‘We grieve for Elizabeth the Great … the finest monarch in our history’
This is our country’s saddest day. In the hearts of every one of us there is an ache at the passing of our Queen, a deep and personal sense of loss – far more intense, perhaps, than we expected. In these first grim moments since the news, I know that millions and millions of people have been pausing whatever they have been doing, to think about Queen Elizabeth, about the bright and shining light that has finally gone out. She seemed so timeless and so wonderful that I am afraid we had come to believe, like children, that she would just go on and on.
Wave after wave of grief is rolling across the world, from Balmoral – where our thoughts are with all the Royal family – and breaking far beyond this country and throughout that great Commonwealth of nations that she so cherished and which cherished her in return. As is so natural with human beings, it is only when we face the reality of our loss that we truly understand what has gone. It is only really now that we grasp how much she meant for us, how much she did for us, how much she loved us. As we think of the void she leaves, we understand the vital role she played, selflessly and calmly embodying the continuity and unity of our country. This is our country’s saddest day because she had a unique and simple power to make us happy. That is why we loved her. That is why we grieve for Elizabeth the Great, the longest-serving and in many ways the finest monarch in our history
Boris Johnson
From the moment I waved my little flag as I watched her, as a child, be driven through the streets of Durham, to the honour of being her prime minister, to my last meeting with her and then lunching with her at Windsor Castle for the Garter ceremony just a few months ago, she has been an enduring presence of strength and stability. At that lunch, we sat next to each other and she was on sparkling form as we talked – warm, gracious, humorous and spirited
Sir Tony Blair
As we mourn, we should be grateful that we were blessed with such an example of duty and leadership for so very many years
Sir John Major
Queen Elizabeth II was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock alliance between the UK and the US. She helped make our relationship special. She was the first British monarch to whom people all around the world could feel a personal and immediate connection. She, in turn, dedicated her whole life to their service
Joe Biden
She wore her lofty titles with a light touch. Michelle and I were lucky enough to come to know Her Majesty, and she meant a great deal to us. Back when we were just beginning to navigate life as president and first lady, she welcomed us 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 humour and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance
Barack Obama
It was, each week, a privilege to have the ability to sit down, in private, with Queen Elizabeth and to be able to call on her sage advice and wise counsel
David Cameron
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
Emmanuel Macron
What a grand, beautiful lady she was… May she reign forever in our hearts, and may God hold her and Prince Philip in abiding care
Donald Trump
Her Majesty’s commitment to German-british reconciliation after the horrors of World War II will remain unforgotten. She will be missed