Death of 'the last true Monarch' (Be Respectful)

Whatever your views are on the Monarchy
The passing of QE 2 marks the end of an era that has seen the UK Sovereign being a rock of stability for the Country - in a role that has been respected throughout the World

 

My respects and condolences to our British friends.

 

Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms
Reign 6 February 1952 – 8 September 2022

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Elizabeth II - Wikipedia

 

6 hours ago:
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Queen Elizabeth II: Royal Family gathers at Balmoral amid concerns for Queen's health - BBC News
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1. The Queen is under medical supervision at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, a statement from Buckingham Palace says
2. Her doctors are concerned for her health, but say the 96-year-old monarch "remains comfortable"
3. All of the Queen's four children and Prince William are now in Scotland to be with her - Prince Harry is on his way
4. Well-wishers are gathering at the gates of Balmoral, as well as outside Buckingham Palace, in London
5. New UK Prime Minister Liz Truss says "the whole country will be deeply concerned by the news"
6. The Archbishop of Canterbury says he is sending prayers and the first ministers of Scotland and Wales say the Queen is in their thoughts

 

1 hour ago

Queen under medical supervision at Balmoral - BBC News

All the Queen's children have gathered at her Scottish estate near Aberdeen.
The Queen is "comfortable", it added.
- - It is very unusual for Buckingham Palace to put out a statement like this - it is usually unwilling to provide a commentary on the 96-year-old monarch's medical matters, which are seen as private.

• Her son, Prince Charles, is at Balmoral with his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.
• Her grandson, the Duke of Cambridge, other sons, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, and his wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, arrived at Aberdeen airport just before 16:00 BST.
• --Prince William drove them alone in a car together to the Queen's Scottish estate, a journey of about 40 miles (64km).
• Her daughter Princess Anne was already in Scotland undertaking engagements and is in Balmoral.
• The Duchess of Cambridge has remained in Windsor with her children on their first full day at school.
• The Duke of Sussex is travelling separately to Balmoral. A spokeswoman said his wife Meghan was not accompanying him. The US-based couple had been in the UK to attend a charity function.

There are clearly pressing concerns for the Queen's health - much more explicitly put than before and without any reference to this only being about difficulties with mobility.

Royal Family gathering at Balmoral is 'a significant moment' (msn.com)

 

Announcement from the royal family.



Queen Elizabeth II: King Charles III expresses ‘greatest sadness’ upon death of his mother in first statement as monarch – latest updates (msn.com)

 

An overview of Prime Ministers:
From Churchill to Truss, the 15 prime ministers who have served under Elizabeth II (msn.com)

Winston Churchill (Conservative, 1951-55)
Anthony Eden (Conservative, 1955-57)
Harold Macmillan (Conservative, 1957-63)
Alec Douglas-Home (Conservative, 1963-64)
Harold Wilson (Labour, 1964-70)
Edward Heath (Conservative, 1970-74)
- - - Harold Wilson (Labour, 1974-76)
James Callaghan (Labour, 1976-79)
Margaret Thatcher (Conservative, 1979-90)
John Major (Conservative, 1990-97)
Tony Blair (Labour, 1997-2007)
Gordon Brown (Labour, 2007-10)
David Cameron (Conservative, 2010-16)
Theresa May (Conservative, 2016-19)
Boris Johnson (Conservative, 2019-22)
.
And then (at aged 96 years) =
Elizabeth Truss (Conservative, 2022 -

Throughout her reign, she has been a source of guidance for a number of Prime Ministers.
During times of Social and Financial difficulies, local and distant Warfare, Pre - during and now Br-exit and times of Covid, she has remained as an example of Motherly nurture as head of the the Nation, by maintaining a stance of impartially

 

A (National) Guardian - a view: = Caroline Davies - 1h ago



Elizabeth II: a constant queen whose failings were rare (msn.com)

 

King Charles III expresses ‘greatest sadness’



Queen Elizabeth II: King Charles III expresses ‘greatest sadness’ upon death of his mother in first statement as monarch – latest updates (msn.com)

 

SKY NEWS:



Queen Elizabeth II has died aged 96, Buckingham Palace announces | UK News | Sky News

The Queen has died aged 96 | UK News | Sky News

 

Prime Minister Liz Truss’s statement on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II



"We are all devastated by the news we have just heard from Balmoral.
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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.
Britain is the great country it is today because of her.
................
She ascended the throne just after the Second World War.
She championed the development of the Commonwealth - from a small group of seven countries to a family of 56 nations spanning every continent of the world.
We are now a modern, thriving, dynamic nation.
Through thick and thin, Queen Elizabeth II provided us with the stability and the strength that we needed.
She was the very spirit of Great Britain – and that spirit will endure.
She has been our longest-ever reigning monarch.
It is 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.
Earlier this week, at 96, she remained determined to carry out her duties as she appointed me as her 15th Prime Minister.
Throughout her life she has visited more than 100 countries and she has touched the lives of millions around the world.
In the difficult days ahead, we will come together with our friends…
….across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the world…
…to celebrate her extraordinary lifetime of service.
It is a day of great loss, but Queen Elizabeth II leaves a great legacy.
Today the Crown passes - as it is 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 as we mourn, we must come together as a people to support him.
To help him bear the awesome responsibility that he now carries for us all.
We offer him our loyalty and devotion just as his mother devoted so much to so many for so long.
And with the passing of the second Elizabethan age, we usher in a new era in the magnificent history of our great country,
– exactly as Her Majesty would have wished –
by saying the words… - God save the King."

