The death of Queen Elizabeth II Thursday at her residence in the Scottish Highlands has spurred tributes from world leaders within and beyond the United Kingdom.
New U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss said Thursday that the nation is “devastated,” and that “Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built.”
“She was the very spirit of Great Britain, and that spirit will endure,” Truss said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, speaking shortly after the Royal Family announced her death Thursday afternoon, said that Canada is “in mourning.” He said he will miss his chats with the queen, whom he called “thoughtful, wise, curious, helpful, funny and so much more.”
“She was one of my favourite people in the world and I will miss her so,” Trudeau said.
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch. She defined an era,” read the statement released Thursday from U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
The Bidens went on to call her a “steadying presence” and a “source of comfort and pride” for Britons. Politically, the queen was “a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States,” they said.
“Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world.”
Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama noted in a statement that she “made 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.”
The Obamas remarked on the queen’s “considerable humor and charm” in their statement. Former President Donald Trump also commented on her “wonderful sense of humor” in a statement marking her passing.
“What a grand and beautiful lady she was — there was nobody like her!,” Trump said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy extended his “sincere condolences” to the U.K. and Commonwealth “over this irreparable loss.”
Russia’s president Vladimir Putin also expressed condolences to Britain on Thursday, according to Reuters, which cited a Russian news agency.
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.”
Members of the Dutch Royal Family reflected on their “strong bond” with the British royals, and called the queen “steadfast and wise” in a tribute.
Emmanuel Macron, president of France, tweeted that he remembers the monarch as a “friend” to the country and “a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century.”
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences to the Royal Family, the U.K. and the commonwealth, calling her a “witness and author of British and European history.”
— with files from Global News’s Rachel Gilmore, Reuters
Comments