On September 19, Mahama paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who ruled for seven decades, in a tweet.
He praised her for being a great woman who promoted harmony and had a sense of humor and clarity.
Mahama recounted when he and his wife, Lordina, met the British monarch in Buckingham Palace in 2014. He indicated that an encounter with her leaves one struck by her “dignity and grace”.
“An era has come to an end. The world salutes a very great woman. She was the commonwealth; such a diplomat, who took it upon herself to bring diverse nations together. Her visits to Ghana in 1961 and 1999 are perfect examples. Fare thee well, Queen Elizabeth
“I recall my visit to the Buckingham Palace in 2014 with my wife, Lordina, and our interaction. One is struck by her dignity and grace. She had a good sense of humour and clarity of thought. Fare thee well, Queen Elizabeth,” Mahama tweeted.
An era has come to an end. The world salutes a very great woman. She was the commonwealth; such a diplomat, who took it upon herself to bring diverse nations together. Her visits to Ghana in 1961 and 1999 are perfect examples.
Since Monday has been designated a bank holiday, many companies will be closed and many doctor appointments have been rescheduled.
Numerous stores, theatres, and educational institutions will be closed on Monday in observance of the Queen’s funeral.
A number of pub groups have said they will keep venues open during the day, with Stonegate saying it plans to show the Queen’s funeral on screens when it starts at 11 am.
A massive security operation will be in place during the funeral, and transport will be disrupted across the capital, with TFL saying it would be the “biggest event and challenge” in its history.
Some of the biggest retailers will be closed or partially closed, so workers can pay tribute to the Queen.
Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Lidl, and Aldi were among those closing their supermarket stores for the day.
“We want to express our deepest condolences to the royal family, as well as our gratitude to Her Majesty the Queen for her unwavering service,” said Tesco’s UK chief executive Jason Tarry.
Tesco said it would open its Express convenience stores from 5 pm, while a small number of convenience stores in central London and Windsor will remain open.
Asda said it will shut its stores for the funeral, but all its supermarkets will open from 5 pm, with colleagues working on Monday evening to receive double pay.
Retailers including Primark and Marks & Spencer and cinema chains such as Cineworld and Odeon will shut for the day.
Waterstones said it would close all its bookstores.
McDonald’s restaurants will be closed from midnight until 5 pm, while Greggs said almost all of its outlets would be shut.
What stays open
Downing Street has indicated it would be up to individual businesses to decide whether to be open or shut.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said the day of the funeral will operate as “a standard bank holiday”.
“Obviously individual businesses will need to make the decisions about what’s right for them and discuss with their employees but there is obviously no one-size-fits-all approach.”
Among businesses choosing to stay open are Premier Inn hotels.
JD Wetherspoon said pubs in central London, railway stations and airports would open from 8am on Monday, while most of its pubs will only open from about 1pm, after the funeral takes place.
The statement Prince Andrew made in honour of the Queen was accompanied by a black and white photo of his mother cradling him as a baby in March 1960. Prince Andrew is no longer a working royal.
“Mummy, your love for a son, your compassion, your care, and your confidence I will keep forever,” the Duke of York said in a tribute to the Queen.
In memory of his brother Charles, he concluded it with the phrase “God Save The King.”
The Duke of York said he would miss the late monarch’s “insights, advice, and humour”, saying he “found your knowledge and wisdom infinite”.
The statement read: “Dear Mummy, Mother, Your Majesty, three in one. Your Majesty, it has been an honour and privilege to serve you.
“Mother – of the nation, your devotion and personal service to our nation is unique and singular; your people show their love and respect in so many different ways and I know you are looking on honouring their respect.
“Mummy, your love for a son, your compassion, your care, your confidence I will treasure forever. I have found your knowledge and wisdom infinite, with no boundary or containment.
Prince Andrew at vigil
“I will miss your insights, advice, and humour. As our book of experiences closes, another opens, and I will forever hold you close to my heart with my deepest love and gratitude, and I will tread gladly into the next with you as my guide.
“God save The King.”
Prince Andrew stepped down from public life over his friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2019.
He has been stripped of his honorary military roles, including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, and has given up his HRH style.
At one point during the commemorations for the Queen’s death, he was heckled by a man in the crowd.
The Duke of York has settled a civil sexual assault case against a woman he claimednever to have met. The exact amount of the settlement has not been disclosed, but some reports at the time put it at £12m.
Virginia Giuffre sued him for allegedly sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Epstein.
For a two-day visit to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II, President Joe Biden flew into London late on Saturday. According to the president, the long-reigning monarch “shaped an era.”
Biden, who visited the late sovereign last year and said later that she reminded him of his mother, is joining leaders from a considerable number of other countries to pay their respects to the late sovereign.
For Biden, it is an opportunity to think back on a monarch whose life was a timeline of the most important historical events of the last 100 years and who personified a dedication to public service.
When Biden first encountered the Queen in 1982, his own Irish American mother admonished him not to show her any respect.
He didn’t bow down then, or when he met the Queen as President last year while attending a Group of 7 summits in England. But his respect for a woman whose constancy on the world stage over the last century was unparalleled has been plain.
“She was a great lady. We’re so delighted we got to meet her,” Biden said on the day that she died.
The Queen’s surprise decision last year to travel to the Cornish coast to meet world leaders at the G7 summit was a signal of her desire to remain engaged in global affairs.
Later that week, when she hosted Biden and first lady Jill Biden for tea at Windsor Castle, she inquired about two authoritarian leaders, Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia, the President told reporters afterward.
“She had such curiosity. She wanted to know all about American politics, and what was happening. So, she put us at ease,” Jill Biden said recently in an interview with NBC.
At Sunday evening’s reception, Biden will see Charles for the first time since he became King. The two men have met previously and spoke last week by phone.
As Prince of Wales, Charles was a passionate campaigner for certain issues Biden has also championed, including combating climate change. It remains to be seen how involved the new King will be on those issues going forward.
Relatively close in age — Charles is 73, Biden is 79 — the two men have a shared experience of being in the public eye for decades before assuming their current roles as heads of state.
On his call with the King, Biden “conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen, whose dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom,” the White House said. “President Biden conveyed his wish to continue a close relationship with the King.”
Security in the British capital is at its highest level in memory as Biden and dozens of other world leaders convene to remember the late Queen, who met 13 sitting US Presidents during her reign.
White House aides have declined to provide specific security details for the President’s visit but say they are working well with their British counterparts to ensure the demands of presidential security are met.
Plans for the Queen’s funeral have been in place for years, allowing US advisers greater insight into precisely what will happen over the coming days as they make security arrangements.
The White House said it received an invitation only for the President and first lady, making for a slimmed-down American footprint.
Biden traveled with his national security adviser, communications director, and other personal aides aboard Air Force One to London.
When reports emerged last week that world leaders would be required to ride on a bus to the funeral, US officials were skeptical and shot down the suggestion Biden that would travel to Westminster Abbey in a coach.
In 2018, when other world leaders traveled together in a bus to a World War I memorial in Paris, then-US President Donald Trump traveled separately in his own vehicle. The White House explained at the time that the separate trip was “due to security protocols.”
The Queen’s death came at a moment of economic and political turmoil for the United Kingdom. A new prime minister, Liz Truss, entered office after months of uncertainty following the decision of her predecessor, Boris Johnson, to step down.
Truss invited several visiting world leaders to meet individually at 10 Downing Street this weekend. In the role for only a little more than a week, it will be Truss’ first time meeting face to face with many of her foreign counterparts.
While her office initially said Biden would be among the leaders visiting Downing Street, it was later announced that Truss and the President would meet for formal bilateral talks on Wednesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
A host of issues are currently testing the US-UK “special relationship,” which has been heralded repeatedly in the UK.
It was only two days after Truss traveled to Balmoral Castle in Scotland to formally accept the Queen’s appointment as prime minister that the long-reigning monarch passed away. Since then, the country has been in a formal period of mourning.
Truss inherited a deep economic crisis, fueled by high inflation and soaring energy costs, that has led to fears the UK could soon enter a prolonged recession. The challenges have been aggravated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has caused volatility in the oil and gas markets.
While few in the Biden administration shed tears at Johnson’s resignation– Biden once described him as the “physical and emotional clone” of Trump — the US and the UK were deeply aligned in their approach to Russia under his leadership.
White House officials expect that cooperation will continue under Truss, even as she comes under pressure to ease economic pressures at home.
Less certain, however, is whether Truss’s hard-line approach to Brexit will sour relations with Biden. The President has taken a personal interest in the particular issue of the Northern Ireland Protocol, a post-Brexit arrangement that requires extra checks on goods moving between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
The rules were designed to keep the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland open and avoid a return to sectarian violence. But Truss has moved to rewrite those rules, causing deep anxiety in both Brussels and Washington.
Biden, who makes frequent references to his Irish ancestry, has made his views clear on the issue, even though it does not directly involve the United States. Congressional Democrats have similarly expressed concern over any steps that could reignite the Northern Ireland conflict.
In their first phone call as counterparts earlier this month, Biden raised the matter with Truss, according to the White House.
A US readout of their conversation said they discussed a “shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the importance of reaching a negotiated agreement with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol.”
Following a member of the public leaving the line of mourners and approaching the Queen’s coffin on Friday night, there were complaints of “a disturbance” in the solemn hall, according to the police.
The person “moved out of the queue and towards the catafalque (raised platform)” before they were “removed from the hall and the queue reopened with minimal disturbance,” according to a representative for the parliament.
The event took place while a quick cutaway in the live feed from within Westminster Hall occurred.
On Saturday night, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “A man who was arrested in Westminster Hall on Friday, September 16, has been charged.
“Muhammad Khan, 28, of Barleycorn Way, Tower Hamlets, was charged on Saturday, September 17, with an offense under Section 4A of the Public Order Act; behavior intending to cause alarm, harassment or distress.”
He will appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, the same day as the Queen’s state funeral.
Khan is the second person to be charged with committing an offense while in the queue to see the Queen’s coffin lying in state.
A 19-year-old man allegedly exposed himself and pushed mourners from behind as they waited in the line at Victoria Tower Gardens on Wednesday.
Adio Adeshine is said to have gone into the River Thames in an attempt to evade police before coming out and being arrested.
He was remanded in custody on Friday after appearingat Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
On Saturday, the eight grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth will keep vigil by their grandmother’s coffin. James, Viscount Severn, the youngest grandchild of Her Majesty, will attend Westminster Hall for the 15-minute vigil with his older sister Lady Louise Windsor, 18, and their royal cousins the Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie.
According to HOLA! USA’s sister brand HELLO!, Prince William will stand at the head, while his brother Harry at the foot. At the request of their father, King Charles III, both brothers will be in uniform. The Queen’s other grandchildren will be dressed in morning coats and dark formal dresses with decorations.
A vigil around the Queen’s coffin will also be held by the late monarch’s four children, King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward on Friday.
Earlier this week, Her Majesty’s children and grandchildren attended a service for the reception of the Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall. The service marked the first time Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex’s 14-year-old son James had been seen since his grandmother’s death.
The Queen passed away at Balmoral on Sept. 8. Her Majesty’s state funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday, Sept. 19. In the evening, a private burial will be held in the King George VI Memorial Chapel. The Queen will be buried with her husband Prince Philip, who passed away last year.
Those waiting in line to view the Queen lying in the state were surprised to see King Charles and Prince William.
The Prince of Wales told one young girl, “You’re over halfway,” as they praised people who had waited through the night.
William also mentioned how important it was to his family that there was a long line.
I hope you didn’t get too frozen, the King said to one in reference to the chilly overnight temps.
There were cheers of God Save the King, God Save the Prince of Wales, and hip hooray as the pair walked up and down the queue.
The queue time is now around 16.5 hours, with the line stretching five miles along the River Thames to Southwark Park.
One woman in the queue told the Prince of Wales she had been queuing for 13 hours already. He replied: “Thirteen hours? You’re looking very good on 13 hours.”
The Prince of Wales said he was sorry people had had to wait for so long
Those waiting in Lambeth, south London, told the pair the wait was “worth it” but William said he was sorry they had had to wait for so long.
The prince commented to one person waiting that their trainers were a good choice of footwear for the queue.
Several people cried after meeting Prince William, and one woman told him: “You’ll be a brilliant king one day.”
King Charles left around 20 minutes after arriving and was driven back to Buckingham Palace, but his son stayed longer to speak to more people.
King Charles shook people’s hands during the surprise visit
The beginning of King Charles’s reign has seen the Royal Family take part in several walkabouts and meetings with the public.
The Queen’s youngest son could be heard asking mourners where they had come from and whether they were making their way to Green Park to lay flowers.
The pair had come from a lunch held inside the palace by the King and Queen Consort for governors-general from Commonwealth countries.
Representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu were among those present, along with the Prince and Princess of Wales.
On Saturday evening, the Prince of Wales, his brother the Duke of Sussex and their cousins will stand guard around the Queen’s coffin, a day after their parents held their own vigil at the Palace of Westminster.
Prince Harry has been given permission by the King to wear a military uniform.
Saturday is the third full day the Queen’s coffin will lie in state in Westminster Hall, where she will remain until the morning of the funeral, on Monday.
Human rights activists have reacted angrily to Britain’s invitation of Mohammed Bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia‘s Crown Prince, to the Queen’s funeral.
According to a declassified CIA report, the crown prince gave the go-ahead for Jamal Khashoggi’s murder and dismemberment inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
Although the Saudi crown prince and his administration denied this, he has since been shunned in the West and hasn’t visited Britain, until now.
A Saudi Embassy spokesman confirmed that the prince, known as “MBS”, would be coming to London this weekend, but it was unclear if he would attend the actual funeral on Monday.
Hatice Gengiz, the fiancée of the murdered Saudi journalist, said the invitation was a stain on the memory of Queen Elizabeth II. She called for him to be arrested when he lands in London, although she doubted this would happen.
The pressure group Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) has accused Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchiesof using the Queen’s funeral as a way to – in their words – “whitewash” their human rights records.
The group estimates that since the start of the disastrous war in Yemen eight years ago, Britain has sold the Saudi-led coalition fighting there more than $23bn worth of arms.
Scant political freedoms have also disappeared completely since MBS became crown prince in 2017, with hefty prison sentences handed down to critics of the government, even just for social media posts.
At the same time, paradoxically, the crown prince has embarked on a massive programme of social liberalization. Cinemas and public entertainment, long banned in the Kingdom for being deemed “un-Islamic”, have reopened.
On MBS’s orders, women are now allowed to drive and the desert kingdom has played host to international sporting and music events, including a concert by the DJ David Guetta.
Saudi Arabia, despite its heavily-criticized human rights record, remains a staunch ally of Britain in the Gulf, where it is seen by the West as a bulwark against Iran’s aggressive expansionism.
It buys western weapons, employs thousands of expatriateworkers, hosts the annual Hajj pilgrimage, and helps to steady the oil price. All of these partly explain why international criticism of the crown prince is muted at most.
The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex will be among the grandchildren of the Queen who will keep watch over her coffin this evening as she lies in state in Westminster Hall.
Prince Harry will don a military uniform for the first time in 2020 at King Charles’ request.
Since the Queen’s passing, Prince Harry has appeared in public wearing regular clothes.
