Burning sense of duty, by MI6 chief

MI6 chief Richard Moore paid tribute to the Queen’s “candour, wit and burning sense of duty”, describing her as “the longestrunning reader of intelligence reports”.

As the Commander-in-Chief of the British Military, the Queen was as highly regarded in the armed forces as everywhere else.

Leading the tributes, the head of intelligence agency MI6 said: “On behalf of the officers of the Secret Intelligence Service, I offer my deepest sympathy and condolences to the Royal Family.

“Her Majesty the Queen’s long record of public service is unparalleled in our nation’s history.

"She was a source of stability, good judgment and wisdom to the United Kingdom for almost seven decades and shepherded us through the most profound of global changes and challenges over that period. We owe a deep debt of gratitude for her unwavering devotion to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

“Fifteen chiefs of SIS held office during her long reign. Each of us were honoured to oversee the provision of intelligence to the longest-running reader of intelligence reports. In my meetings with the Queen, I was always struck by her candour, wit and burning sense of duty.

“All of us in the service – whether at home or overseas – will take time to mourn her loss and to celebrate her extraordinary life of public service.

“We will honour her and remember her legacy, while supporting His Majesty the King in his duties as our sovereign.”

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, formerly known as the Army Benevolent Fund, paid tribute to the Queen, who had been the organisation’s patron.

Major General (Ret’d) Tim Hyams, the charity’s chief executive, said: “We are saddened deeply by the death of Her Majesty.

“We were immensely privileged that the Queen succeeded her father as our patron in 1953 and supported the Army’s national charity throughout her reign.”