Liz Truss – who met the Queen two days ago to be asked to form a government – led the tributes in her second speech outside Downing Street since taking office. “The death of Her Majesty the Queen is a tremendous shock to the nation and the world,” he said in a short and somber speech that ended with the solemn words “God save the King.” He said: “Today the crown passes, as it has for over 1,000 years, to our new monarch, our new head of state, His Majesty King Charles III.” Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer said the nation should appreciate his love as well as mourn the loss. “Our longest and greatest monarch. Above the conflicts of politics, he stood not for what the nation fought for but for what it agreed to. In crisis, he reassured us. Reminding us that we are all part of something that stretches back in time. A symbol of the best of us,” he said. Truss’s predecessor as prime minister, Boris Johnson, said: “This is our country’s saddest day. In the hearts of each of us there is an ache for the death of our Queen, a deep and personal sense of loss. “A bright and shining light that finally went out … it seemed so timeless and so wonderful that I’m afraid we had come to believe, like children, that it would just go on and on.” The death of the queen, who came to the throne after the second world war, ends the longest reign of any British monarch – seven years longer than Queen Victoria. She continued to carry out her official duties until days before her death, a reflection of the faith she had in the role of the monarchy in Britain, said Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. “Through times of war and hardship, through times of upheaval and change, and through times of joy and celebration, we have been sustained by her late Majesty’s belief in what and who we are called to be,” he said. “As we mourn together, we know that in losing our beloved queen, we have lost the person whose unwavering faith, service and humility helped us to understand who we are through decades of extraordinary change in our world, nation and society. .” News of concern for the Queen’s health emerged in a statement from Buckingham Palace at 12.32pm on Thursday. A somber mood prevailed in parliament after the Speaker of the Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, interrupted a speech by Westminster SNP leader Ian Blackford to break the news. “I know I speak for the whole house when I say that we send our best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen and that she and the royal family are in our thoughts and prayers at this time,” Hoyle said. Former Prime Minister John Major described the Queen as a leader, “selfless and wise, with a wonderful generosity of spirit”, who “embodied the heart and soul of our nation”. Tony Blair said the nation had lost “not just our monarch but the matriarch of our nation, the figure who more than any other united our country, kept us in touch with our best nature, personified everything that makes us proud that we are British”. . He added: “We will mourn her. We will miss him. But our overwhelming feeling will be gratitude, deep, sincere and heartfelt thanks for what he did, what he stood for, for the life he lived and for what he gave us.” DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson recalled her “pioneering” role in reconciliation in Ireland after she visited the Republic in 2011, the first reigning monarch to do so. “Her Majesty has set an example in Northern Ireland and extended the hand of friendship to help the reconciliation process. We are obliged to build on these foundations,” he said. Public figures and celebrities joined the politicians to express their grief. Stephen Fry, the actor and writer, tweeted: “Oh dear. Oh my God. Oh heavens. Bless my soul. Oh Lor. Good. I don’t know why I’m crying. Stupid really. Oh dear.” oh dear Oh my God. Oh heavens. Bless my soul. Oh Lor. Good. — Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) September 8, 2022 Harry Potter author JK Rowling said some might find the outpouring of British shock and grief “strange or strange” but “millions felt affection and respect for the woman who unquestioningly assumed her constitutional role for 70 years”. He added: “Most Britons have never met another monarch, so it has been a thread that runs throughout our lives. She did her duty to the country until her dying hours and became an enduring, positive symbol of Britain around the world. She earned her rest.” Most Britons have never met another monarch, so it has been a thread that runs throughout our lives. She did her duty to the country until her dying hours and became an enduring, positive symbol of Britain around the world. She earned her rest. #The Queen — JK Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 8, 2022 Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker said it was a “terribly sad day”. Such a terribly sad day. Her Majesty The Queen has died. A truly remarkable woman who served her country with dignity, loyalty and grace. A comfort that is always present in the lives of most of us. Rest in peace, Your Majesty. — Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) September 8, 2022 Frank Bruno, the former boxing champion, said the Queen was the “matriarchal mother of our nation”. RIP Queen Elizabeth I just heard and I am devastated we all knew the end was coming but to me our Queen was like a member of each of our families. I was lucky and blessed to have met her a few times. She was the Matriarch Mother of our nation. My thoughts are with the royal family on a sad sad day pic.twitter.com/zwMZsX2iv0 — Frank Bruno MBE 🇬🇧 (@frankbrunoboxer) September 8, 2022 Ozzy Osbourne posted on Instagram: “I mourn with my country the passing of our greatest queen.” Allow Instagram content? This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is uploaded, as it may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click Allow and Continue. Paddington Bear, who took tea with the Queen in a video to celebrate her jubilee, paid tribute in a tweet.