The King and the Queen’s children manned the guard duty for around ten minutes on Friday night.
As they left the hall, members of the public applauded them.
The grandchildren’s vigil is expected to last around 15 minutes.
The King’s two sons will be joined by Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor, and James, Viscount Severn.
He served two tours in Afghanistan as part of the Army. He now lives in California with his wife Meghan and their two children.
Prince Harry wore a morning suit to walk behind the Queen’s coffin, while his brother wore a military uniform
Prince Andrew was also allowed to wear his military uniform as he stood guard on Friday. The 62-year-old stepped down as a working royal in 2019, after a Newsnight interview about his relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The prince was later stripped of his military titles.
Before the vigil, the Queen’s youngest child, Prince Edward, thanked the public for their support.
“We have been overwhelmed by the tide of emotion that has engulfed us and the sheer number of people who have gone out of their way to express their own love, admiration and respect to such a very special and unique person who was always there for us,” he said.
“And now, we are there for her, united in grief.”
The Queen will lie in state at Westminster Hall until her funeral on Monday. The queue to see the coffin stretches as far as Southwark Park. Officials have said if the park reaches capacity, entry will be paused.
At the park, there is a queue for wristbands and to join the queue properly. Further along, an LED display warns people of how long they should expect to wait. Many are anticipating a long stay, wearing parkas, hats, and big jumpers.
At 14:00 BST on Saturday, the government website said the waiting time was now up to 16.5 hours.
Foreign dignitaries are traveling to London ahead of Monday’s funeral, which will be one of the biggest diplomatic events of recent years, with some 500 heads of state and other dignitaries expected to attend.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese laid flowers in Green Park, central London, before meeting King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Saturday. Mr Albanese said it was a “great honour” to represent Australia and commemorate “a life well-lived”.
Meanwhile, King Charles is back in London, having completed a tour of the UK’s four nations.
On Saturday the King met the heads of the armed forces at Buckingham Palace and visited the Metropolitan Police’s headquarters, New Scotland Yard.
He then went to Lambeth Bridge, alongside Prince William, to shake hands and greet those queuing for the lying-in-state. He is meeting world leaders this afternoon.
A senior Metropolitan Police officer described the Queen’s funeral as “the largest single policing event [the force] has ever undertaken”.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said the “hugely complex” operation surpasses the London 2012 Olympics – which saw up to 10,000 police officers on duty each day.
Events, moments of reflection, and public screenings of the funeral are also taking place across the UK this weekend, outside London.
In Blackpool, the tower illuminations – which were changed to red, white, and blue for the period of mourning – will be switched off at 20:00 on Sunday, when a national one-minute silence will take place.
As the deadline of September 30 draws near, many UK citizens are rushing against time to have the £20 and £50 notes they now hold changed by a polymer equivalent.
As many Britons wait in line at its counter, the Bank of England (BoE) has said that it is “experiencing very strong demand” for its services.
The Bank of England Counter is currently open Monday through Friday from 9.30 am to 3 pm and is in high demand.
“There will be lengthy lines, and you might have to wait more than an hour.
When making a trip to the Bank to conduct an in-person exchange, we respectfully ask that you take into account the lengthy wait periods. If you arrive after 2pm, there’s a chance you won’t be served before we close.
Although it is still a legal tender at present, the £20 and £50 notes will cease to be in use and circulation from next month.
People who are in possession of the notes have been asked to deposit them at their banks, some post office branches or with the Bank of England to have them replaced with the polymer version which is said to be “less vulnerable to counterfeiters and more durable”.
According to UK Sky News, the Bank first released the polymer £50 note in 2021, which featured Bletchley Park codebreaker and scientist Alan Turing. This completed the “family” of polymer notes, which also included the £5, £10, and £20 notes.
Following her passing, Queen Elizabeth II’s image is anticipated to eventually be removed on UK banknotes.
Following his accession to the throne, King Charles III’s likeness will be printed on the new currency.
“Through all the years of her reign, the land of Wales could not have been closer to my mother’s heart.
“I know she took immense pride in your many great achievements – even as she also felt with you deeply in time of sorrow.
“It must surely be counted the greatestprivilege to belong to a land that could inspire such devotion.
“I am resolved to honour that selfless example.”
The monarch added: “I take up my new duties with immense gratitude for the privilege of having been able to serve as Prince of Wales.
“That ancient title, dating from the time of those great Welsh rulers, like Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, whose memory is still rightly honoured, I now pass to my son, William, whose love for this corner of the Earth is made all the greater by the years he himself has spent here.
“Having visited the Senedd regularly since it was founded, and having heard your heartfelt words today, I know we all share the deepest commitment to the welfare of the people of this land and that we will all continue to work together to that end.”
The Vatican says Pope Francis will not be present at the Queen’s funeral on Monday.
The de facto foreign minister for the Pope will take his seat.
The Vatican says in a statement: “The Most Reverend Paul Gallagher, secretary for relations with states and international organizations, will represent Pope Francis at the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“Over recent months the Pope has suffered ongoing knee trouble that hasimpacted his mobility. On a July trip to Canada, he spent much of his visit in a wheelchair.
Who can skip the line to pay their respects to the late Queen has sparked a dispute.
MPs and House of Lords members can each bring four guests to the lying-in-state without having to wait in line.
The majority of Parliamentary staff can also bypass the lines, although MP staffers are required to wait in line.
Contractors working for Parliament are required to wait up alongside cleaners and security personnel, prompting complaints that they are being treated like “second class citizens.”
There are hundreds of cleaners working across theParliamentary estate.An estimated 160 of their jobs have been outsourced. Because they don’t work directly for the parliamentary administration, they will not be entitled to gain access to the fast-track queue.
The PCS trade union said it was “time for them to be treated as equals”.
Shortly before 10:00 this morning, the government announced that the public queue was being paused for at least six hours after reaching capacity.
Mourners have been warned not to try to join the queue before 16:00 at the earliest.
The official estimate for queuing time has risen to at least 14 hours.
Former prime minister Theresa May, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, and deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner are among the MPs who have attended the lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.
Members of the public are able to attend 24 hours a day until 06:30 BST on Monday – the day of the Queen’s funeral – but the queue will close before then to ensure as many people as possible can get in.
‘Second-class citizens’
Many have waited more than eight hours for the opportunity to pay their respects.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS union, which represents civil and public servants as well as private sector workers on government contracts, said: “It’s symbolic that hard-working security guards, cleaners, and catering staff in Parliament are treated as second-class citizens.
“As we usher in a new era, it’s time for them to be treated as equals and at least given a pay rise to help them through the cost-of-living crisis and beyond.”
Those who work for MPs or peers must also queue with the public to attend the lying-in-state.
One MP staff member said many were upset by this, adding: “We’ve seen in the parliamentary response to a succession of scandals involving the bullying and sexual harassment of MPs’ staff that we are treated as an after-thought, and this is yet another example.”
According to an internal House of Commons memo, leaked to The Spectator, MPs’ staff have been told that “it is not possible to open up access further without the risk of impacting access for queuing members of the public”.
Some of the members of the public who had waited for several hours to pay their respects were infuriated by the fact MPs and peers were allowed to take four guests with them when they skipped the public queue.
“Personally, I think it’s outrageous,” said Christina from Balham in south London. ”I can understand that for security reasons MPs might not want to stand in the public queue but they shouldn’t be able to take four guests in and neither should the peers.”
Louise, from Keston in south-east London, also said she felt this was unfair, adding: “This day is supposed to be for the people.”
But other people who had just emerged from Westminster Hall did not mind.
“I’m not bothered, it’s one of the perks of their job,” said Alan, from Kent. He and his wife Sue were pleased to have progressed along the queue in five hours.
Alan and Sally Prince from London also said they ”weren’t fussed”, in part because they had really enjoyed being in the queue. “The atmosphere was fun. It felt like the nation was coming together,” they said.
Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has reportedly been invited to grace the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
The funeral of the late Queen takes place at London’s Westminster Abbey on Monday, September 19, 2022.
A local radio station has tweeted the invitation letter from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
📌His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, has received the invitation of His Majesty King Charles III to attend the events marking the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.#Opemsuoradio#opemsuo1047pic.twitter.com/gxlFenGnzU
King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II ascended the throne in 1999 as the 16th ruler, or Asantehene.
The Asantehene is a revered figurehead for Ghana’s largest ethnic group. However he is barred by the constitution from taking part in Ghanaian politics.
In 2018 he hosted then-Prince Charles at his at Manhiya palace. The prince is now King Charles III.
Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for 70 years, becoming UK’s longest-serving monarch, died at Balmoral aged 96.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said the Queen died peacefully on Thursday, September 9, 2022.
Prior to the Queen’s demise, her family gathered at her Scottish estate after concerns grew about her health.
All the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision.
During that period, tearful faces could be seen outside the gates of Buckingham Palace, with quiet singing of “God Save the Queen” by the gathered crowd.
Queen Lizabeth II born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926 came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous social change.
Queen Elizabeth II’s tenure as head of state spanned post-war austerity, the transition from empire to Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War and the UK’s entry into – and withdrawal from – the European Union.
Her reign spanned 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill, born in 1874, and including Liz Truss, born 101 years later in 1975, and appointed by the Queen earlier this week.
She held weekly audiences with her prime minister throughout her reign.
With her death, her eldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, now King Charles III will lead the country in mourning for 14 Commonwealth realms.
King Charles III of Great Britain has extended an official invitation to the Asantehene to attend the state burial of Queen Elizabeth II.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was invited to the lying-in-state of the late queen as well as the king’s reception, state funeral service, and the foreign secretary’s reception, according to the invitation that was delivered by the Protocol Directorate of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the British government on behalf of the king.
It further stated that the Asantehene could bring his spouse or a companion to the state funeral, which is set for Monday, September 19, 2022.
Otumfuo will be the second invitee to the queen’s funeral from Ghana, the first being President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who was reportedly invited as the president of Ghana, a Commonwealth nation.
Invitations have also been sent to all leaders from the Commonwealth nations.
So far, as the BBC reports, the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese; New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern; and Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, have all confirmed their participation in the funeral.
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, and the Sri Lankan president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, have also reportedly accepted invitations.
Other world leaders who have confirmed they will be attending the state funeral include King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, royal families of Norway, Sweden, and Demark, Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, President of the United States of America, Joe Biden and the First Lady Jill Biden.
View Otumfuo’s invitation below:
📌His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, has received the invitation of His Majesty King Charles III to attend the events marking the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.#Opemsuoradio#opemsuo1047pic.twitter.com/gxlFenGnzU
It has been reported that a Chinese government delegation has been banned from attending the lying-in-state of Queen Elizabeth II.
House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle refused a request for access to Westminster Hall due to Chinese sanctions against five MPs and two peers, Politico first reported.
Last year, Chinaimposed travel bans and asset freezes on nine Britons – including seven parliamentarians – for accusing Beijing of mistreating Uighur Muslims.
That led to China’s ambassador to the UK being banned from Parliament – a move which has now been extended to a delegation that wanted to pay their respects at Queen Elizabeth’s lying-in-state.
UK-China relations are already strained and this ban is unlikely to help.
However, China’s vice-president is expected to attend Monday’s state funeral which will be held across the road from Parliament at Westminster Abbey.
According to the parliamentary rule book Erskine May, in 1965 Queen Elizabeth II consented that control of Westminster Hall would be shared between the Lord Great Chamberlain – who is appointed by the monarch – and the speakers of both the Commons and the Lords.
There is no specific mention regarding control of access for an occasion such as a lying-in-state, but when it comes to “invitations to foreign dignitaries to address both Houses in Westminster Hall” these are “ordinarily” issued by the agreement of all three.
Last September, Sir Lindsay and Lord’s Speaker Lord McFall told China’s ambassador to the UK he could not come to Parliament because of Beijing’s sanctions.
At the time that ban was criticised by the Chinese government as “despicable and cowardly”.
On Thursday, the group of seven MPs and peers, including former Tory ministers Iain Duncan Smith and Tim Loughton, urged the Foreign Secretary to withdraw an invitation to President Xi of China to attend the Queen’s funeral.
They said it would be “wholly inappropriate” for the Chinese government to be represented, given its human rights record.
Mr Laughton told BBC News: “You cannot have a Golden Age, normal relations, with a country that has now been exposed as committing the sorts of atrocities it has, not least the genocide against the Uighurs, the oppression going on in Tibet for the last 60/70 years, and now what we see going on in Hong Kong as well.”
Several Western countries have imposed sanctions on officials in China following rights abuse allegations against the mostly Muslim Uighur minority group.
China has detained Uighurs at camps in the north-west region of Xinjiang, where allegations of torture, forced labour and sexual abuse have emerged.
It has denied the allegations of abuse, claiming the camps are “re-education” facilities used to combat terrorism.
China’s President Xi Jinping is on the guest list for the state funeral but is not thought likely to attend.
British officials expect the country will instead be represented by Vice President Wang Qishan.
A Downing Street spokesman said it was a convention that countries with which the UK has diplomatic relations should be invited to state funerals.
Queen Elizabeth is set to lie in state there until her funeral on Monday.
Members of the Royal Family conducted visits as official mourning continued.
After viewing some of the hundreds of tributes to the late monarch, who died last week, outside the gates at Sandringham, Prince William and Catherine spoke to those gathered there.
Speaking to one woman, Prince William said: “I mean the walk yesterday was challenging, it brought back a few memories…”
Among those he spoke to was receptionist Jane Wells, from Long Sutton in Lincolnshire, who said she had told the prince how proud his mother would have been of him.
“He said how hard it was yesterday because it brought back memories of his mother’s funeral,” she said.
Caroline Barwick-Walters, of Neath in Wales, said she told Prince William “thank you for sharing your grief with the nation”, and that he replied, “she was everybody’s grandmother”.
Prince William, then 15, and his brother, Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex, then 12, walked with their father, King Charles III, behind the coffin of their mother, Princess Diana, in September 1997.
They were side by side again as they solemnly escorted the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster on Wednesday.
The sight of Prince William and Prince Harry walking side-by-side behind the Queen’s coffin in Wednesday’s procession to Westminster Hall evoked immediate memories of the two brothers at the funeral of their mother.
It’s 25 years since the death of Princess Diana, but it’s an image of loss that still resonates. It’s a reminder of the traumatic impact on the young lives of the two brothers – and both of them have often spoken of how much the loss of their mother is still in their thoughts.
Bereavement at such a young age has been previously described by Prince William as a “pain like no other pain”.
And Prince Harry has spoken of his mother’s continuing influence. “I feel her presence in almost everything that I do now,” he said earlier this year.
Speaking in 2017, Prince Harry described walking behind his mother’s coffin as a child as something that would not happen now.
He told Newsweek: “I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.”
Princes William and Harry at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997
They joined their father King Charles in walking behind the Queen’s coffin on Wednesday
Sandringham House has been a royal residence for four generations of British monarchs for a period of more than 150 years and has traditionally been where the Queen spent her Christmas break.
She gifted Anmer Hall, a Georgian country house that is part of the Sandringham estate, to Prince William and Catherine after their wedding.
Prince and Princess of Wales meet the Sandringham crowd
Meanwhile, the King returned to Highgrove, his country home in Gloucestershire, where a spokesman said he was attending to state business.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex – the Queen’s youngest son Prince Edward and his wife Sophie – met well-wishers and viewing tributes in Manchester’s St Ann’s Square.
