Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully this afternoon at her beloved Balmoral. Although we have all seen her frailty in recent months, the actual news of her death has still come as a shock to the nation. The longest serving monarch in the history of the country has reigned during seven decades of unprecedented change but has remained throughout a beacon of stability and, above all, duty.
Fifteen Prime Ministers have served her, the last of whom she invited to form a Government only 48 hours ago. The image of Her Majesty doing so will be etched in the memory for many years to come. That the passing of the Crown to her son, to be styled King Charles III, has taken place with no fuss or ceremony is testament to success of the monarchy albeit a Coronation will take place in the future.
Few, if any, have served the nation in the way in which she has and for the vast majority of the British people they have known no other monarch. She took great pride in all of the charitable works which she undertook and was a fierce defender of the Commonwealth and all that it now represented. No one, even those less disposed to the Monarchy, doubted the service which was given by her and which will in all likelihood never be repeated.
One must not forget that, as well as being the Head of State, she was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and that her passing will be a time of great personal grief to her entire family. To all of them, we extend our condolences and our gratitude for the years of unstinting service to the nation. It is now for her son to carry on the duties which Her Majesty discharged with grace and dignity. Long live the King.