Hundreds of tributes have been paid to Queen Elizabeth II from the people of Liverpool and beyond.
Buckingham Palace confirmed on Thursday, September 8, the Monarch Queen Elizabeth had died at Balmoral. In a statement released on Twitter, Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow [Friday, September 9]."
On Thursday Buckingham Palace released a statement stating concern for the Queen’s health. It read: “Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision. The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.”
READ MORE: Remembering a great matriarch who had a special place in the hearts of Merseysiders
The late Monarch's family rushed to be by her bedside and she died surrounded by her loved ones. The city of Liverpool and beyond paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram shared a touching story of when he met The Queen during her visit to the city during the European Capital of Culture in 2008. He spoke of how "she was a fan of the Scouse sense of humour".
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said: "The passing of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II marks the end of a remarkable life from a remarkable monarch - the only one that many of us have ever known. The country she leaves behind is one radically transformed from the one she inherited 70 years ago.
"She was a constant, and for many, reassuring presence throughout that time, a beacon of stability in an often-turbulent world. In 2008, I had the honour of serving as Lord Mayor of Liverpool, acting as the city's first citizen during our illustrious year as European Capital of Culture.
"My first official duty was to welcome the Queen to Liverpool. I spent several hours in her company and sat beside her at a lunch in St George's Hall. It is an occasion that I look back on fondly.
"That day, I saw a side of her that very few people get the chance to see. It's safe to say that she was a fan of the Scouse sense of humour as, at times, she was in fits of laughter - so much so that she had to retrieve a handkerchief from her handbag to dab away the tears rolling down her face.
"Hers was a life epitomised by duty, service and quiet dignity. My thoughts are with her loved ones. May she rest in peace."
Paul McCartney also paid tribute. In a statement on Twitter the Beatle said: "God bless Queen Elizabeth II. May she rest in peace. Long live The King." Alongside the tweet he also shared a black and white image of Her Majesty.
Mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson, said: “For many people this will be a very sad day in our nation’s history. There can’t be many people who do not have a memory of Her Majesty The Queen visiting the city, whether it was for the opening of the Kingsway Tunnel, the Garden Festival, during the Golden Jubilee celebrations, or when the Queen opened the new Museum of Liverpool.
“Others will also have memories of the many street party celebrations held to mark the Silver Jubilee in 1977. The warm welcome always afforded to Her Majesty during her visits to Liverpool is testament to the high regard in which she was held.”
Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Roy Gladden, said: “We join with the rest of the nation in paying tribute to Her Majesty The Queen, who has served our nation with selfless devotion. The people of our city will remember her with great fondness and affection, particularly for her many visits to Liverpool during her long reign, which always drew large crowds of well-wishers.
“Over the coming days, we will be giving residents the opportunity to pay their respects and reflect on the Queen’s remarkable reign. It is fitting that our Town Hall–a building Her Majesty always enjoyed visiting–will be one of the places that people can come and pay tribute.”
Merseyside's Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: "Today is a tremendously sad day. HM Queen Elizabeth served with extraordinary devotion & unwavering dedication & dignity for 70yrs. I join people across our region, the country & world, in sending my deepest sympathies to all the Royal Family during this difficult time."
Chief Constable of Merseyside Police Serena Kennedy said: "It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Her Majesty Elizabeth II in the 70th year of her reign. We offer our solemn and sincere condolences to the Royal Family.
"Our thoughts today are very much with them as we remember and pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth Il and her 70 years unwavering service as sovereign."
Dame Jo Williams, Chair and Louise Shepherd CBE, Chief Executive of Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said: “Everyone at Alder Hey is deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We were honoured to welcome the Queen and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh in 2016 when she officially opened our brand-new hospital. It was an unforgettable day.
“More recently Alder Hey’s volunteers were honoured to be recipients of ‘The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service’, an award which we will treasure. Most of us have never known anything other than the second Elizabethan era and this is an historic moment of global significance. We are grateful for The Queen’s service over seven decades.
“We would like to convey our deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to the Royal Family.”
His Majesty The King issued a statement following the Queen's death. It read: "The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family. We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother.
"I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world. During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained in our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held."