The couple were shown a book of condolence at Manchester’s Central Library, before lighting a candle in memory of the Queen at Manchester Cathedral.
Princess Royal – the Queen’s only daughter Princess Anne – travelled to Glasgow to meet representatives of organisations of which the Queen was patron.
On Wednesday, members of the Royal Family marched behind the Queen’s coffin as it travelled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where she is lying in state.
Thousands have queued for hours to view the coffin, which people can visit 24 hours a day until 06:30 BST on 19 September – the day of her funeral.
The collective outpouring of sadness, however, coincides with Beijing’s increasing hold over the country and tells as much about the present as it does the past.
In contrast to the more subdued responses observed in other former British colonies, the Admiralty section of the city witnessed lengthy lines and mountains of flowers and cards.
Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule under “one country, two systems”, which promised that the city’s way of life – including civil liberties unavailable in the mainland – would be kept for at least 50 years.
But a crackdown on protests, Beijing’s imposition of its national security law and only allowing “patriots” to govern are seen by many as reneging on that promise.
“There is a mix of complex emotions,” said Dr Li Mei Ting, a cultural and religious studies lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Outside the British consulate, mourners opened umbrellas to hide from the scorching sun while “God Save the Queen” played softly from a mobile phone.
Parents brought their children along, and one father even wrapped his seven-month-old daughter in a Union Jack flag.
“I don’t remember ever seeing Hong Kongers doing this to any leader who passed away,” Ted Hui, a former Hong Kong MP who now lives in Australia, told the BBC.
Nostalgia for a ‘golden age’
In the city, the Queen was affectionately called si tau por, which means “boss lady” in Cantonese.
Many in the queue were older people, among them Mr Lee, aged in his 60s, who had brought chrysanthemums. “I hadn’t bought any flowers before, not even when I was courting girls.”
Queen Elizabeth II visited Hong Kong twice during her reign. She is affectionately called “boss lady” in Cantonese
Hong Kong became a British colony after two Opium Wars in the 19th century and colonial rule lasted for 156 years. Meanwhile, mainland China was swept by political turmoil including the Great Famine and the Cultural Revolution.
“Hong Kong was peaceful during those days,” said Ms Fung, 75.
When Hong Kong people reminisce about the colonial era, they are often referring to the period from the mid-1970s to the 1990s, says Dr. Li.
“People who experienced this period see it as Hong Kong’s golden age,” she said.
The British colonial government changed its governance model as a response to deadly anti-colonial riots in 1967, which were sparked by a labour dispute and supported by Beijing. More public housing was built and free primary education was introduced, partly in a bid to ward off further social movements, Dr Li says.
But US-based activist Jeffrey Ngo says the last three decades of the colonial period do not give the full picture – and that the British empire had played a “very big role” in paving the way for the current situation.
Last week five speech therapists were convicted under the colonial-era sedition law, for publishing children’s books that portray the Chinese government as wolves and Hong Kongers as sheep. The judge said it was a “brainwashing exercise”, while critics say the sentence was a blow to freedom of speech.
The UK also did little to democratise the city for much of the colonial period, Mr Ngo said.
Current day discontent
For some, commemorating the Queen is a way to express their unhappiness at the Hong Kong government. Protest is no longer possible under Beijing’s sweeping national security law and stringent Covid rules.
Mr Tse, who brought his pet Corgi on a leash with a Union Jack, said the mourning was an “alternative form of political expression”.
Mr Tse says he is surprised by the number of people waiting outside the consulate
Flying that flag on another day could risk arrest or even prosecution under the national security law – but it is being tolerated for now because of the Queen’s death, he added.
Mr Chan came with his wife and two children. He said the family felt close to the Queen as all members were born at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which was opened in 1963.
“We will pay tribute to whoever merits our respect. [Authorities] should not easily accuse people of collusion with foreign forces but not reflect on their own behaviour that causes so much unhappiness among Hong Kongers,” he said.
Some in the line were also planning to leave the city. Hong Kong’s population has shrunk by almost 200,000 in two years – and many of those leaving plan to settle in the UK.
“Hong Kongers are queuing under such heat. We share the same ideas and no words are needed to explain,” said Ms Lee, who came with her 21-year-old daughter.
“There is a huge contrast between the past and the present… Now we have lost what we had and many people I know are emigrating,” she added before confirming that they plan to leave too.
This father says he will teach his daughter about Hong Kong’s colonial history when she grows up
Hong Kong’s identity
Younger people without direct experience of the colonial era were also in the queue. Some said they were worried that Hong Kong’s colonial past would be buried under Beijing’s drive to reshape the city.
Law student Sam said his grandmother fled mainland China by swimming to the city. “Immigration officers said to my grandma that our si tau por was also a woman, so she would be taken care of in Hong Kong.”
Christopher, 15, said traces of Hong Kong’s colonial history are still visible – such as the old banknotes and street signs. “But it feels like they are fading.”
“No matter our criticism, the colonial period was part of our Hong Kong identity and history,” said Dr Li.
Special events and parades are taking place as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland mark the proclamation of King Charles IIIand tributes are paid to the Queen.
This is happening as the Queen’s cortege travels from Balmoral to Holyroodhouse.
The proclamation announcements are right now being read in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast.
Afterwards, 21-gun salutes will take place outside Edinburgh Castle, Cardiff Castle and Hillsborough Castle in Belfast.
Thousands of people have been gathering at all three locations to witness the moment marking the accession of the UK’s new head of state.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburghreturned to the Forth RoadBridge 50 years after officially opening it.
Queen Elizabeth II will leave her beloved Balmoralfor the final time on Sunday and take a journey that will stir memories of her life of service.
Her cortege will wend its way through villages and towns she knew well. It will skirt cities where she opened hospitals, congratulated business leaders, met schoolchildren and greeted well-wishers.
As well as the villages of Aberdeenshire, where she was considered a neighbour as much as a monarch, it will travel through Aberdeen, then south through Angus, Dundee, Perth and Fife.
Symbolically, Her Majesty’s coffin will be taken over Queensferry Crossing – a structure she opened in 2017.
Along this journey to her final resting place will be the visible signs of the role she played in shaping modern Scotland.
Royal Deeside – Church and community
Image source, Getty ImagesThe late Queen marked the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War One at Crathie Kirk in August 2014.
When the Royal cortege leaves Balmoral it will pass close to Crathie Kirk – the church where the Royal family have worshipped since Queen Victoria in 1848.
It was an important place to Queen Elizabeth, a woman of great faith. Just last weekend she hosted the Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
He said she was “obviously frail…[but] absolutely on the ball”, adding that she was “very much very engaged with what was happening in the church and what was happening in the nation too”.
Image source, PA MediaThe late Queen spoke to the local butchers in Ballater before unveiling a plaque marking a Diamond Jubilee cairn in September 2012
It was also a link to the local community, which included the nearby village of Ballater, where she was considered a local by many.
After flooding caused millions of pounds worth of damage in 2015, the late Queen later met residents affected in an official visit and praised local efforts to recover.
Aberdeen and Dundee – Industry and innovation
Image source, PA ArchiveQueen Elizabeth II launched the flow of oil from the Forties Field in the North Sea to BP’s Grangemouth refinery
The coffin will be driven along the A93 towards Aberdeen, before turning south and crossing the King George VI bridge, named after her father.
The city was the focus of many trips by the Queen. It was where she opened a children’s hospital in 2005 and hosted a special sitting of the Scottish Parliament in 2002.
But it was perhaps her actions in Dyce in 1975 which had the most profound effect on the city – she pressed a gold-plated button which formally began the operation of the UK’s first oil pipeline.
The 130-mile pipeline from Cruden Bay to Grangemouth served the Forties oilfield 110 miles east of Aberdeen.
It marked the beginning of a North Sea oil industry which brought thousands of new jobs and great prosperity to the north-east of Scotland.
Image source, PA MediaShe met apprentices at the Michelin tyre factory in Dundee in 2016
Heading south on the A90, the coffin will take the Kingsway – designed to commemorate Edward VII – through Dundee.
During a trip to the city in 2016, the Queen met apprentices at the Michelin tyre factory’s training school and workshop.
However, two years later the company announced the closure of the site, with the loss of 850 jobs.
More than 300 million tyres had been produced in the plant, which opened in 1971. It finally closed in June 2020 and is now an “innovation centre”.
Angus – Childhood memories
Image source, Getty ImagesQueen Elizabeth (centre) was with her parents and cousin at Glamis Castle in 1931 to celebrate her grandparents’ golden wedding anniversary
Between Aberdeen and Dundee, the Royal coffin will travel along the A90, skirting the Angus town of Forfar.
Nearby is Glamis Castle, the ancestral home of the late Queen’s maternal grandparents and a place where she is said to have spent many happy childhood holidays.
It was where her parents honeymooned and where her mother, Queen Elizabeth, gave birth to her sister, Princess Margaret in 1930.
Image source, Getty ImagesPrince William – now the Prince of Wales – graduated with a degree in geography
Past Perth, the coffin will travel through Fife – a short hop from St Andrews where the late Queen’s grandson William went to university and met his future wife, Catherine.
She joined Prince Philip, her son Charles and his wife, Camilla, at the graduation ceremony in June 2005.
Fife – Naming ships and opening bridges
Image source, PA MediaThe Queen was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh as she named the Royal Navy’s biggest ever ship
As the coffin reaches the most southerly point of Fife, it will pass Rosyth where the UK’s largest warship was officially named in her honour, in June 2014.
She smashed a bottle of whisky against the side of the aircraft carrier at Rosyth dockyard.
Six UK shipyards, and more than 10,000 people at more than 100 companies worked on HMS Queen Elizabeth.
It entered service in 2020 and is now the Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship.
Image source, PA MediaNicola Sturgeon looked on as the late Queen cut the ribbon on the Queensferry Crossing
The late Queen opened two bridges across the Forth during her 70 year reign – the Forth Road Bridge in 1964, and the Queensferry Crossing in August 2017.
Her coffin will cross the new Queensferry Crossing, linking Fife to Edinburgh.
She returned to the Forth Road Bridge in 2014 to mark its 50th anniversary and was back just three years later to cut the ribbon on its £1.35bn replacement.
Queen Elizabeth II said the Queensferry Crossing, the UK’s tallest bridge, was a “breath-taking sight” and one of three “magnificent structures” across the Forth.
Edinburgh – A new parliament
Image source, PA
At the end of its journey, the Royal coffin will be taken to the Palace of Holyroodhouse – the Royal residence opposite the Scottish Parliament building.
In a speech to MSPs she acknowledged the construction’s “difficult and controversial birth” and urged them to make Holyrood a “landmark of 21st century democracy”.
She returned in October last year to open the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood despite some Covid restrictions still being in place.
Image source, ReutersThe leaders of the main political parties in Scotland greeted The Queen before the ceremony last year.
In a speech in the debating chamber, she paid tribute to those who made an “extraordinary contribution” during the pandemic.
And she spoke of her happy memories of Scotland and her “deep and abiding affection for this wonderful country”.
“It is often said that it is the people that make a place and there are few places where this is truer than it is in Scotland.”
The Queen’s role in public life was tightly choreographed and she often had to keep a straight face.
But in her later years, she gave us a glimpse of her sense of humour.
From sharing a marmalade sandwich with Paddington Bear to photobombing Australian hockey players, here is a look back at some of her funniest moments.
As part of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June, the Queen was filmed having tea with Paddington Bear, in a sketch which opened the BBC’s Party at the Palace marking her 70 years on the throne.
As the celebrations were about to begin, Paddington offered her his beloved snack – a marmalade sandwich. “I always keep one for emergencies,” he told her, pulling one out from under his famous red hat.
“So do I,” replied the Queen, opening up her signature black handbag and taking out her own.
When the Queen met James Bond
As part of the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, the Queen made a dramatic entrance with the help of another British icon – James Bond.
In a skit created by director Danny Boyle, the Queen received a visit from 007 in Buckingham Palace, before the pair left together by helicopter. She then appeared to skydive into the Olympic Stadium to greet cheering crowds.
Boom: The Queen and Prince Harry responded to Barack and Michelle Obama’s Invictus Games challenge
In 2016, the Queen appeared in another viral video clip – this time with her grandson Prince Harry to promote the Invictus Games.
The pair watched a video message from former US president and first lady Barack and Michelle Obama, who issued Prince Harry a sporting challenge.
The Queen was unfazed. “Oh really, please,” she said.
Cutting a cake with a ceremonial sword
The Queen insisted on cutting a cake with a ceremonial sword at an event at the Eden Project in Cornwall.
The Queen cut many cakes during her lifetime, once with a ceremonial sword. She tried out the more unorthodox method at a charity event in Cornwall.
When a volunteer reminded her that a standard knife was available, the Queen was undeterred.
“I know there is,” she retorted, continuing to clutch the sword. “This is more unusual.”
Photobombing Australian hockey players
Image source, @_JaydeTaylor
In 2014, two Australian hockey players were left stunned when the Queen appeared smiling in the background of their picture at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Jayde Taylor (left) posted the first image on Twitter and said: “Ahhh The Queen photo-bombed our selfie!”, with the tweet instantly going viral.
Giggling at a swarm of bees
Image source, Chris Young / PA Media
The Queen was accompanied by her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh, at thousands of official engagements.
But during a military review at Windsor Castle in 2003, a swarm of bees derailed the normal efficient-running of events. The royal couple saw the funny side, captured on camera by photographer Chris Young.
“It was a human moment,” he told the BBC. “She was giggling like a little girl and he was laughing too.”
The death of Queen Elizabeth II has prompted an outpouring of reflectionand reaction online. But not all was grief — some young Africans instead are sharing images and stories of their own elders, who endured a brutal period ofBritish colonial history during the Queen’s long reign.
“I cannot mourn,” one wrote on Twitter, posting an image of what she said was her grandmother’s “movement pass” — a colonial document which prevented free travel for Kenyans under British rule in the east African country.
Another wrote that her grandmother “used to narrate to us how they were beaten & how their husbands were taken away from them & left to look after their kids,” during colonial times. “May we never forget them. They are our heroes,” she added.
Their refusal to mourn highlights the complexity of the legacy of the Queen, who despite widespread popularity was also seen as a symbol of oppression in parts of the world where the British Empire once extended.
Kenya, which had been under British rule since 1895, was named an official colony in 1920 and remained that way until it won independence in 1963. Among the worst atrocities under British rule occurred during the Mau Mau uprising, which started in 1952 — the year Queen Elizabeth took the throne.
The colonial administration at the time carried out extreme acts of torture, including castration and sexual assault, in detainment camps where as many as 150,000 Kenyans were held. Elderly Kenyans who sued for compensation in 2011 were ultimately awarded £19.9 million by a British court, to be split between more than 5,000 claimants.
The UK Foreign Secretary at the time, William Hague, said: “The British Government recognises that Kenyans were subject to torture and other forms of ill treatment at the hands of the colonial administration. The British government sincerely regrets that these abuses took place, and that they marred Kenya’s progress towards independence.”
Africa’s memory of the Queen cannot be separated from that colonial past, professor of communication Farooq Kperogi at Kennesaw State University told CNN.
