Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the nation’s figurehead for seven decades, has died aged 96, Buckingham Palace said on Thursday…
Tributes to the Queen poured in from around the world In a statement on Thursday evening, within hours of the passing of the Queen.
British Prime Minister Liz Truss led the tributes to Queen Elizabeth II on Friday as the United Kingdom — and the world — reacted to her death.
Truss, who took office Tuesday after succeeding Boris Johnson, remembered the queen as “the rock on which our country was built.”
In a speech outside No. 10 Downing St., she said that everyone was “devastated” after a “huge shock to the nation and the world.”
“Britain is the great country it is today because of her,” she added. “Her devotion to duty is an example to us all.”
President Joe Biden was quick to pay tribute to the monarch, saying in a statement that she was “a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in his statement, said that Canada will always remember Queen Elizabeth II’s “wisdom, compassion and warmth.”
Queen Elizabeth II’s reign lasted 70 years, during which she witnessed many historical events, including the passing of batons among diplomatic power centres.
Statements regarding her death have poured in from the leader’s world-over, and here’s what they have had to say.
Former U.S. president Bill Clinton also paid tribute to the queen on his Twitter, stating “My thoughts and prayers are with the Royal Family and all the people Her Majesty inspired throughout her lifetime of service.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also expressed New Zealanders’ “deep sadness” over the queen’s death, in a statement.
“I know that I speak for people across New Zealand in offering our deepest sympathy to members of the Royal Family at the passing of the Queen (sic),” Ardern said.
Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, shared images of him and the queen and recalled her “warmth and kindness” when he met the monarch.
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered as a stalwart of our times. She provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people. She personified dignity and decency in public life. Pained by her demise. My thoughts are with her family and people of the UK in this sad hour,” he concluded.
French President Emmanuel Macron also tweeted about the queen’s death “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.”
Russian leader Vladimir Putin extended his condolences to the Queen in personal message to King saying she earned ‘love, respect and authority on the world stage’.
In a message to Charles, Britain’s new king, Putin said the Queen “rightfully enjoyed the love and respect of her subjects, as well as authority on the world stage”.
He added: “I wish you courage and resilience in the face of this difficult, irreparable loss. May I ask you to pass on sincere condolences and support to members of the royal family and the entire people of Great Britain.”
His message of condolences came despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine which has seen cities decimated and millions of Ukrainian people displaced.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz paid tribute to the Queen’s “wonderful humour” and said in a statement that “her commitment to German-British reconciliation after the horrors of World War Two will remain unforgotten”.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent their condolences, with the king describe
António Guterres, the UN’s secretary-general, said Queen Elizabeth was “a reassuring presence throughout decades of sweeping change, including the decolonisation of Africa and Asia and the evolution of the Commonwealth”.
In a statement, he paid tribute to “her unwavering, lifelong dedication to serving her people. The world will long remember her devotion and leadership”.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted that it was with “deep sadness” that he learned of “this irreparable loss”.
Kenyan President-elect William Ruto praised her “historic legacy” and said Kenyans would “miss the cordial ties she enjoyed” with the country.
Kenya, a former British colony that became independent in 1963, was a very special place for the monarch. For a start, it was where she became Queen. The young princess, then just 25 years old, was on holiday there when her father, King George VI, died in his sleep in 1952.
And Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo tweeted that his country had fond memories of the two visits the Queen made, remarking on “her friendliness, elegance, style and sheer joy she brought to the performance of her duties”.
Her first trip to Ghana, also a former British colony, was controversial and there were concerns for the monarch’s safety. Five days earlier, bombs had gone off in the capital, Accra, but the Queen was not deterred, in part because she had already cancelled a previous visit when she became pregnant with Prince Andrew.