Published 8 September 2022

 

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer hails our 'greatest monarch'
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: "Today, we mourn the passing of a remarkable sovereign.



"It is a deep, private loss for the Royal Family and all our thoughts are with them at this time. The nation shares in their grief.
-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.
-As Britain changed rapidly around her, this dedication became the still point of our turning world.
-So as our great Elizabethan era comes to an end, we will honour the late Queen's memory by keeping alive the values of public service she embodied.
-For seventy years, Queen Elizabeth II stood as the head of our country. But, in spirit, she stood amongst us"

 

A case in point being the example she showed during the recent Covid period as this poignant picture depicts



(Unlike Partying Politicians) = A spouse alone at their funeral

 

A FRENCH VIEW
"The 'kind-hearted Queen' loved all over the world"- Emmanuel Macron, the President of France,

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offers his condolences.

He says "she was a 'kind-hearted' Queen loved all over the globe.
He said: "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."

 

AN AMERICAN VIEW
Queen 'captivated the world', Barack Obama says

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Former US President Barack Obama said he and wife Michelle had been "awed" by the Queen's "legacy of tireless, dignified public service".
In a statement posted on Twitter, he said
"Her Majesty had "captivated the world", adding: "Her Majesty was just 25 years old when she took on the enormous task of helming one of the world's great democracies".
"In the decades that followed, she would go on to make the role of Queen her own - with a reign defined by grace, elegance, and a tireless work ethic, defying the odds and expectations placed on women of her generation."
Mr Obama added that the Queen had been "responsible for considerable diplomatic achievements", but also paid tribute to her willingness to take part in a comedy sketch at the London Olympics opening ceremony in 2012.
"Michelle and I were lucky enough to come to know her Majesty, and she meant a great deal to us," he said.
"Back when we were just beginning to navigate life as President and First Lady, she welcomed us to the world stage with open arms and extraordinary generosity".
"Time and again, we were struck by her warmth, the way she put people at ease, and how she brought her considerable humour and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance."

 

AN Other AMERICAN VIEW
. . .

Queen’s legacy will “loom large in the pages of history”
Joe Biden says the Queen’s legacy will “loom large in the pages of British history”.
US President Biden and his wife Jill met the Queen in 2021 after he replaced Donald Trump at the Whitehouse.
They have released a joint statement following tonight’s announcement.
"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," they said in a statement.
"Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world."

 

A VIEW FROM INDIA
Queen will be 'remembered as a stalwart of our times'

. . .
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the latest world leader to pay their personal tribute.
"Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered as a stalwart of our times,” he said in a statement.
She provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people.
“She personified dignity and decency in public life. I am pained by her demise. My thoughts are with her family and people of UK in this sad hour."

 

UKRAINIAN President Zelensky tweets his sorrow

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has extended his condolences to Great Britain, following the death of Queen Elizabeth.
"It is with deep sadness that we learned of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“On behalf of the Ukrainian people, we extend sincere condolences to the entire United Kingdom and the Commonwealth over this irreparable loss," Zelensky wrote on Twitter.

 

Irish sympathy:

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Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin conveyed his deepest sympathy following the death of the Queen
Mr Martin said:
"The Queen's reign was one of historic duration, immense consequence and a focus of respect and admiration around the world.
"Her dedication to duty and public service were self-evident and her wisdom and experience truly unique.
"The Queen's passing is indeed the end of an era.
"Her state visit to Ireland in 2011 marked a crucial step in the normalisation of relations with our nearest neighbour.
"That visit was a great success, largely because of the many gracious gestures and warm remarks made by the Queen during her time in Ireland.
"Her popularity with the Irish people was also very evident and clearly made a very positive impact on the Queen"
"In particular, I recall the warmth of the welcome she received from the public in Cork during her walkabout at the English Market."
Mr Martin added: "To her grieving family and people, the Irish Government join with you in mourning the loss of an exceptional woman who led by quiet and dignified example and who touched so many lives over her exceptionally long reign.
"Our world is a poorer place for her passing but a far richer and better place as a result of her long life and enduring contribution."

 

Om shanti your majesty, I wish you a peaceful journey, god save the king.