“The Queen’s legacy started in colonialism and is still wrapped in it. It used to be said that the sun did not set over the British empire. No amount of compassion or sympathy that her death has generated can wipe that away,” he told CNN.
‘Tragic period’
While many African leaders have mourned her passing — including Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, who described her reign as “unique and wonderful” — other prominent voices in regional politics have not.
In South Africa, one opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), was unequivocal. “We do not mourn the death of Elizabeth, because to us her death is a reminder of a very tragic period in this country and Africa’s history,” the EFF said in a statement.
“Our interaction with Britain has been one of pain, … death and dispossession, and of the dehumanisation of the African people,” it added.
Others recalled Britain’s role in the Nigerian civil war, where arms were secretly supplied to the government for use against Biafrans who wanted to form a breakaway republic. Between 1 million and 3 million people died in that war. British musician John Lennon returned his MBE, an honorary title, to the Queen in protest over Britain’s role in the war.
Still, many on the continent remember the Queen as a stabilizing force who brought about positive change during her reign.
Ayodele Modupe Obayelu from Nigeria told CNN: “Her reign saw the end of the British Empire and the African countries … became a Republic. She doesn’t really deserve any award or standing ovation for it, but it was a step in the right direction.”
And Ovation magazine publisher Dele Momodu was full of praise, recounting meeting her in 2003 in Abuja while covering her visit to Nigeria. He added that he had fled Nigeria for the UK in 1995, during the dictator Sani Abacha’s regime.
“I told her I was a refugee and now the publisher of a magazine. She told me ‘congratulations,’ and moved on to the other people on the line. I salute her. She worked to the very end and was never tired of working for her country. She did her best for her country and that is a lesson in leadership,” he told CNN.
Momodu believes that the Queen did try to “atone” for the brutality of the British Empire. “She came to Nigeria during our independence and some of the artifacts were returned under her reign. That is why the Commonwealth continues to thrive. I feel very sad that the world has lost a great human being.”
Adekunbi Rowland, also from Nigeria, said: “The Queen’s passing represents the end of an era. As a woman, I’m intrigued by her story. This young woman had an unprecedented accession to the throne, and with much grace and dignity did everything in her power to protect the country and Commonwealth she loved no matter what it took.”
Commonwealth Queen
The Queen once declared, “I think I have seen more of Africa than almost anybody.”
She made her first official overseas visit to South Africa in 1947, as a princess and would go on to visit more than 120 countries during her reign, many of them on the continent.
It was while visiting Kenya in 1952 that she learned that she had become Queen. Her father George passed away while she was there with Prince Phillip and she immediately ascended the throne.
As colonialism later crumbled and gave way to independence and self-rule in what had been British overseas territories, the former colonies became part of a Commonwealth group of nations with the Queen at its head and she worked tirelessly to keep the group together over the years.
She forged strong bonds with African leaders, including Nelson Mandela, whom she visited twice in South Africa, and Kwame Nkrumah, with whom she was famously pictured dancing during her visit to Ghana in 1961.
However, there is now a growing clamor for independence and accountability over Britain’s past crimes such as slavery. In November 2021, Barbados removed the Queen as its head of state, 55 years after it declared independence from Britain, and other Caribbean countries, such as Jamaica, have indicated they intend to do the same.
Prince William and his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visited Jamaica in March but they faced protests and calls for reparations during the trip. There were also calls for a formal apology for the royal family’s links to slavery.
“During her 70 years on the throne, your grandmother has done nothing to redress and atone for the suffering of our ancestors that took place during her reign and/or during the entire period of British trafficking of Africans, enslavement, indentureship and colonization,” wrote members of a protest group, the Advocates Network Jamaica.
In June, Prince Charles became the first UK royal to visit Rwanda, where he was representing the Queen at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Following his mother’s death, he now heads the Commonwealth, and will embark on a new relationship with its members, about a third of which are in Africa.
Some are asking whether he will be as effective in building the organization as his mother, and above all, how relevant it still is, given its roots in Empire.
Many thousands of well-wishers are expected to line the route as the Queen’s coffin is driven from Balmoral to the Scottish capital Edinburgh.
The journey is expected to begin at about 10:00 and take about six hours.
The cortege will make its way through Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen, Angus and Tayside before reaching Edinburgh.
The Queen will then lie at rest in The Palace of Holyroodhouse overnight.
The Queen lies in an oak coffin in Balmoral Castle’s ballroom, according to a palace official. It has been covered with the Royal Standard for Scotland and a wreath of flowers has been placed on top.
Members of staff at Balmoral have been able to pay their last respects before the Queen’s coffin is moved at 10:00 BST today. Many of the staff at the castle have spent a good deal of their lives working for the Queen.
“It is a scene of quiet dignity,” the palace official said.
The Queen’s love of her home in Balmoral was well known. She spent most summers at the 50,000-acre country estate in Aberdeenshire, usually with her beloved husband Philip and family by her side.
The coffin will soon be carried by six of Balmoral estate’s gamekeepers to a hearse at the entrance, before departing on its six-hour journey to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Headline writers would have been thinking about “Brothers in arms” or maybe “Brothers in grief” for their coverage.
The sight of Princes William and Harry meeting the crowds together will become one of the stand-out and most unexpected images from what have been sombre days.
With their wives, Catherine and Meghan, they greeted people in Windsor, in a way that couldn’t have been predicted last week, when the Sussexes returned to the UK.
The talk then was of feuds and unbridgeable differences between couples. They were said to be staying in houses close together on the Windsor estate, while emotionally many miles apart. The couple hadn’t been seen together in public for more than two years.
That all changed on Thursday. If William and Harry were not planning to see each other, they were brought together in ways that couldn’t have been predicted.
It already seems a long time ago, but as the news worsened about the Queen, and the country was checking for updates on their phones, the two brothers were both making rushed journeys to Balmoral.
Families can fall out when there’s a bereavement. Feelings are running high and are close to the surface. It’s easy for old arguments to be brought back by grief.
IMAGE SOURCE,POOL Image caption, Prince Harry was given flowers by well-wishers
But losing a loved one can also bring unity, putting things into perspective and setting disagreements aside. It can be a time to come together.
Of course, looking in from the outside, no one watching the TV pictures really knows what’s happening. Was this only a show? Had they been told to send out this positive message?
It’s going to be complicated and private between two brothers. And William and Harry have already faced the hard-to-measure sense of loss at an early age, with the death of their mother Diana.
For the waiting public, looking to show their own solidarity with the mourning Royal Family, they clearly warmed to the idea of William and Catherine, Harry and Meghan, appearing together. For a few minutes at least, the royal famous foursome were back. It tuned in to the public mood.
According to royal sources, it was Prince William who had extended the invitation to Prince Harry and Meghan to go on this walkabout.
Even if this is a moment of togetherness, there is no disguising that this is also a moment of great divergence. The brothers are on pathways about to take them in completely different directions.
IMAGE SOURCE,POOL Image caption, William, now Prince of Wales, is now on a different path from his brother
On the death of the Queen, William became heir to the throne. He will be keenly aware of what now lies ahead. He has a new and much more important status than his brother.
William is now the Prince of Wales, the name that they both until yesterday used to call their father – that must seem strange enough in itself.
When the reign of King Charles III was proclaimed at the Accession Council on Saturday, William was standing firmly behind the new monarch.
It’s likely that the King and Camilla, now the Queen Consort, with William and Catherine will be the core group, almost a separate unit, at the heart of the monarchy. It was this foursome that often appeared together when Charles was standing in for his mother.
Prince Harry is on a very different route, living with Meghan and his young family in California, with media ventures, charities and campaigns. They have to invent their own post-royal life, while still part of the Royal Family. They generate huge public interest, not always positive, and seem to live with a media tornado hovering above them.
Even among the most carefully-choreographed steps of public mourning, there are still families and people falling out and making up.
Two of the UK’s biggest music stars paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth IIin concert on Thursday.
Harry Styles paused to honor the late monarch during his latest Madison Square Garden show.
“From my homeland there’s some very sad news today,” Styles told the crowd Thursday night, before he led the audience in a round of applause.
“Thank you, Madison Square Garden,” he said.
Styles’ fellow Brit Elton John also paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II with kind words at his concert in Toronto.
“I’m 75, and she’s been with me all my life, and I feel very sad that she won’t be with me anymore, but I’m glad she’s at peace,” John told the crowd. “I’m glad she’s at rest, and she deserves it. She worked bloody hard.”
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday at the age of 96, bringing to a close a reign that spanned seven decades.
Producers of the Netflix historical drama “The Crown” are pausing production on the show’s sixth season after news of Queen Elizabeth’s death.
“As a mark of respect, filming on ‘The Crown’ was suspended today. Filming will also be suspended on the day of Her Majesty The Queen’s funeral,” producers for “The Crown” said in a statement to CNN on Friday.
The Emmy-winning series, created by Peter Morgan, centers on the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Season 5, expected to premiere in November, will cover the events of the late monarch’s reign in the 21st century.
“Harry Potter” alum Imelda Staunton will take over the role of Queen Elizabeth II which was played in previous seasons by Claire Foy (Seasons 1 and 2) and Olivia Colman (Seasons 3 and 4).
Both Foy and Colman won Primetime Emmy Awards for their portrayals.
Seven consecutive decades of royal leadership came to an end on September 8, 2022, when Queen Elizabeth II passed on.
The British Royal family through the Commonwealth group of nations maintained very close ties with its former colonies – be it at the political-diplomatic and the traditional leadership levels.
The Ashanti Kingdom, one of Ghana’s most powerful kingdoms, is reputed to have cordial ties with the British Royal Family.
Top royals on both sides have visited each other at different times in recent history. In 2000, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II paid his first and only visit to Buckingham Palace where he was hosted by the late Queen and her husband.
GhanaWeb digs into the archives for details of how the meeting went
Otumfuo arrived in London with a 20-man delegation of chiefs, linguists, and Manhyia palace officials.
They were in the United Kingdom for a three-week visit which was at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Among the first engagements was a meeting with the Queen. Special Guest Osei Tutu II was received in a private audience at Buckingham Palace after which the two will have tea together.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu also met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at the Lambeth Palace – the official residence of the leader of the global Anglican faith.
Arrival at Heathrow Airport
The Asantehene, received full diplomatic courtesies at the London Heathrow airport by a delegation led by Mr J.E.K. Aggrey-Orleans, the then High Commissioner in Britain and Mr. Michael Forster, of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
He was received at the Ghana High Commission in London amid fanfare by overseas associations of Ashantis.
Also present was Mr Paul Boateng, the then Minister of Home Affairs. Boateng, whose father is a Ghanaian, described Otumfuo’s visit as “representing peace and tranquillity at a period when Africa is passing through difficult times” adding that “the visit represents the very best that Africa could offer.”
Other engagements:
A Ghana News Agency, GNA, report at the time noted that he held business meetings with heads of British companies including Guinness, Taylor Woodrow, Standard Chartered and Barclays Banks.
Otumfuo also visited Cambridge to observe their special education policy at work, a dinner dance at which funds were raised for the Education Fund, and a meeting of Ghanaians resident in London.
The then 50-year-old Otumfuo had become an occupant of the Golden Stool a year prior. The trip was his first outside Ghana and was seen as charting a new relationship between two people who at the beginning of the 20 century were antagonists.
The British who had colonised Ghana fought several wars with the Asantes who opposed their rule. The last war was the Yaa Asantewaa war in 1900 which the British won and exiled Yaa Asantewaa the Queen-mother of Ejisu who had taken up arms against them to prevent their annexing of the Golden Stool, the symbol of Asante unity and strength.
Otumfuo arrived in London with a 20-man delegation of chiefs, linguists, and Manhyia palace officials.
They were in the United Kingdom for a three-week visit which was at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Among the first engagements was a meeting with the Queen. Special Guest Osei Tutu II was received in a private audience at Buckingham Palace after which the two will have tea together.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu also met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at the Lambeth Palace – the official residence of the leader of the global Anglican faith.
Arrival at Heathrow Airport
The Asantehene, received full diplomatic courtesies at the London Heathrow airport by a delegation led by Mr J.E.K. Aggrey-Orleans, the then High Commissioner in Britain and Mr. Michael Forster, of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
He was received at the Ghana High Commission in London amid fanfare by overseas associations of Ashantis.
Also present was Mr Paul Boateng, the then Minister of Home Affairs. Boateng, whose father is a Ghanaian, described Otumfuo’s visit as “representing peace and tranquillity at a period when Africa is passing through difficult times” adding that “the visit represents the very best that Africa could offer.”
Other engagements:
A Ghana News Agency, GNA, report at the time noted that he held business meetings with heads of British companies including Guinness, Taylor Woodrow, Standard Chartered and Barclays Banks.
Otumfuo also visited Cambridge to observe their special education policy at work, a dinner dance at which funds were raised for the Education Fund, and a meeting of Ghanaians resident in London.
The then 50-year-old Otumfuo had become an occupant of the Golden Stool a year prior. The trip was his first outside Ghana and was seen as charting a new relationship between two people who at the beginning of the 20 century were antagonists.
The British who had colonised Ghana fought several wars with the Asantes who opposed their rule. The last war was the Yaa Asantewaa war in 1900 which the British won and exiled Yaa Asantewaa the Queen-mother of Ejisu who had taken up arms against them to prevent their annexing of the Golden Stool, the symbol of Asante unity and strength.
What were the key factors behind football’s decision?
After the Queen died on Thursday, football’s governing bodies convened on Friday to discuss the best course of action for the upcoming weekend’s fixtures.
The government’s national mourning guidance advised that cancelling games was not obligatory, leaving the decision to individual sports.
The Football Associations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all confirmed on Friday that fixtures would be postponed as a mark of respect.
The Premier League said the decision not to go ahead with its 10 games this weekend was made to honour the Queen’s “extraordinary life and contribution to the nation”.
In a rare example of unity, football’s authorities are understood to feel that – unlike other sports that have already paused events this week, like racing, cricket and golf – football has not yet had a chance to stop, reflect and show its respects.
Many people disagree of course, and feel matches would have provided fans with an opportunity to pay tribute. There is understandable sympathy for those who have spent money on tickets and transport, and now have to change plans at short notice, especially with so many other events in other sports going ahead.
The decision to stop grassroots and school sport is also contentious, especially after so much football was lost during the pandemic, even if it is just for one weekend.
But the FA is known to be mindful of football’s status as the national sport at this historic moment, and the close ties the sport had with the Queen, who was patron of the FA, while Prince William is its president. According to well-placed sources, there has been a provisional plan to pause fixtures in such circumstances for several years now, and it was always likely that those plans would be honoured, despite the inevitable scrutiny.
West Ham’s Europa Conference League game against FCSB went ahead on Thursday
What about next week?
With it being part of this weekend’s round of fixtures, Monday’s Premier League game between Leeds and Nottingham Forest was also called off.
But after that there are Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League and English Football League games taking place in midweek.
European games on Thursday evening went ahead as scheduled, with a minute’s silence observed in matches involving British teams.
Uefa has not yet provided an update on next week’s games involving British sides, but Manchester City’s Champions League game with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday is due to go ahead as planned.
BBC Sport has been told City are able to provide the policing needed, so the game will take place as scheduled at Etihad Stadium.
