Lord-Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire pays tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

He said: “We have received, with great sorrow, the sad news that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has passed away.“Our thoughts are with the Royal Family as they grieve for the loss of their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. “Her Majesty demonstrated extraordinary dedication and commitment to duty throughout her reign, both for her country and the Commonwealth, and did so with a graceful strength and admirable determination. “She ruled throughout decades of change, from the dark post-war years through to the new horizons of the 21st century, providing essential continuity for the nation. “This is a period of public grief, when people who do not know each other come together to mourn a national figure who, has been consistent throughout our lives and for whom we have collective affection despite not knowing her personally. “Over the years, Her Majesty has visited the area on a number of occasions. “In 1999, she attended a service to commemorate Hull’s 700th anniversary, while in 2002 the East Riding was part of Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee Celebration tour when she attended a service for rural life at Beverley Minster and the races at Beverley Racecourse to present the Champagne Victor Golden Jubilee Ladies trophy to the winning owner and jockey. “In 2009, Her Majesty was accompanied by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, who died last year, when she opened the Queen's Centre for Oncology and Haematology at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham. “Her Majesty's last visit to the area was during Hull’s City of Culture Year in 2017 when she visited Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Limited and opened the multi-million pound Allam Medical Centre at the University of Hull. “Her Majesty has left a strong platform for the new King to build upon and to carry on his mother’s legacy but also to be able to move the monarchy forward with continuity making it relevant to today’s society. “Our heartfelt sympathy to The King and members of the Royal Family for the very sad loss of Her Majesty, they will be in our thoughts and prayers. “We shall look back in gratitude and look forward to offering our support and loyalty to The King. “God Save The King.”