
'For many people, including myself, the Queen was an ever-fixed mark in our lives. As the world changed around us and politicians came and went, the Queen was our nation’s constant.'
Former 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'.
Other World Leaders and Prime Minsters across the world paid tribute:
The British Army shared: 'It is with deep sorrow that we have received the news of the death of Her Majesty The Queen.'
Companies, personalities and members of the public also paid tribute on social media...
Queen Elizabeth II, a life in pictures:
The Queen was born in 1926
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born on 21 April 1926 to Their Royal Highnesses Duke and Duchess of York. Although this is her actual birthday, the Queen also celebrates her official public birthday on the second Saturday in June.
Royal sisters
In 1930 Princess Elizabeth's younger sister, Princess Margaret, was born. The two girls were educated at home rather than attending school. The family did not live at Buckingham Palace, because the Queen's father was not first in line to the throne. Instead, they resided in a town house in Piccadilly near the Ritz.
Princess Elizabeth becomes first in line to the throne
In 1936, the Queen's grandfather, King George V died, meaning his oldest son Edward, who was the Queen's uncle, would become King. However, Edward abdicated before he was even crowned, after the British government condemned his decision to marry Wallis Simpson, who had been divorced. As a result, the Queen's father Albert became King. He adopted his father's name in an attempt to restore faith in the monarchy which had been shaken by the abdication, and was crowned King George VI in 1937, making Princess Elizabeth first in line to the throne.
War time service
In 1940 at the age of 14, Princess Elizabeth made her first broadcasted speech on the radio, in which she encouraged evacuees to have hope. Five years later when she turned 19, Princess Elizabeth signed up to the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the female branch of the British Army, where she trained as a driver and mechanic.
The Royal engagement
Princess Elizabeth's engagement to Prince Philip was announced on 9 July 1946, when Princess Elizabeth was 21-years-old.
The Royal Wedding
Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip on 20 November 1947 in Westminster Abbey. It is estimated around 200 million people tuned into the radio broadcast of the marriage of the future monarch.
The young Royal family
Princess Elizabeth gave birth to Prince Charles in 1948, while Princess Anne was born two years later.
Queen Elizabeth's coronation
King George VI died on 6 February 1952, making his oldest daughter Princess Elizabeth, Queen. One year later, on 2 June 1953, the official coronation took place and Princess Elizabeth was made Queen at the age of 27. Over 20 million people tuned in to watch the coronation on the TV.
First tour of the Commonwealth as Queen
Five months after the coronation, Queen Elizabeth II embarked on her first tour of the Commonwealth as reigning monarch. Over the course of the trip, she visited 15 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Libya and Fiji.
The Queen relationships with the Prime Minister
To date, 15 Prime Ministers have served under the Queen in the UK. As Head of State, the Queen has the right to appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister, however she must remain strictly neutral on political matters, and therefore does not vote in elections. When a party wins a general election, the outgoing Prime Minister offers the Queen their resignation before the incoming Prime Minister is officially invited by the Queen to form a Government in her name. The Queen meets weekly with her Prime Minister, and these meetings take place one-to-one in complete privacy.
Royal walkabout
The Queen came up with the famous Royal walkabout, which see's members of the Royal family greeting the locals who line the streets to meet them during visits. This tradition has now been passed down to the next generation of Royals.
A family of six
In 1960 Prince Andrew was born, followed by Prince Edward in 1964, completing the Queen's immediate family.
An animal lover
It is well known that the Queen is an animal lover, particularly of horses and dogs- she has owned more than 30 corgis throughout her time on the throne! Her love for horses has been passed down through the family, with Princess Anne riding in the 1976 Olympics, and her daughter, Zara Phillips, winning a Silver medal at London 2012 in the team event.
Diana's funeral
In August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car accident in Paris. In the aftermath of her death, the Queen and the Royal family were criticized by the press and the public for their response. The Queen's refusal to lower the Royal Standard to half mast angered some of the British public. This was again due to Royal protocol; the Royal Standard only flies when the Queen is in residence at Buckingham Palace, but at the time of Diana's death the Queen was at Balmoral. The Queen broadcast a live televised statement in tribute to Diana, where she said that she "admired and respected" her former daughter-in-law. The statement was viewed as important as it was only the second time in the Queen's reign that she had delivered a special address to the public.
Meeting state dignitaries
Over the years, the Queen has met thousands of dignitaries from around the world. The Queen hosts state visits in order to help strengthen bonds and relationships with other countries. People invited to visit the Queen include Presidents, Prime Ministers and other Monarchs. State banquets are often held to welcome the visiting guest, where a member of the Royal family, often the Queen, is likely to make a speech in their honour.
Christmas message
Every year the Queen records a special Christmas message, often referred to as the Queen's speech, reflecting on the events of the past 12 months. It's a tradition that was initiated by her father in 1932 and a duty she has fulfilled every year of her reign bar one. In 1969, the Queen issued a statement instead of the usual Christmas broadcast due to concerns the Royal family had been in the spotlight too much following the documentary, entitled 'Royal Family', which had aired earlier in the year.
Diamond Wedding anniversary
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their Diamond Wedding anniversary in 2007. In a speech to mark their Golden Wedding celebrations in 1997, The Queen credited Philip with being her "strength and stay all these years."
Stamps and money
A portrait of the Queen features on British stamps, coins and English bank notes. The image of the Queen which features on the stamps and money has remained unchanged since 1967. Her profile faces left on postage stamps but to the right on coins. This is due to a tradition introduced by Charles II which means that the portraits on coins alternate the way they face with each Monarch. This means that when a new Monarch is coronated in Britain, their portrait will face left on coins, rather than right like Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen's honours
The Queen has the right to give titles of honour to people in public recognition of their achievements or services. The general public can nominate people they believe are worthy of an honour, and recipients receive their awards from the Queen or a member of the Royal family during special ceremonies. There are two honours lists each year, the Queen's birthday honours list and the New Year's honours list. The lists are usually composed of well known figures as well as members of the general public.
Prince Philip dies aged 99
The Queen's husband Prince Philip died on the 9th April 2021. Due to social distancing rules at the time, The Queen had to sit on her own at the funeral in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Queen described the death of the Duke of Edinburgh as leaving "a huge void" in her life.
Longest reigning Monarch
The Queen is the UK's longest reigning monarch, but is the longest reigning female monarch in world history, surpassing Queen Victoria's 63-year reign in 2015.
The Platinum Jubilee
In 2022 the Queen celebrated the Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. Long weekends, events at the palace and street parties like the one pictured from 2012 were all part of the celebrations.
The Queen at Balmoral
Queen Elizabeth II posed in the waiting room at Balmoral, Scotland where she later greeted new Prime Minister Liz Truss. The photo was taken just two days before The Queen sadly passed away.
Read more about what happens now The Queen has died.
Read more:
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died aged 96
The Queen's 73-year marriage to Prince Philip
Queen Elizabeth II, a life in pictures
Balmoral - The Queen's beloved Scottish summer holiday home
The Queen's lifelong love of horses
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