Rangers, who host Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday, said in a statement they are in discussions with Uefa but “at present, the game is scheduled to take place at the scheduled date and time”.
Manchester United have confirmed their Europa League game with FC Sheriff in Moldova next Thursday will take place as scheduled “following discussions with the relevant governing bodies and in line with guidance issued by the UK government”.
Aston Villa players and staff paid their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with a minute’s silence on Friday
The EFL has not yet issued an update yet on its round of midweek games.
As for next weekend’s fixtures, they are currently taking place as planned although that could change depending on when details of the Queen’s state funeral are provided.
The funeral is expected to take place at Westminster Abbey in less than two weeks, but the exact day will be confirmed by Buckingham Palace.
If it takes place next weekend then fixtures could again be postponed. Policing games could be a factor in the decision if they are redeployed to London en masse before the Queen’s funeral.
There are currently three matches scheduled to take place in the capital over Saturday and Sunday. The Premier League is understood to be talking to its clubs, while the Metropolitan Police has been asked for a comment.
Tottenham play Leicester on Saturday evening, while Brentford face Arsenal and Chelsea are at home to Liverpool on Sunday 18 September.
When will the postponed games be played?
Finding room in the packed English football calendar for a full round of Premier League fixtures (and possibly two) is going to be complicated.
In a unique season that includes a winter World Cup – and restarts on 20 December with the Carabao Cup fourth round, space is severely limited.
There is no spare midweek from now until the season ends on 3 June that exists without a purpose.
Two, 17 January and 7 February, are for FA Cup third and fourth-round replays. Three more, 4 April, 2 May and 23 May, are for matches that have been postponed on the weekends of the EFL Cup final and the FA Cup sixth round and semi-finals.
Two January midweeks are for the individual legs of the EFL Cup semi-finals. Eight midweeks are reserved for Uefa matches – and the European governing body is resistant to domestic games being played at the same time as its matches. And two midweeks in March form part of the final mid-season international break.
Discussions will start next week about how to resolve the issue. The respective governing bodies are relaxed about the situation given they dealt with similar calendar issues during the 2020-21 Covid-19-affected season.
Then, FA Cup replays were scrapped and the EFL Cup semi-finals were played as one game.
Answers will be similarly difficult now.
What has been the reaction of fans?
Fans observed a minute’s silence at games involving British teams on Thursday evening
The Football Supporters’ Federation accepted there was “no perfect decision” for the football authorities, but added it believed many supporters would have wanted games to go ahead.
It said in a statement: “We believe football is at its finest when bringing people together at times of huge national significance – be those moments of joy or moments of mourning.
“Our view, which we shared with the football authorities, is that most supporters would have liked to go to games this weekend and pay their respects to the Queen alongside their fellow fans.
“Not everyone will agree, so there was no perfect decision for the football authorities, but many supporters will feel this was an opportunity missed for football to pay its own special tributes.”
What’s happening in other sports?
Play will resume in England’s cricket Test against South Africa on Saturday, and the women’s Twenty20 match between England and India will go ahead.
Golf’s PGA Championship will restart on Saturday after play was halted on Thursday.
British horse racing will return on Sunday, with rugby union’s Premiership season beginning on Saturday after two fixtures on Friday were postponed.
Sunday’s Great North Run will go ahead as planned, with organisers saying it is “an opportunity to come together and express our condolences while celebrating the life of our extraordinary Queen”, and that the event would be “more subdued out of respect”.
Boxing’s world title fight between Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields on Saturday has been postponed, with a provisional date of 15 October set for it to be rescheduled.
All British Boxing Board of Control tournaments have also been postponed for the weekend.
Renowned Evangelist, Reverend Lawrence Tetteh, has paid glowing tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday.
Read the full tribute below:
Queen Elizabeth Regina II had the gift of turning things around especially when situations looked dire and hopeless. She was often attracted to people from all walks of life by her firm disposition and the apparent solidity of her judgement. May the good Lord keep you safe. May God forever bless our Queen!!!
It was an honour to know you personally as our queen and head of the commonwealth community.
As a student at London School of Economics (LSE), I had always cherished your presence and sound sense of judgement. What makes you unique to my entire family was when my wife Barbara and I received your invite to be your guest at the Buckingham Palace. My fondest memory of you was your calmness yet a very unforgettable presence.
Your acceptance to people of all walks of life was uncomparable. You lived long and served on the throne for more than seven decades, which was a sign of immense blessings. Rest well my Queen in the bosom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Our prayers are with King Charles III and the entire Royal family.
Rev. Canon Dr Lawrence Tetteh World Renowned Evangelist
Charles IIIwill be formally proclaimed king at a historic ceremony at St James’s Palace on Saturday morning.
Flags lowered in mourning for the late Queen will fly full-mast after the Accession Council, which will be televised for the first time.
A wave of further proclamations will take place across the UK until Sunday, when flags will return to half-mast.
It comes after the King pledged to follow his “darling mama’s” life of service in an emotional first address.
He told the nation on Friday evening of his “profound sorrow” at the loss of his mother, praising her warmth, humour and “unerring ability always to see the best in people”.
The King promised to serve the nation with the same “unswerving devotion” as the late Queen had during her 70-year reign.
Charles became king the moment his mother died, but the Accession Council is held as soon as possible after death of a sovereign to make a formal proclamation of the successor.
At the council, which starts at 10:00 BST, the King will make a personal declaration about the death of the Queen and make an oath to preserve the Church of Scotland – because in Scotland there is a division of powers between church and state.
Among those attending will be Camilla, Charles’s wife of 17 years who now has the title of Queen Consort, and the King’s son, William, the new Prince of Wales.
IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES
Image caption,
The King’s accession will be proclaimed in the City of London’s Royal Exchange, as his mother’s was more than 70 years ago
The first public proclamation is due to take place from the Friar Court balcony of St James’s Palace in London at 11:00, a moment that is usually accompanied by centuries-old pageantry, with trumpeters playing a fanfare and gun salutes fired in Hyde Park and at the Tower of London.
Although they are not part of the formal proclamation, the words “the Queen is dead, long live the King” are often added afterwards.
On Friday, Charles was met by cheers and shouts of “God save the King!” as he met people in the crowds who had gathered at Buckingham Palace.
Later, he gave his televised address, expressing a wish that Prince William and his wife Catherine would – as the new Prince and Princess of Wales – “continue to inspire and lead our national conversation”.
The Accession Council, a formal ceremony to proclaim Charles as king, will be held at 10:00 BST
From 11:00, flags will fly full mast and royal gun salutes will be fired
Further public proclamations take place from a balcony at St James’s Palace and the City of London
Senior members of government will swear an oath to King Charles III in the House of Commons
He expressed his “love for Harry and Meghan” and praised the “steadfast devotion to duty” of the Queen Consort.
The King acknowledged that his life had now changed, saying he would not be able to give “so much of my time and energies” to the charities and issues he had supported for decades as heir to the throne.
The 73-year-old monarch said he hoped that despite their sorrow at the Queen’s death, people in the UK and the Commonwealth “remember and draw strength from the light of her example”.
What happens at the Accession Council?
Historically, it is attended by all members of the Privy Council, a body of advisors to the sovereign that dates back to the time of the Norman kings. But with the membership standing at 700, mostly past and present politicians, only 200 are to be summoned.
They initially gather at St James’s Palace without the King. Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt, appointed Lord President of the Privy Council by Prime Minister Liz Truss, will announce the death of the sovereign.
The clerk of the Council reads aloud the test of the Accession Proclamation, including Charles’ chosen title as king – which we know to be Charles III.
The proclamation is signed by a group including the Queen Consort, the Prince of Wales, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of York and the prime minister.
The Lord President calls for silence and reads the remaining items of business, dealing with the public proclamations and orders for the gun salutes at Hyde Park and the Tower of London.
The King enters for the second part of the council, attended only by privy counsellors and makes a personal declaration about the death of the Queen.
He takes an oath to preserve the Church of Scotland and signs two documents to record it, with the Queen Consort and the Prince of Wales among those witnessing his signature.
Privy counsellors will sign the proclamation as they leave.
At the service where King Charles gave his first speech to the country, no members of the Royal Family were present.
The Queen’s memorial ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral ended with the first formal performance of “God Save the King.”
The lyrics to the national anthem have changed from “Queen” to “King” and “her victorious” to “him victorious” to mark King Charles III taking over as the new monarch.
It comes after crowds spontaneously sang the version of the song outside Buckingham Palace on Friday as the King arrived with the Queen Consort Camilla.
The anthem is also expected to be sung at the Kia Oval cricket ground on Saturday as England and South Africa’s Third Test Match resumes. The match was paused on Friday following the Queen’s death.
No members of the Royal Family were present at the service but audio of King Charles’s first address to the nation was played to the congregation.
The King said he was speaking with “feelings of profound sorrow” as he told the country: “Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.”
King Charles went on to say: “As the Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation.
“And wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, or in the realms and territories across the world, and whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavor to serve you with loyalty, respect, and love, as I have throughout my life.”
Prime Minister Liz Truss and senior ministers were also in attendance along with 2,000 members of the public who collected wristbands on a first-come-first-serve basis.
MsTruss, who met King Charles for a brief audience in person at Buckingham Palace earlier, gave a brief reading from the Bible.
She said: “We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”
Wearing the black dress she was pictured in earlier when she attended the audience with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, she stands in front of the congregation to read from the Book of Romans.
“We do not live to ourselves and we do not die to ourselves; if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.”
“So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s,” she reads.
King Charles III on Friday delivered his first televised address to the nation as sovereign following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
Here is a transcript of his prerecorded speech:
I speak to you today with feelings of profound sorrow. Throughout her life, Her Majesty The Queen — my beloved Mother — was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.
Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.
Alongside the personal grief that all my family are feeling, we also share with so many of you in the United Kingdom, in all the countries where The Queen was Head of State, in the Commonwealth, and across the world, a deep sense of gratitude for the more than 70 years in which my Mother, as Queen, served the people of so many nations.
In 1947, on her 21st birthday, she pledged in a broadcast from Cape Town to the Commonwealth to devote her life, whether it be short or long, to the service of her people.
That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment that defined her whole life. She made sacrifices for duty.
Her dedication and devotion as Sovereign never waivered, through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss.
In her life of service we saw that abiding love of tradition, together with that fearless embrace of progress, which makes us great as Nations. The affection, admiration, and respect she inspired became the hallmark of her reign.
And, as every member of my family can testify, she combined these qualities with warmth, humour and an unerring ability always to see the best in people.
I pay tribute to my Mother’s memory and I honour her life of service. I know that her death brings great sadness to so many of you and I share that sense of loss, beyond measure, with you all.
When The Queen came to the throne, Britain and the world were still coping with the privations and aftermath of the Second World War, and still living by the conventions of earlier times.
In the course of the last 70 years we have seen our society become one of many cultures and many faiths.
The institutions of the State have changed in turn. But, through all changes and challenges, our nation and the wider family of Realms — of whose talents, traditions, and achievements I am so inexpressibly proud — have prospered and flourished. Our values have remained, and must remain, constant.
The role and the duties of Monarchy also remain, as does the Sovereign’s particular relationship and responsibility towards the Church of England — the Church in which my own faith is so deeply rooted.
In that faith, and the values it inspires, I have been brought up to cherish a sense of duty to others, and to hold in the greatest respect the precious traditions, freedoms, and responsibilities of our unique history and our system of parliamentary government.
As The Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the Constitutional principles at the heart of our nation.
And wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, or in the Realms and territories across the world, and whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have throughout my life.
My life will of course change as I take up my new responsibilities.
It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energy to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others.
This is also a time of change for my family. I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla.
In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage 17 years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort.
I know she will bring to the demands of her new role the steadfast devotion to duty on which I have come to rely so much.
As my Heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which have meant so much to me.
He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall which I have undertaken for more than five decades.
Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty.
With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given.
Friday’s play at the BMW PGA Championship has been suspended following confirmation of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Her Majesty passed away at her home in Balmoral on Thursday at the age of 96.
Play was immediately suspended at Wentworth once the news came through at 18:30 BST.
In a statement released later on Thursday, event organisers paid tribute to the Queen and confirmed there will be no action on Friday as a mark of respect.
“On behalf of our members and everyone associated with the European Tour group and the BMW PGA Championship, it is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” the statement read.
“She truly was an inspiration to people the world over. Out of respect for Her Majesty and the Royal Family, play has been suspended at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club for the remainder of Thursday and all flags at Wentworth Club will be lowered to half-mast.
“Furthermore, no play will take place at the BMW PGA Championship on Friday and the golf course and practice facilities will be closed. Further updates on the resumption of play will be provided in due course. Our deepest sympathies and condolences are with the Royal Family at this time.”
Tommy Fleetwood, Andy Sullivan and Viktor Hovland held a joint-lead with an eight-under par 64 when play came to a stop on Thursday.
The tournament was scheduled to conclude on Sunday.
King Charles IIIÂ made his first address as monarch to the people of England following the demise of Queen Elizabeth II, his mother, who died aged 96 on September 8, 2022.
He paid tribute to his mother Queen Elizabeth II, saying her commitment to service and the people never wavered and “defined her whole life.”
“That was more than a promise. It was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life,” he said.
He said the Queen made sacrifices and her dedication remained strong “through times of change and progress, but times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss.”
The King said during her life of service, her love of tradition, but also her embrace of progress, made her great.
“The affection, admiration and respect she inspired became the hallmark of her reign,” he said. “And as every member of my family can testify, she combined these qualities with warmth, humor, and an unerring ability always to see the best in people.”
Prior to this, he greeted crowds outside Buckingham Palace on his return to London with Camilla, the new Queen Consort.
Some of the citizens he encountered shouted “God save the King”.
Charles will be officially proclaimed King at the Accession Council at 10:00 on Saturday in a ceremony televised for the first time.
The Accession Council on Saturday will be attended by his son the Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge on Saturday.
It is also attended by invited Privy Councillors and current serving government ministers – but that could also include former ministers, prime ministers, and senior clergy.
After the meeting, the Principal Proclamation, announcing Charles as sovereign, will be read at 11:00 from the balcony overlooking Friary Court at St James’s Palace, central London.
Queen Elizabeth IIhad a soft spot for music, which was described as a love affair. During her reign, she hosted various events which saw both British and non-British music stars serenade her and patrons of these events.
American stars like Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, and Alicia Keys are among the artists who have shown off their vocals to Queen Elizabeth II. English musicians like Ed Sheeran, Adele, and Phil Collins also had the opportunity to showcase their talents to their Queen.
Similarly, Ghanaian musicians also entertained the Queen during her reign. YEN.com.gh presents you with a list of Ghanaian artists whose performances she witnessed live and Ghanaian artists who performed at events organized in her honor.
1. Kiki Gyan
The multi-instrumentalist, musician, and songwriter of Osibisa fame played for the Queen after his exit from the famous Ghanaian band. Reports indicate that Queen Elizabeth II greatly loved Kiki Gyan’s performance and was amazed at his talent.
2. Stephanie Benson
UK-based Ghanaian singer and Queen of Jazz Stephanie Benson was a regular for the British Royals. The singer has entertained patrons of private and public events hosted by the Royal Family. One thing for sure is that the new King Charles III is a big fan of the singer. The first time he heard her sing, he allegedly told her, “You are one of the most amazing performers I’ve ever seen.”
