NewsPoliticsTop StoryWorld

World mourns Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II

World mourns Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II,

Newslooks- LONDON (AP)

Condolences poured in from around the world Thursday after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, whose rule saw Britain through decades of change.

Elizabeth had been on the throne since 1952, when the nation was still rebuilding from the destruction of World War II, and became a global icon of calmness and fortitude through years of upheaval.

FILE – In this Monday, Dec. 22, 2008 file photo, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II stands in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace after recording her Christmas Day message to the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, has died. She was 96. Buckingham Palace made the announcement in a statement on Thursday Sept. 8, 2022. (John Stillwell, Pool Photo via AP, File)

Politicians from across the political spectrum in Britain united in sorrow at the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a passing that brought fractious everyday politics in the country to a halt.

FILE – New British Prime Minister Liz Truss makes an address outside Downing Street in London Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 after returning from Balmoral in Scotland where she was formally appointed by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. Truss says her government will cap domestic energy prices for homes and businesses to ease the cost-of-living crisis. Truss told lawmakers Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022 that the two-year “energy price guarantee” means average household bills will be no more than 2,500 pounds ($2,872) a year for heating and electricity. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

Prime Minister Liz Truss said the country was “devasted” by the death of the monarch, calling her “the rock on which modern Britain was built.”

“We are now a modern, thriving, dynamic nation,” Truss said outside 10 Downing St. in London. “Through thick and thin, Queen Elizabeth II provided us with the stability and the strength that we needed.

“She was the very spirit of Great Britain – and that spirit will endure,” ending on words no British leader has said for 70 years: “God save the king.”

Truss was appointed by the queen just two days ago, becoming the 15th prime minister to serve during Elizabeth’s reign.

Truss’ predecessor, Boris Johnson, said “this is our country’s saddest day.”

In this grab taken from video, Britain’s Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech in the House of Commons,to set out her energy plan to shield households and businesses from soaring energy bills, in London, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. Truss says her government will cap domestic energy prices for homes and businesses to ease the cost-of-living crisis. Truss told lawmakers Thursday that the two-year “energy price guarantee” means average household bills will be no more than 2,500 pounds ($2,872) a year for heating and electricity. (House of Commons/PA via AP)

He said the death of the only monarch most Britons have ever known would provoke “a deep and personal sense of loss – far more intense, perhaps, than we expected.”

He said her heir, King Charles III, would “amply do justice to her legacy.”

Opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer also paid tribute.

“Above the clashes of politics, she stood not for what the nation fought over, but what it agreed upon. As Britain changed rapidly around her, this dedication became the still point of our turning world,” he said. “So as our great Elizabethan era comes to an end, we will honor the late Queen’s memory by keeping alive the values of public service she embodied.”

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, hidden, wave as they walk towards Making One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022, as they head to Philadelphia where President Biden will deliver a prime-time address and is expected to sound an alarm about what he views as “extremist” threats to American democracy. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

U.S. presidents past and present expressed their condolences over the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden said in a statement that Elizabeth was “more than a monarch” and that “she defined an era.”

“Queen Elizabeth II was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States,” the Bidens said. “She helped make our relationship special.”

Biden’s predecessor in the White House, Donald Trump, said in a statement that Elizabeth “will always be remembered for her faithfulness to her country and her unwavering devotion to her fellow countrymen and women.

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

“Melania and I will always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor. What a grand and beautiful lady she was — there was nobody like her!”

Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, also recalled the queen fondly.

Barack Obama wins Emmy: Narrating 'National Parks'
FILE – Former President Barack Obama speaks during a memorial service for former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at the Smith Center in Las Vegas, Jan. 8, 2022. Obama won an Emmy Award for his work on the Netflix documentary series, “Our Great National Parks,” on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

“Back when we were just beginning to navigate life as President and First Lady, she welcomed us to the world stage with open arms and extraordinary generosity,” the Obama’s said in a statement. “Time and again, we were struck by her warmth, the way she put people at ease, and how she brought her considerable humor and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance.

Former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter also issued statements expressing their condolences.

“She lived history, she made history, and with her passing she leaves a magnificent, inspirational legacy,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said.

FILE – Israeli President Isaac Herzog attends a meeting with Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson inside Number 10 Downing Street in central London, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. Herzog is traveling to Turkey and will be the first leader from Israel to visit in 14 years. Herzog is scheduled to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 before traveling to Istanbul for meetings with members of Turkey’s Jewish community. Israel and Turkey were once close allies. (Justin Tallis/Pool Photo via AP, File)

In India, once a British colony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called her “a stalwart of our times.”

“She personified dignity and decency in public life,” Modi tweeted.

Muslim
FILE- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, front, performs Hindu rituals sitting at Sangam, the confluence of the Rivers Ganges and Yamuna, at Allahabad, India, Dec. 16, 2018. India is facing major diplomatic outrage from Muslim countries after top officials in the ruling Hindu nationalist party made derogatory references to Islam and the Prophet, drawing accusations of blasphemy across some Arab nations that have left New Delhi struggling to contain the damaging fallout. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh, File)

In Washington, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered the flags lowered to half-staff at the U.S. Capitol, her office said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks at her weekly press conference on Capitol Hill, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

Caribbean leaders from Bermuda to Dominica and beyond mourned the queen’s death.

“Her passing ends an iconic 70-year reign and is a profound loss for the commonwealth of nations and the world,” tweeted Roosevelt Skerrit, Dominica’s prime minister.

Minutes later, Bermuda Premier David Burt issued a statement noting that her reign “has spanned decades of such immense change for the United Kingdom and the world.”

Elizabeth died at age 96 at Balmoral Castle, her summer residence in Scotland, where members of the royal family had rushed after her health worsened.

For more world news

Previous Article
King Charles III, UK’s new Monarch as confirmed now
Next Article
Trump Docs: DOJ appeals Ruling on Special Master

How useful was this article?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 0 / 5. Vote count: 0

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this article.

Latest News

Menu