Truss Calls Queen Elizabeth II ‘Spirit of Britain’ as Tributes Pour In From World Leaders

Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully on Thursday afternoon at the age of 96. Through her 70 years on the throne, she worked with or alongside 15 different British Prime Ministers, 14 US presidents, and 7 popes.

Queen Elizabeth II was the "rock on which" Britain was built, and her passing is a "shock" to the United Kingdom and the world, Prime Minister Liz Truss has said.

"She was the very spirit of Great Britain, and that spirit will endure. She has been our longest-ever reigning monarch. It's an extraordinary achievement to have presided with such dignity and grace for 70 years," Truss said in a speech outside 10 Downing Street in London on Thursday evening.

"Her life of service stretched beyond most of our living memories. In return she was loved and admired by the people in the United Kingdom, and all around the world," Truss said.

The prime minister called Elizabeth II a "personal inspiration", saying "her devotion to duty" was an "example to us all."

"It is a day of great loss, but Queen Elizabeth II leaves a great legacy. Today the crown passes, as it has done for more than a thousand years, to our new monarch, our new head of state, his majesty, King Charles III," she said.

Truss urged Britons to come together to support the king, and "to help him bear the awesome responsibility that he now carries for us all."

New Era

The prime minister characterized Elizabeth II's death as the end of an age, saying that "with the passing of the second Elizabethan age, we usher in a new era in the magnificent history of our great country, exactly as her majesty would have wish by saying the words 'God Save the King'."

Charles III, 73, characterized the death of his mother as a "moment of great sadness" for him and the royal family.

"I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world," he said in a statement Thursday evening.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson called Thursday "our country's saddest day" in connection with the queen's passing.

"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," he said in a statement posted to Twitter.

"This is our country's saddest day because she had a unique and simple power to make us happy. That is why we loved her. That is why we loved her. That is why we grieve for Elizabeth the Great, the longest and in many ways the finest monarch in our history," Johnson said.

Other leaders also expressed their sympathies over Elizabeth II's passing.

US President Joe Biden characterized the monarch as an "era-defining" personality, and called her a "steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her."

Statement of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on the Death of Queen Elizabeth II pic.twitter.com/vnaeiKK4ye

— CSPAN (@cspan) September 8, 2022

Former President Donald Trump said he and his wife Melania were "deeply saddened" by news of the queen's death. "Together with our family and fellow Americans, we send our sincere condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom during this time of great sorrow and grief," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. "What a grand and beautiful lady she was - there was nobody like her!" he added.

"The EU pays tribute to her unique contribution to building peace and reconciliation. While her loss will be felt around the world, our immediate thoughts are with her family and the people of the UK," European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell tweeted.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg echoed the sentiment, saying he was "deeply saddened."

Deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Over more than 70 years, she exemplified selfless leadership and public service. My deepest condolences to the Royal Family, to our #NATO Allies the United Kingdom and Canada, and to the people of the Commonwealth. pic.twitter.com/hHyqBdhKcx

— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) September 8, 2022

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called Elizabeth II a "beacon of continuity" throughout the "deep transformations of our planet and societies" that took place during the monarch's reign. "May she rest in peace," she tweeted.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to Twitter to pay tribute, saying he would "never forget" the "warmth and kindness" shown by the queen during his trips to the UK in 2015 and 2018.

I had memorable meetings with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during my UK visits in 2015 and 2018. I will never forget her warmth and kindness. During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture. pic.twitter.com/3aACbxhLgC

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 8, 2022

Canadian Prime Minister called Elizabeth II a "constant presence in our lives," and said that "her service to Canadians will forever remain an important part of our country's history."

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Elizabeth II a "role model and inspiration", and said that "her commitment to German-British reconciliation after the horrors of World War II will remain unforgotten." French President Emmanuel Macron said he will remember the late monarch "as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century."

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II embodied the British nation’s continuity and unity for over 70 years. I remember her as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) September 8, 2022

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres called Elizabeth II a "good friend to the UN and a reassuring presence through decades of change," and said that "her unwavering, lifelong dedication will long be remembered."