3. Kwame Yeboah
Multi-instrumentalist Kwame Yeboah displayed his guitar skills in front of Queen Elizabeth and other members of the Royal Family in 2020. He performed alongside English singer Craig David at a service to celebrate the Commonwealth of Nations.
4. Wiyaala
Unlike the artists mentioned above, Wiyaala did not perform directly in front of the Queen. Instead, she has performed at events organized by the British High Commission in Ghana to celebrate the Queen’s 89th and 92nd birthdays.
5. Gyakie
Also known as the Song Bird, Gyakie had the opportunity to serenade persons at the British High Commission of Ghana to celebrate the Queen’s 96th birthday in April. The performance was live-streamed.
6. Reggie N Bollie
The UK-based Ghanaian duo ReggieNBollie, joined Wiyaala in 2018 to honor the Queen during her 92nd birthday party. The event is one of the many events organized by the British High Commission.
7. Kelvyn Boy
Kelvyn Boy made the news in April 2022 after he performed a slower rendition of his song Mea at a party held in honor of the Queen’s 96th birthday. The Ghanaian singer was the talk of the town after he got emotional during his set.
The two previous Charles’s both ruled controversial reigns – one of whom was the only British monarch in history to have faced execution
The minute Queen Elizabeth passed away yesterday was the minute Prince Charles became King.
He’ll now reign as King Charles III, with Downing Street swiftly confirming the title he will inherit.
But despite Charles being his Christian name, he could have chosen any of his four monikers to rule under – Charles Phillip Arthur George.
The Times reported in 2005 how the then Prince of Wales considered taking on the title George VII as a heartfelt tribute to his grandfather, the Queen’s dad who became a beloved King following the abdication of his brother, Edward.
Other reasons for the possible change in name, however, may have been that ‘King Charles’ is considered somewhat ‘jinxed’ among the upper echelons.
Charles is now King following the death of Queen Elizabeth on Thursday afternoon (Image: Getty Images)
The two Charleses to precede our now King both died relatively young – with the first executed in what is the only execution of a British monarch in history.
Charles I was beheaded at Whitehall in 1649 after being convicted of treason the year before. With Charles dead, the monarchy was abolished and his son and would-be king Charles exiled from the country.
England would not have another king for 11 years, when Charles II eventually took the throne.
A somewhat controversial king, Charles II was known for his many mistresses and saw the country through a tumultuous period of change and mass death, including the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London.
King Charles I of England (1600 – 1649) (Image: Getty Images)
King Charles II, who reigned from 1660 to 1685 (Image: Getty Images)
He died 25 years after being crowned at the age of 54, after falling into apoplectic fits.
Our now King will be the first Charles on the throne in almost 400 years.
Trusted friends of the then Prince told The Times in 2005 that the name “is tinged with so much sadness”.
“They (the Royal Family) will decide at the time, but he has talked about George,†one friend claimed at the time.
This story, however, was later rebuffed by another friend, who correctly predicted Charles would indeed keep his name.
Charles III will be the first Charles on the throne in nearly 400 years – the name has previously been thought to have been ‘jinxed’ (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“Anyone who knows the Prince of Wales knows he does not sit around talking to his chums, discussing what he wants to be called,†the source told The Guardian.
“Inasmuch as officials have discussed it with him at accession planning meetings the thinking was that he would remain, Charles,†they added.
Charles III will now lead the country in a state of mourning for his mother for 10 days, and will take on his first duty by addressing the nation in a speech tonight.
Dates for the Queen’s funeral and Charles’ coronation will be confirmed in the coming days and weeks.
PresidentAkufo-Addo ordered that all flags in Ghana be flown at half-mast in honour of the Late Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday, September 9, 2022.
This president’s directive has caused some division among Ghanaians who are arguing about the significance of the order since Ghana is now a sovereign state.
But what most Ghanaians don’t know is that aside from being the Head of Commonwealth Nations, the late Queen Elizabeth II was the first Head of State of Ghana.
Queen Elizabeth II, Head of State of Ghana
For the first three years of Ghana becoming anindependentnation, between March 6, 1957, and July 1, 1960, Elizabeth II was the Head of State of Ghana.
This was because around that time, though Ghana was an independent sovereign state, it was still a constitutional monarchy which gave the Queen the power to be head of the United Kingdom and other sovereign states under the monarchy.
The constitutional roles of Queen Elizabeth in Ghana were delegated to the governor-general, who acted as a representative of the Queen. Between March 6, 1957, and July 1, 1960, two governors-general, Charles Noble Arden-Clarke (1957) and William Francis Hare (1957 to 1960), represented the Queen in Ghana.
During that period, the Parliament of Ghana was made up of the Queen and the National Assembly of Ghana, and all laws of the country were assented to only by her.
Queen Elizabeth was the executive authority of the state, and she was advised by Ghanaian ministers for the Crown. Ghana’s economy during that period was one of the best in the world.
Queen Elizabeth’s role as the Head of State of Ghana ended on July 1, 1996, when Ghana became a republic. Under the first contribution of the Republic of Ghana, the president replaced the monarch as the executive head of state.
The BBC has reported that the King and Queen Consort will spend the night at Balmoral Castle and return to Britain on Friday.
The King will decide if he will rule as King Charles III or choose a different name.
Britain’s longest-serving monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, died at the age of 96 on Thursday.
The Queen died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Her death comes after the BBC earlier announced that the Queen’s doctors had expressed concerns about her health around mid-morning on Thursday, September 8, 2022.
Born on April 21, 1926, the Queen, christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, immediately acceded the British throne on February 6, 1952, when her father, King George VI, died.
“A few months ago the BBC came to see me talk about Her Majesty the Queen. And we sat down and the cameras started rolling. And they requested that I should talk about her in the past tense,” he said.
“And I’m afraid I simply choked up and I couldn’t go on. I’m really not easily moved to tears, but I was so overcome with sadness, that I had to ask them to go away.”
Mr Johnson, who went to see the Queen at Balmoral to resign just three days ago, added: “I know that today there are countless people in this country and around the world, who have experienced the same sudden access of unexpected emotion.â€
He was speaking at a packed house of parliament on Friday as MP after MP stood up to pay tribute to the monarch with dedications expected to continue into the evening and on Saturday.
In an earlier statement, Mr Johnson branded the Queen “Elizabeth the Greatâ€, on account of her being “the longest serving and in many ways the finest monarch in our historyâ€.
Speaking in the Commons on Friday he said: “That impulse to do her duty carried her right through into her 10th decade to the very moment in Balmoral, as my right honourable friend [Liz Truss] has said, only three days ago, when she saw off her 14th prime minister and welcomed her 15th.
“I can tell you, in that audience, she was as radiant and as knowledgeable and as fascinated by politics as ever I can remember and as wise in her advice as anyone I know, if not wiser.â€
The ex-PM, who was forced out by his party after a series of sleaze scandals, told MPs the Queen had “humility†and a “refusal to be grandâ€.
All English, Welsh and Northern Irish football and professional Scottish football has been postponed this weekend as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Ten Premier League and six Scottish Premiership fixtures were scheduled.
EFL games were due to take place on Friday and Saturday, with six Women’s Super League fixtures – the first of the season – on Saturday and Sunday.
England’s National League, FA Trophy and grassroots football is also off.
Friday’s play at golf’s PGA Championship was called off, along with all British horse racing and cricket’s Test between England and South Africa.
British horse racing will return on Sunday, with rugby union’s Premiership season beginning on Saturday after two fixtures on Friday were postponed.
British Boxing Board of Control tournaments have been postponed on Friday, with a decision yet to be made on the world boxing title fight between Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields.
Sunday’s Great North Run will go ahead as planned, with organisers saying it is “an opportunity to come together and express our condolences while celebrating the life of our extraordinary Queen”, and that the event would be “more subdued out of respect”.
Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, died on Thursday aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.
The government’s national mourning guidance advised that cancelling fixtures was not obligatory, leaving the decision to individual sports.
Government guidance for the day of the funeral also advised that cancellation was not obligatory, but suggested events could be rescheduled so that they do not clash with the timings of the service.
Cricket yet to decide
It is unclear whether England’s cricket Test against South Africa will resume and whether Saturday’s play at golf’s PGA Championship will go ahead.
The rugby union Premiership match between Bristol and Bath has been moved from Friday evening to 17:30 BST on Saturday, while Sale v Northampton will not take place on Friday and is yet to be rearranged.
All other Premiership matches on Saturday and Sunday will go ahead as scheduled.
Formula 1 held a minute’s silence with all teams prior to practice on Friday for the Italian Grand Prix, with the race weekend to proceed as planned.
At the tennis US Open in New York, there was a moment of silence before the first women’s semi-final match on Thursday with the first men’s semi-final on Friday.
In rugby league, the Super League play-off between Catalans Dragons and Leeds is on Friday, with Huddersfield and Salford due to play on Sunday. The Championship fixture between Sheffield Eagles and Dewsbury Rams has been postponed.
The British Elite Ice Hockey League said the weekend’s season-opening games would go ahead as planned.
Football pays respect to Queen’s ‘indelible legacy’
The Football Association said fixtures between 9 and 11 September are postponed, adding that as a “long-standing patron” of the FA the Queen “has left a lasting and indelible legacy on our national game”.
The Premier League and EFL have confirmed that all fixtures will be rescheduled.
While policing was not a factor in postponing this weekend’s Premier League games, it is understood it could be a consideration in next weekend’s games depending on state funeral arrangements.
There is confidence fixture congestion can be solved in the second half of the season and a meeting will be held next week to discuss the calendar with relevant bodies.
The Premier League took the decision to honour the Queen’s “extraordinary life and contribution to the nation” and said updates on future fixtures during the period of mourning “will be provided in due course”.
The league’s chief executive Richard Masters said: “We and our clubs would like to pay tribute to Her Majesty’s long and unwavering service to our country.
“This is a tremendously sad time for not just the nation but also for the millions of people around the world who admired her, and we join together with all those in mourning her passing.”
In Scotland, the postponements include the Scottish Professional Football League, Scottish Women’s Premier League and Scottish Highland and Lowland Football Leagues, as well as Women’s Scottish Cup fixtures.
SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said it was appropriate to “mark the event with all possible solemnity” and added that there would be a further update “when we have clarity over official arrangements for Her Majesty’s funeral”.
WSL’s record-breaking start on hold
The Women’s Super League was preparing to kick off the 2022-23 season this weekend with clubs enjoying record ticket sales following England’s summer success at Euro 2022.
Tottenham were scheduled to host Manchester United in the larger main stadium used by their male counterparts, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while Chelsea were set to welcome West Ham to Stamford Bridge.
Tickets had sold out for Manchester City’s fixture against Arsenal at the 7,000-capacity Academy Stadium on Sunday.
Reading have five times the amount of season ticket holders compared to last year, while reigning champions Chelsea sold out their 1,500 season tickets for the second season in a row.
Queen’s ‘enduring and unique’ relationship with racing honoured
British racing has been cancelled on Saturday but will resume on Sunday, with the exception of Musselburgh in Scotland.
The world’s oldest Classic race, the St Leger, has been put back 24 hours and will feature in an extended nine-race card at Doncaster.
While Chepstow is also set to go ahead on Sunday, Musselburgh’s meeting has been called off due to the Queen lying in state in Edinburgh.
British Horseracing Authority chief executive BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said the Queen had “an enduring and unique” relationship with the sport.
“The return of racing on Sunday will see the running of the St Leger, one of Britain’s five Classic races and a race which the Queen won with her filly Dunfermline in 1977,” she said.
“This will also provide an opportunity for the sport and its supporters to pay its respects to Her Majesty, for the contribution which she has made to the sport to be marked.”
Sport has paid tribute after Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, died aged 96.
Messages poured in from sporting governing bodies and personalities after her death was announced on Thursday.
A minute’s silence was held at Manchester United, Arsenal, West Ham and Hearts’ European matches.
And in horse racing, the sport closely linked to Her Majesty, she was described as its “greatest supporter”.
Horse racing
Ascot, the racecourse most deeply connected with the Queen, paid tribute to one of the sport’s leading advocates.
The Berkshire venue is famed for its royal meeting and procession from nearby Windsor Castle, with the Queen having enjoyed many high-profile victories at the track – not least when Estimate won the Gold Cup in 2013.
Sir Francis Brooke, Her Majesty’s representative at the track, said: “The nation mourns the loss of a much loved and respected monarch. The world of racing has lost one of its greatest supporters.
“We at Ascot are privileged to have so many memories of Her Majesty, the Queen, at this, her racecourse, including some wonderful victories in the royal colours.”
Nicky Henderson, who trained racehorses for the Queen and Queen Mother, added: “Racing has lost its best friend and greatest patron, the country has lost its Queen – but she was more than a Queen. The country has lost somebody who was its greatest servant. She was absolutely the greatest.
“She knew horses inside out, so it was always a pleasure to be able to talk and discuss horses – and lots of other things as well. Her loss is immeasurable. It is an emotional day and I am very emotional.”
Sir Michael Stoute, trainer of Estimate, said:Â “It was an honour and also a great pleasure to train for the Queen because she had such a formidable knowledge of the horse.”
AP McCoy, the 20-time champion jump jockey and knighted in 2016, said the Queen had an “irreplaceable presence” while fellow jockey Frankie Dettori described it as the “honour of a lifetime” to ride for the Queen and “a greater honour to have known such a remarkable person.”
Football
Manchester United and Real Sociedad players observe a minute’s silence prior to the Europa League group E match
All Premier League clubs posted individual messages paying their respect to the Queen and the Premier League said it was “deeply saddened” by her death.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family and everyone around the world mourning the loss of Her Majesty,” the league said.
English Football League chair Rick Parry added: “On behalf of the league and its clubs, we join the rest of the nation and people across the world in mourning the passing of our Queen, Elizabeth II.”
West Ham United fans sang ‘God Save The Queen’ at the end of a minute’s silence at London Stadium before their Europa Conference League win against Romanian side FCSB.
England men’s and women’s captains Harry Kane and Leah Williamson described the Queen as an “amazing inspiration” and “a light so bright, she gave us hope when there seemed to be none”.
Former England captain David Beckham said the Queen “served her country with dignity and grace”.
Brazil legend Pele said:Â “I have been a great admirer of Queen Elizabeth II since the first time I saw her in person, in 1968, when she came to Brazil to witness our love for football and experienced the magic of a packed Maracana. Her deeds have marked generations.”
Motorsport
Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton said the Queen was an “inspiring and iconic” leader.
“Since the sad news yesterday, I’ve been reflecting on her incredible life. She was a symbol of hope for so many and she served her country with dignity, dedication and kindness,” he said.
“She was truly like no other and I’m grateful to have lived during her time. Her legacy will be long-lasting and her passing deeply felt.”
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said:Â “The Queen was undoubtedly one of the most respected heads of state ever to have lived, and I send my condolences, and those of the entire FIA community, to the Royal Family and all of the citizens of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
“Motorsport, and especially Formula 1, has its heart in the United Kingdom, and the Royal Family has, over the years, given great support and patronage to the sport.
