Sir Elton John has continued his tributes to the Queen at his concert in Toronto on Thursday night, during which he praised the monarch and her “inspiring presence”.
The singer-songwriter told his audience the Queen had led Britain through “some of our greatest and darkest moments” saying she “deserved” her final rest.
Reflecting on the 96-year-old’s death on Thursday in Scotland, Sir Elton then gave a rendition of his 1974 track “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”, while images of the smiling monarch, wearing a bright purple coat and hat, were displayed on the screens.
“She was an inspiring presence to be around… she was fantastic,” he said.
“She led the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace and decency and a genuine caring warmth. 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, and I’m glad she’s at rest and she deserves it.
“She worked bloody hard. I send my love to her family. She’ll be missed… but we’ll celebrate her life tonight with you, OK?”
Sir Elton was knighted by the Queen in 1998.
The King invested the musician and charity patron as a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour at a ceremony at Windsor Castle last year.
Sir Elton sang at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.
Immediately following the announcement of the Queen’s death on Thursday, the musical megastar shared a statement in which he said the Queen been a huge part of his life “from childhood to this day”.
“Along with the rest of the nation, I am deeply saddened to hear the news of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s passing,” Sir Elton wrote.
“Queen Elizabeth has been a huge part of my life from childhood to this day, and I will miss her dearly.”
John’s concert in Canada was the second of two nights at Toronto’s Rogers Centre and part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, billed as his final tour.
