Condolences poured in after the announcement of Queen Elizabeth’s death at the age of 96 on Thursday at her residence at Balmoral, ending a historic 70-year reign on the throne.
In a statement released shortly after the queen’s death, U.S. President Joe Biden said she “defined an era,” was a “steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons” who oversaw “an age of unprecedented human advancement and the forward march of human dignity.”
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted his condolences, saying the queen “embodied the British nation’s continuity and unity for over 70 years,” calling her a “friend of France” and a “kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the queen a “constant presence in our lives,” adding “her service to Canadians will forever remain an important part of our country’s history.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky extended “sincere condolences to the Royal Family, the entire United Kingdom and the Commonwealth” over the “irreparable loss.”
British Prime Minister Liz Truss—who was appointed by the queen earlier this week—tweeted earlier on Thursday “the whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime,” adding in a statement after her death “Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built … our country has grown and flourished under her reign.”
In a statement from Buckingham Palace, the queen’s son, King Charles, said the Royal Family is going through a “moment of the greatest sadness” as they “mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother.”
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres wrote he is “deeply saddened” at the news, adding she was “admired worldwide for her leadership and devotion,” and a “good friend to the UN and a reassuring presence through decades of change.”
Exiting U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson released a statement shortly after her death, writing “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 … 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.”
Former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown wrote “the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the entire world are joined together in mourning.”
Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama said in a joint statement, “through periods of prosperity and stagnation—from the moon landing to the fall of the Berlin Wall, to the dawn of the digital age—she served as a beacon of hope and stability for the people of the United Kingdom and the world.”
Former President Donald Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social, “our thoughts and prayers will remain with the great people of the United Kingdom as you honor her most meaningful life and exceptional service.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) wrote that “over her seven decades on the throne, her majesty was a pillar of leadership in the global arena and a devoted friend of freedom.”
In a statement, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) wrote, “despite spending nearly three quarters of a century as one of the most famous and admired individuals on the planet, the queen made sure her reign was never really about herself, not her fame, not her feelings, not her personal wants or needs.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) expressed his condolences on the Senate floor, saying “it’s hard to fathom that today we have to say ‘goodbye,’ because after all, most Americans, to say nothing of the British people, have never lived in a world without her majesty, the queen.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offered his condolences in a statement, saying “this is a loss we all feel, for few have known a world without Queen Elizabeth II.”
In a tweet, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called her a “role model an inspiration for millions” whose “commitment to German-British reconciliation after the horrors of World War II will remain unforgotten.”
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid wrote that the queen “leaves behind an unparalleled legacy of leadership and service.”
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador posted a tweet, sending his condolences to the people of the U.K. and to the Royal Family.
Keir Starmer, the leader of Britain’s Labor Party, wrote about the queen that “above the clashes of politics, she stood not for what the nation fought over, but what it agreed upon,” adding that her “dedication became the still point of our turning world.”
Ed Davey, the leader of the U.K.’s Liberal Party, described her as an “ever-fixed mark in our lives” who “represented duty and courage, warmth and compassion.”
Former British Prime Minister David Cameron released a statement, saying “there can simply be no finer example of dignified public duty and unstinting service and we all owe our sincere gratitude for her continued devotion, living every day by the pledge she made on her 21st birthday.”
Former Prime Minister Theresa May wrote “her majesty witnessed tremendous change, moving adroitly with the times but always providing stability and reassurance.”
British officials did not disclose the cause of the queen’s death, although her health had been a concern for the past year, after she was hospitalized last October, sprained her back one month later, tested positive for Covid-19 in February and started stepping back from public life. Late last year, officials for the Royal Family said the queen was entering a “new phase” of her historic 70-year reign—the longest a British monarch has spent on the throne. She passed away as the longest reigning monarch in British history.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/09/08/irreparable-loss-biden-macron-trudeau-zelensky-other-world-leaders-mourn-death-of-queen-elizabeth/