“For this we thank them, and those events taking place around the world this weekend will undoubtedly be undertaken in honour of Her Majesty.”
Cricket
The England and Wales Cricket Board said it was “deeply saddened at the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II”.
ECB chair Richard Thompson said: “I’m sure I speak for everyone in the game when I say how truly sad I am to hear of the Queen’s passing. Her Majesty has been such a great supporter of the game and was always so vocal of her and her late husband’s enjoyment around the sport.
“Her dedication to her country will never be forgotten. For her service and her selflessness over her extraordinary reign, we owe her a debt that can never be repaid.”
Golf
Flags were flown at half-mast at Wentworth on day one of the BMW PGA Championship, with play also suspended
Royal and Ancient Golf Club captain Peter Forster said:Â “Although not a golfer, Her late Majesty’s 70-year patronage of the Club was a great honour for its Members.
“We hold His Majesty The King and all The Royal Family in our thoughts at this time of mourning.”
The 2018 European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn, of Denmark, said:”Living most of my adult life in England I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. An inspiration to so many all over the world. Rest in peace, Your Majesty.”
US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick tweeted his sympathies and fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood added: “Rest in Peace Your Majesty, you will be forever in our hearts.”
Olympics
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said the world had lost “a great supporter of sport and the Olympic movement”.
“Her Majesty was the only head of state to declare open two editions of the Olympic Games and was already present at the Olympic Games London 1948,” he said.
“As patron of the British Olympic Association, she provided invaluable advice and help to the Olympic community.”
Rugby League
Rugby Football League chair Simon Johnson said the governing body was grateful to the Queen for her support of the game.
“On behalf of the RFL and the whole Rugby League family, I express our deepest and most sincere condolences on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The whole sport is in deep mourning at this extremely sad news,” he added in a statement.
“Rugby League was honoured to have her as our patron until 2016, and throughout her long reign, Her Majesty’s sense of duty and commitment, her spirit and wisdom has been an example to all of us.
“We give grateful thanks for Her Majesty’s constant and positive influence on our communities over many generations.
“We send our deepest sympathy and most sincere condolences to the Royal Family including the RFL patron, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge. Our clubs and players at all levels will display their respect to Her Majesty wherever rugby league is played in the coming days.”
Rugby Union
Dominic McKay, chairman of European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR)Â – which oversees the Heineken Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup competitions – paid tribute on behalf of the organisation.
“It is with great sadness that all of us at EPCR have learned of the passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II. We stand with our leagues, unions, clubs and beyond to honour Her Majesty and her inspirational life.
“Queen Elizabeth II was a monarch who embodied steadfastness, dignity and faithful public service and was greatly admired, respected and loved by people around the world.”
England Rugby said:Â “On behalf of the rugby union community in England, all at the Rugby Football Union are very saddened to hear of the death of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II and offer our condolences to the whole Royal Family at this time.”
Scottish Rugby said it was “deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Her Majesty The Queen and offered its condolences to the whole Royal Family”, while the Welsh Rugby Union added: “We send the sincere and heartfelt condolences of Welsh rugby to the Royal Family after the passing of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II.
“Our Royal Patron for over 50 years graced our national stadium many times. We thank The Queen for years of service on this profoundly sad day.”
Irish Rugby added: “The IRFU express our condolences to the Royal Family on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Our sympathies are with our friends in the Home Unions and their supporters.”
Tennis
Swiss legend Roger Federer said her “elegance, grace and loyalty to her duty will live on in history” while another icon of the sport, Rafael Nadal, expressed his “deepest condolences”.
Lawn Tennis Association chief executive Scott Lloyd said in a statement: “Her Majesty dedicated her life to public service throughout her 70-year reign. She was universally admired and respected throughout the country and supported many charities and organisations unstintingly.
“She graciously gave up her time to open our own National Tennis Centre at Roehampton and meet our British players in 2007. Her loss will be felt across the country and throughout the Commonwealth.
“Our sport joins the rest of the country in sending our sincere condolences to the Royal Family.”
Athletics
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Mo Farah led the tributes from athletics, writing: “The Queen was loved all over the world and meant so much to so many.
“Meeting her was one of the greatest honours of my life. We will remember her for her warmth and dedication to the British people throughout her reign.”
Former Olympic and world 100m champion Linford Christie said “Thank you for always showing me kindness”, while current British sprinter Adam Gemili added “I really didn’t think I’d feel this sad. Rest in Peace Queen Elizabeth II. Thank you for all you did”.
British women’s long-distance great Paula Radcliffe posted her own tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on Instagram
Cycling
British Cycling and a number of prominent teams and riders also paid their respects, with six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy writing: “I share the sadness and sorrow of all Britons and many others around the world in mourning the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
Hoy, who was knighted in 2009, added: “I had the pleasure of meeting Her Majesty on a number of occasions and always admired her tremendous dedication and absolute commitment to her role, as well as the generosity and compassion she offered to all those she met.
“Her Majesty the Queen devoted her life to our country, guiding us through so many historically significant moments with great leadership.”
Boxing
British heavyweight boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua issued brief statements on their respective social media accounts.
Fury posted a picture with the words “Thoughts & prayers with my Queen tonight, may God be with you”, while Joshua wrote simply: “Rest in peace”.
In honour of the memory of the deceased monarch of England, Queen Elizabeth II, President Akufo-Addo has directed that all official flags in the country fly at half-mast effective today, Friday, September 9, 2022. This is to last for a period of 7 days.
The Queen died yesterday, September 8, 2022, after her health deteriorated, Buckingham Palace announced.Â
In a tweet extending his deepest condolences to the Royal Family and on behalf of the general public, the President said the queen will be dearly missed.
“Ghanaians have very fond memories of the two visits she made to Ghana during her reign, and, on both occasions, we remember the friendliness, elegance, style and sheer joy she brought to the performance of her duties,†he said.
“As Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, she oversaw the dramatic transformation of the Union, and steered it to pay greater attention to our shared values and better governance. She was the rock that kept the organisation sturdy and true to its positive beliefs
“We shall miss her inspiring presence, her calm, her steadiness, and, above all, her great love and belief in the higher purpose of the Commonwealth of Nations, and in its capacity to be a force for good in our world,†he added.
President Akufo-Addo said the Queen “was a cherished and revered monarch of the British people, the longest-serving in their history, who will be sorely missed. We are saddened by her departure.
“May God bless her soul and give her peaceful rest in His Bosom until the Last Day of the Resurrection when we shall all meet again,†he addedÂ
Following her demise, her son Prince Charles is the new monarch of English.
Several football stars have paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II following her death on Thursday, September 8, 2022.
David Beckhamhas joined the likes of Pele, Jose Mourinho and Roger Federer.
Since Buckingham Palace announced that the UK’s longest reigning monarch had passed away, tributes have subsequently poured in from around the world, while some of the biggest names in sport have taken to social media to pay their own respects.
Former England men’s football captain Beckham posted on Instagram: “I’m truly saddened by the death of Her Majesty, The Queen. What an outpouring of love and respect we saw for the Platinum Jubilee for her life of service.
“How devastated we all feel today shows what she has meant to people in this country and around the world. How much she inspired us with her leadership. How she comforted us when times were tough.
“Until her last days, she served her country with dignity and grace. This year, she would have known how loved she was. My thoughts and prayers are with our Royal Family.”
Meanwhile, footballing legend Pele added on Twitter:Â “I have been a great admirer of Queen Elizabeth II since the first time I saw her in person, in 1968, when she came to Brazil to witness our love for football and experienced the magic of a packed Maracana.
“Her deeds have marked generations. This legacy will last forever.”
Speaking after Roma’s Europa League clash with Ludogorets, head coach Mourinho said: “I’m so sorry. I have lived in England for many years, my family is there. I don’t think there’s anyone who doesn’t appreciate this great woman.”
Current Three Lions skipper Harry Kane described the Queen as “an amazing inspiration,” while team-mate Marcus Rashford also paid tribute to the late monarch.
Eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer tweeted: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Her Royal Majesty. Her elegance, grace and loyalty to her duty will live on in history.
“I would like to send my thoughts and condolences to the entire Royal Family and Great Britain.”
“We all knew the end was near but to me, our Queen was like a member of our family,” former boxing world champion Frank Bruno posted.
“I was lucky and blessed to meet her a few times. She was the Matriarch, mother of our nation. My thoughts are with the Royal Family – sad, sad day.”
Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah added:Â “My condolences to the Royal Family at this very sad time. The Queen was loved all over the world and meant so much to so many.
“Meeting her was one of the greatest honours of my life. We will remember her for her warmth and dedication to the British people throughout her reign.”
The 73-year-old, who was by his mother’s side at her beloved Scottish Highlands home as her health deteriorated, will return to the capital to hold his first audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss as king before he addresses the nation on television at 6 pm.
King Charles III, the Queen’s son and a successor has left Balmoral en route to Aberdeen airport where he will fly to London.
Dressed in a black suit and tie, the grieving king, left the estate seated in the back of a car, with his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, in the front passenger seat, as they were driven in convoy to the airport where he was pictured boarding the flight.
The couple spent the night at Balmoral following the death of the 96-year-old monarch, who he described as a “cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother”.
The King will return to the capital to hold his first audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss before he addresses the nation on television at 6 pm.
The 73-year-old was by his mother’s side at her beloved Scottish Highlands home for much of Thursday after catching the royal helicopter from Dumfries House in Ayrshire.
Following news that the Queen’s health was deteriorating, other senior royals also rushed to be by her side, including the next in line to the throne, Prince William.
His brother Prince Harry, was the first to leave the Royal Family’s Scottish residence this morning and boarded a British Airways flight from Aberdeen to London after he traveled to Scotland alone.
Prince William did not join his father, as it is a royal protocol that the monarch and heir to the throne do not travel together.
He, Princess Royal, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Prince Andrew remain in Scotland.
King Charles III acceded to the throne immediately following the death of Elizabeth II on Thursday, and described losing his mother as “a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family”.
During this period of mourning, he said he and his family would be “comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held”.
The new monarch – born Charles Philip Arthur George – became heir to the throne at the age of three, a title he would hold for 70 years.
He has been preparing to be King for his entire life, and has chosen to use his Christian name for his title as monarch, just like his late beloved mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The path from the Delhi airport to the official residence of the Indian president was allegedly jam-packed with approximately a million people when Queen Elizabeth II paid her maiden visit to India in January 1961.
“Indians forgot their troubles this week. Not completely, of course, but economic hardship, political squabbling and worry about Communist China, the Congo and Laos seemed to fade into the background. Queen Elizabeth II was here, and the capital, at least, appeared determined to make the most of it,” reported The New York Times.
The Times said trains, buses, and oxcarts ferried people to the capital. Here they wandered on the streets and loitered on lawns hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal couple. “They seemed to look upon the Queen and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, as impresarios who made it possible to forget and have fun,” the report said.
At the same time, the newspaper reported that “Elizabeth came not as a patronizing ruler on a tour of an empire, but an equal” – she was the first British monarch to take the throne after India’s independence from British rule in 1947.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in Delhi during a state visit to India in January 1961
The trip also offered a chance for India to show a British ruler “that they had not done so badly since her people left”: its “jet-age airports, their new homes and office buildings, steel mills and their nuclear reactors”, for example.
For the royal couple, the six-week tour of the subcontinent was also a rich discovery of India. British Pathe footage from that trip offers a fascinating insight into the warm reception that the couple received.
The Queen toured the cities of Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata (then known as Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta) and visited historic landmarks such as the Taj Mahal, the Pink Palace in Jaipur, and the ancient city of Varanasi. She attended a number of receptions and spent two days at a hunting lodge of a maharajah and rode an elephant. The royal couple was guests of honour at the grand Republic Day parade on 26 January.
At Delhi’s sprawling Ramlila Maidan, the Queen addressed a rapturous gathering of several thousand people. She rode to the Taj Mahal in Agra in an open car waving to the crowds. She visited a steel plant in West Bengal built with British aid and met its workers.
In Kolkata, she visited a monument built in memory of Queen Victoria. A horse race at the thriving local course was organized for the couple and the Queen presented the cup to the owner of the winning horse. Covering the Queen’s ride in an open car from the airport in Kolkata to the city, a reporter of the state broadcaster AIl India Radio (AIR) quoted a Yorkshire Post editorial that she might not be the empress of India, but the enthusiasm of Indian crowds proved she was still empress of millions of Indian hearts, according to an account of the trip.
Queen Elizabeth II met then India PM Indira Gandhi in Delhi in November 1983
Nearly two decades later, in November 1983, the Queen made her second trip to India, timed with a summit of Commonwealth leaders.
Her final visit in October 1997 happened against the backdrop of a tragedy. Timed to mark the 50th anniversary of the independence of India and Pakistan, it was the Queen’s first public engagement since the funeral of Princess Diana.
The trip was also touched by some controversy. She was to visit Jallianwala Bagh – a memorial park that was the scene of one of the bloodiest massacres in British history – amid calls for an apology. Hundreds of Indians were shot by British troops while attending a public meeting at the site in 1919.
The night before she visited the site in the northern city of Amritsar, the Queen told a banquet reception in Delhi: “It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in the past – Jalianwala Bagh, which I shall visit tomorrow, is a distressing example. But history cannot be rewritten, however much we might sometimes wish otherwise. It has its moments of sadness, as well as gladness. We must learn from the sadness and build on the gladness.”
Queen Elizabeth II presented the Order of Merit to Mother Teresa in Delhi in November 1983
The speech – while it did not satisfy all those calling for an explicit apology from Britain – appeared to placate relatives of those killed who called off a planned demonstration at the airport in Amritsar. Instead, the 10-mile route from the airport to the city was reportedly lined with “cheering flag waving” people. At the city’s Golden Temple, Sikhism’s holiest shrine, the Queen was allowed to enter wearing socks after taking off her shoes.
The royal dress was a subject of unending fascination and speculation in the Indian media. During her 1983 visit, speculation was rife, reported a correspondent in India Today magazine, about almost everything the Queen wore. Sunil Sethi reported of the visit:
“The hat, the hat,” cried one of the reporters. “What is it made of?”
“Straw actually”, said an Englishman, regaining his composure.
“And the dress? What material?”
“Crepe de chine, actually”.
“Are you the Queen’s designer?” I asked.
“Just another reporter,” he said. “He was, as I found out later, the Delhi-based correspondent of the Times of London.”
The Queen cherished her time in India during her three state visits.
“The warmth and hospitality of the Indian people and the richness and diversity of India itself have been an inspiration to all of us,” she later said.
Following the passing of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III is expected to address the nation for the first time in his capacity as monarch later.
At Balmoral in Scotland, the longest-reigning monarch of Britain passed away quietly on Thursday. She was surrounded by her family.
Gun salutes will be fired and church bells will be tolled on Friday as the UK pays tribute to her reign.
Members of the public have traveled to leave flowers, messages of thanks, and condolence for the Queen and Royal Family, with many visibly tearful or overcome with emotion.
Union jacks are being flown at half-mast and Parliament will gather later to pay tribute to her momentous reign.
The bells of St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle are expected to toll at noon in tribute to her life and service.
A gun salute in London’s Hyde Park has been arranged for the following hour, with 96 rounds to mark each year of her life to fire around 13:00 BST.
