Reactions of world leaders on demise of Queen Elizabeth II
Tributes poured in from around the world after Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Elizabeth II, the world’s longest-serving monarch, and Britain’s figurehead for seven decades, had died aged 96.
The Queen’s reign, which began in 1952, was seen as bringing stability and continuity to the UK through the many changes of the latter half of the 20th and 21st centuries. The palace said she died at Balmoral Castle, her summer home in Scotland, where members of the British royal family rushed to her side after her health deteriorated.
Here are some of the reactions from different leaders around the world:
British Prime Minister Liz Truss
“The death of Her Majesty The Queen is a great shock to the nation and the world. Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built. Our country grew and prospered under their rule. Britain is the great country it is today thanks to her”
US President Joe Biden
“She marked an era. In an ever-changing world, she has been a constant presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, many of whom have never known their country without her. Queen Elizabeth II was a stateswoman of unparalleled dignity and steadfastness who deepened the rock-solid alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States. She helped make our relationship special”
Chinese President Xi Jinping
“Queen Elizabeth II was the first British monarch to visit China. His death is a great loss for the British people. I attach great importance to the development of China-British relations and I am ready to communicate with King Charles III. to work together to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level, in order to promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.”
French President Emmanuel Macron
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has embodied the continuity and unity of the British nation for over 70 years. I remember her as a friend of France, a queen with a big heart who left a lasting mark on her country and her century”.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres
“As the UK’s longest-lived and longest-serving head of state, Queen Elizabeth II was admired around the world for her grace, dignity and devotion. She has been a reassuring presence through decades of profound change, including the decolonization of Africa and Asia and the development of the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II was a good friend of the United Nations and visited our headquarters in New York twice, more than fifty years apart. She was deeply involved in many charitable and environmental causes and spoke touchingly to delegates at COP26 climate talks in Glasgow. I would like to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II for her constant and permanent commitment to serve her people. The world will long remember her dedication and her leadership ”.
The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani
“Sincere condolences to the British royal family and her people for the disappearance of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, with whose passing the world has lost a great human symbol. She was a source of inspiration and nobility and she has had solid and constructive relationships with Qatar which have strengthened the bonds of friendship and collaboration between our two peoples”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered as a faithful man of our time. She has given inspiring guidance to her country and her people. He personified dignity and decency in public life. Grieved for his death. My thoughts are with his family and the people of the UK at this sad hour. ”
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
“Deeply saddened by the disappearance of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Pakistan mourns her death along with the UK and other Commonwealth countries. My sincere condolences to the royal family, people and government of the United Kingdom. ”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
“It was with a heavy heart that we learned of the death of Canada’s longest-lived ruler, her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He was a constant presence in our lives and his service to Canadians will forever remain an important part of our country’s history. “