There will be a remembrance service at St Paul’s at 18:00 BST, attended by Prime Minister Liz Truss and other senior ministers.
Those wishing to attend must visit in person the City of London tourism office on Carter Lane in London to collect a wristband from 11:00.
A police officer appears to cry as he stands guard in front of Buckingham PalacePeople gathered to pay tributes to the Queen in London
The King and his wife, Camilla, now Queen Consort, will later on Friday return to London, where the monarch is expected to address the nation after holding an audience with the new Prime Minister Liz Truss.
All of the Queen’s children and grandchildren, the Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex, traveled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, on Thursday after the Queen’s doctors became concerned about her health.
Prince Harry left Balmoral on Friday morning to travel to Aberdeen airport, where he was seen placing an arm around a member of staff.
Prince Harry places his arm around a member of staff before boarding a plane at Aberdeen International Airport
On Friday, the palace released some details of plans for the coming days, with King Charles declaring a period of Royal mourning is observed for seven days after the funeral of his mother.
There will be no physical book of condolences for members of the public to sign, but the palace has opened an online book of condolences for those who wish to leave messages.
The government has said it expects large crowds to gather in central London and other Royal Residences as a mark of respect, warning there could be some travel disruption, traffic delays, and significant crowding,
A man wipes away tears next to floral tributes laid by an entrance to Balmoral Castle
Tributes to the Queen will also be paid by MPs and peers in the Houses of Commons and Lords from midday, with normal politics to be put on hold for a period of mourning which is due to last until late into Friday evening.
The Cabinet met on Friday morning, with the only item on the agenda to pay tribute to the Queen.
There will also be a rare Saturday sitting of the House of Commons, where senior MPs will gather to take an oath of allegiance to the new King from 14:00, with condolences continuing again until the evening.
Tributes have been pouring from world leaders and dignitaries as they mourn Queen Elizabeth II, who died at the age of 96.
The late Queen’s deep sense of duty and resilience was shone bright.
France’s Emmanuel Macron who led the tributes remembered “a kind-hearted queen” who was also “a friend of France”.
US President Joe Biden who first met Her Majesty40 years ago and described her as “more than a monarch – she defined an era”.
Remembering his visit to the UK in 2021 as president, Mr Biden said “she charmed us with her wit, moved us with her kindness, and generously shared with us her wisdom”.
“Queen Elizabeth II was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity constancy who deepened the bedrock of the Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States. She helped make our relationship special,” Mr Biden added.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, US President Biden, watched by his wife Dr Jill Biden and UK Ambassador Karen Pierce, signs the condolence book at the British Embassy in Washington DC
Chinese President Xi Jinping offered “sincere sympathies to the British government and people” following the Queen’s death, adding: “Her passing is a great loss to the British people.”
Canada – where Queen Elizabeth was head of state – has seen 12 prime ministers during her reign.
An emotional Justin Trudeau – who has known the Queen for decades, first meeting her as a child when his father was prime minister – said she had “an obvious deep and abiding love for Canadians”.
“In a complicated world, her steady grace and resolve brought comfort to us all,” the prime minister said, adding that he would miss their “chats” where she was “thoughtful, wise, curious, helpful, funny and so much more”.
“She was one of my favourite people in the world, and I will miss her so,” he said, holding back tears.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Her Majesty met Canada’s Justin Trudeau several times, including earlier this year at Windsor
‘An extraordinary personality’
Flags have been lowered to half-mast around the world – including at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Queen’s “empathy and ability to connect with every passing generation, while remaining rooted in the tradition that truly mattered to her, was an example of true leadership”.
King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands – who is Queen Elizabeth’s fifth cousin – said he and Queen Maxima remembered the “steadfast and wise” monarch with “deep respect and great affection”.
Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf, also a distant relative to Her Majesty, said: “She has always been dear to my family and a precious link in our shared family history.”
And Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde said she was “an extraordinary personality… who, throughout her reign, showed dignity, courage and devotion”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz paid tribute to the Queen’s “wonderful humour” and said in a statement that “her commitment to German-British reconciliation after the horrors of World War Two will remain unforgotten”.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled his “memorable meetings” with the monarch during two UK visits.
“I will never forget her warmth and kindness,” he tweeted. “During one of the meetings, she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture.”
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent their condolences, with the king describing her as “a role model for leadership that will be immortalised in history”.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Queen Elizabeth II and India’s Narendra Modi at Buckingham Palace in 2015
‘A reassuring presence’
As monarch for seven decades, Queen Elizabeth lived through times of extraordinary change, and this was reflected in several tributes.
Mr Macron observed that she “embodied the British nation’s continuity and unity for over 70 years” and former US President Barack Obama observed that she lived “through periods of prosperity and stagnation – from the Moon landing to the fall of the Berlin Wall”.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his “deep sorrow”. “The death of the queen, who led Britain through turbulent times in the world, is a great loss not only for the British people but also the international community,” he told reporters.
Irish President Michael D Higgins honoured the Queen’s “extraordinary sense of duty”, which he said would “hold a unique place in British history”.
“Her reign of 70 years encompassed periods of enormous change, during which she represented a remarkable source of reassurance to the British people,” he said in a lengthy statement.
Ireland’s Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, spoke of her reign as one of “historic duration” and described the Queen’s passing as “the end of an era”.
“Her dedication to duty and public service were self-evident and her wisdom and experience truly unique,” Mr Martin said in a statement. He also recalled her “many gracious gestures and warm remarks” during a state visit to Ireland in 2011.
António Guterres, the UN’s secretary-general, said Queen Elizabeth was “a reassuring presence throughout decades of sweeping change, including the decolonisation of Africa and Asia and the evolution of the Commonwealth”.
In a statement, he paid tribute to “her unwavering, lifelong dedication to serving her people. The world will long remember her devotion and leadership”.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Queen Elizabeth visited Australia 16 times – here she greets excited crowds in Sydney in 1970
Queen Elizabeth visited Australia – another Commonwealth nation where she was head of state – 16 times, the only reigning monarch to head down under.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted that many had never known a world without her.
“Though the noise and tumult of the years, she embodied and exhibited a timeless decency and an enduring calm,” he said in a statement.
“She celebrated our good times, she stood with us in the bad. Happy and glorious, but steadfast too.”
New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, said she was woken to the news of the monarch’s death by a police officer shining a torch into her bedroom at 04:50 to wake her up.
“She was extraordinary… The last days of the Queen’s life captures who she was in so many ways, working to the very end on behalf of the people she loved,” Ms Ardern said.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Queen Elizabeth with New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, in 2018
‘She lived history, she made history’
Queen Elizabeth II met 13 US presidents – beginning with Dwight D Eisenhower- during her reign.
Barack Obama said the Queen had “captivated the world” with a “reign defined by grace, elegance and a tireless work ethic”.
“Time and again, we were struck by her warmth, the way she put people at ease, and how she brought her considerable humour and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance,” Mr Obama, who met the Queen on several occasions, said in a statement.
Donald Trump said he would “never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humour”.
And another former president, George W Bush, reflected fondly on the time he spent having tea with Her Majesty and her corgis, describing her “great intellect, charm and wit”.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Queen Elizabeth with Laura Bush, Prince Philip and George W Bush at the White House in 2007
Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, also acknowledged the enormous change the Queen saw throughout her reign, but said that throughout this, she “remained an icon of stable, responsible leadership and a beacon of morality, humanity and patriotism”.
While the Queen did not visit Israel, Princes Charles, Edward, William and the late Prince Philip – whose mother is buried in Jerusalem – did.
“Queen Elizabeth was a historic figure: she lived history, she made history, and with her passing, she leaves a magnificent, inspirational legacy,” President Herzog wrote.
King Abdullah II of Jordan said his country “mourns the passing of an iconic leader”. He said the Queen, who visited Jordan in 1984, was “a beacon of wisdom and principled leadership… a partner for Jordan and a dear family friend”.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted that it was with “deep sadness” that he learned of “this irreparable loss”.
And Russian leader Vladimir Putin who met the Queen several times and once reportedly kept her waiting for 14 minutes, sent his “deepest condolences” to King Charles III.
“The most important events in the recent history of the United Kingdom are inextricably linked with the name of Her Majesty,” Mr Putin wrote in a statement. “
For many decades, Elizabeth II rightfully enjoyed the love and respect of her subjects, as well as authority on the world stage.”
Russia currently has heavy economic sanctions imposed on it by Western nations, including the UK, because of its invasion of Ukraine.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Prince Philip, followed by the Queen, and Jordan’s King Hussein and Queen Noor visiting the Petra archaeological site in 1984
African leaders also shared tributes for Queen Elizabeth – who knew many of them well and, as the head of the Commonwealth, was sympathetic to their cause.
Kenyan President-elect William Ruto praised her “historic legacy” and said Kenyans would “miss the cordial ties she enjoyed” with the country.
Kenya, a former British colony that became independent in 1963, was a very special place for the monarch. For a start, it was where she became Queen. The young princess, then just 25 years old, was on holiday there when her father, King George VI, died in his sleep in 1952.
President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon, which is one of the newest nations to join the Commonwealth, said: “The Queen was a great friend of Africa and Africa showed her affection in return.”
And Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo tweeted that his country had fond memories of the two visits the Queen made, remarking on “her friendliness, elegance, style and sheer joy she brought to the performance of her duties”.
Her first trip to Ghana, also a former British colony, was controversial and there were concerns for the monarch’s safety. Five days earlier, bombs had gone off in the capital, Accra, but the Queen was not deterred, in part because she had already cancelled a previous visit when she became pregnant with Prince Andrew.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Kenya was always a special place for Queen Elizabeth – shown here alongside President Daniel arap Moi during a state visit in 1983
A horse racing competition expected to have occurred on Thursday was called off due to the demise of Queen Elizabeth II.
Today’s Test match between England and South Africa has also been called off.
Per reports, all of Friday’s race meetings in Britain have also been cancelled, along with the same day’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint cricket fixtures.
The second day of the PGA Championship on Friday will also not take place.
The English Football League has also postponed its two games on Friday.
“A determination regarding the remainder of this weekend’s scheduled fixtures will be made following a review of the official mourning guidance, in addition to further consultation with DCMS and other sports on Friday morning,” said an EFL statement. 
Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, died aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.
Following the announcement, the Southwell horse racing meeting was halted after the second race, and Chelmsford after the fourth race.
The British Horseracing Authority is likely to take a decision on when horse racing will resume on Friday.
Play was also abandoned at the PGA Championship at Wentworth.
“Out of respect for Her Majesty and the Royal Family, play has been suspended at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club for the remainder of Thursday and flags at Wentworth Club will be lowered to half-mast,” said a European Tour Group statement.
“Furthermore, no play will take place at the BMW PGA Championship on Friday and the golf course and practice facilities will be closed.
“Further updates on the resumption of play will be provided in due course.
“Our deepest sympathies and condolences are with the Royal Family at this time.”
In football, Manchester United said their game against Real Sociedad in the Europa League went ahead “following direction from the Football Association and Uefa”.
West Ham’s game against FCSB in the Europa Conference League was also played.
The Scottish Championship game on Friday between Cove Rangers and Dundee has been postponed.
The Tour of Britain called off Friday’s sixth stage before also cancelling the weekend’s remaining stages.
“Further to the earlier statement in relation to the cancellation of stage six as a mark of respect following the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, the organisers of the Tour of Britain can additionally confirm that stages seven (Dorset) and eight (Isle of Wight) will not take place,” said a statement.
“This decision has been taken in consultation with stakeholders and partners in light of operational circumstances, including the understandable reassignment of police resource at this time.
“The Tour of Britain organisation, alongside the teams, riders and officials involved in the event, send their deepest condolences to the Royal Family at this sad time.”
In rugby union, Northampton abandoned their Premiership Rugby Cup clash against Saracens scheduled for Thursday evening.
Scotland women’s Test international against Spain on Sunday has been called off and Scottish Rugby has also postponed all domestic competitive games this weekend as a mark of respect.
Formula 1 is planning a minute’s silence with all teams prior to practice on Friday for the Italian Grand Prix, with the race weekend to proceed as planned.
At the US Open tennis in New York, organisers said “to commemorate the passing of Queen Elizabeth II” there would be “a moment of silence prior to the start of the first women’s semi-final match between Ons Jabeur and Caroline Garcia”.
Social media is often the best avenue to test thepulse of a topical issue online, often times even offline.
So, it was for good reason that the global trends as at September 8, 2022; included among others, #QueenElizabeth, Rest In Peace, London Bridge etc. Queen Elizabeth II had died.
The world’s longestserving leader, was pronounced dead on Thursday, September 8, 2022, via a statement from the royal family.
But localized trends inGhana aside the global ones had ‘Maa Lizzy’ also as a top trend. It turns out that, this was how social media users were celebrating the life and mourning the passing of the Queen.
Most Ghanaians posted funny tweets about how they are marking the passing, whiles others also took to serving historical material of Queen Elizabeth’s direct interaction with Ghana – visits in 1961 and 1999; as well as times when Ghanaian leaders had met her at the Buckingham Palace.
Find below some of the tweets:
Born on April 21, 1926, the Queen, christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, immediately acceded the British throne on February 6, 1952, when her father, King George VI died.
She became queen at the age of 26 and remained on the throne for seven decades before her death.
Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom and Head of State for 14 other jurisdictions.
Queen Elizabeth’s eldest son Charles, 73, has been named succesor and by that becomes king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. His wife Camilla becomes Queen Consort.
President Akufo-Addo has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away today, September 8, 2022.
The longest-serving monarch in UK passed on peacefully at Balmoral, according to the Burkingham Palace.
In a Twitter post, President Akufo-Addo described the late monarch as one with elegance, style and sheer joy.
“We shall miss her inspiring presence, her calm, her steadiness, and, above all, her great love and belief in the higher purpose of the Commonwealth of Nations, and in its capacity to be a force for good in our world.”
“She was a cherished and revered monarch of the British people, the longest-serving in their history, who will be sorely missed. We are saddened by her departure,” he added.
On behalf of the Government and people of Ghana, the President extended his deepest condolences to the new British monarch, King Charles III, the Royal family, the Prime Minister, and the Government and people of Great Britain.
Queen Elizabeth II is UK’s longest-serving monarch
To mourn with England, President Akufo-Addo has directed that all official flags in the nation fly at half-mast for seven days, as from tomorrow, Friday, 9th September.
“May God bless her soul and give her peaceful rest in His Bosom until the Last Day of the Resurrection when we shall all meet again,” he stated.
Queen Elizabeth IIborn Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926 came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous social change.
Queen Elizabeth II’s tenure as head of state spanned post-war austerity, the transition from empire to Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War and the UK’s entry into – and withdrawal from – the European Union.
Her reign spanned 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill, born in 1874, and including Liz Truss, born 101 years later in 1975, and appointed by the Queen earlier this week.
She held weekly audiences with her prime minister throughout her reign.
With her death, her eldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, will lead the country in mourning as the new King and head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms.
On behalf of the Government and people of Ghana, I extend deepest condolences to the new British monarch, King Charles III, the @RoyalFamily, the Prime Minister, and the Government and people of Great Britain on the death, today, of HM Queen Elizabeth II 1/7 pic.twitter.com/Y7fFKxwCR4
