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Queen Elizabeth II
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UK High Commissioner Sarah Hulton signing the condolence book
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UK High Commissioner Sarah Hulton yesterday paid a glowing tribute to Queen Elizabeth II who passed away peacefully on 8 September at her home in Balmoral.
Across the UK and overseas, flowers have been laid, flags have been lowered, bells have tolled and Gun Salutes have been fired in tribute to Her Majesty.
High Commissioner Hulton OBE said: “Her Majesty dedicated her life to public service. She was our greatest diplomat, and she leaves us an extraordinary legacy. During this time of great loss, we join His Majesty King Charles III, the Royal Family, the Realms, the Commonwealth and so many around the world in mourning her passing.”
She said Her Majesty’s seventy-year reign saw her travel more widely than any other monarch, and one third of her total overseas visits were to Commonwealth countries. Her Majesty visited Sri Lanka in 1954, just five months after her Coronation - the first visit to Sri Lanka by a reigning monarch.
Her ten-day tour included a Royal procession through Colombo, where she opened the first session of the second Parliament of Ceylon; a train ride to Kandy where she experienced a perahera with 140 elephants; a tour of Anuradhapura and Polunnaruwa, and spending Easter in Nuwara Eliya. She visited again in 1981, to witness the construction of the Victoria Dam, Sri Lanka’s largest hydroelectric project, constructed by a UK firm.
As Head of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty helped build a unique family of nations spanning every continent, including Sri Lanka. In a previous Commonwealth Day message, Her Majesty said: “It is always inspiring to be reminded of the diversity of the people and countries that make up our worldwide family. We are made aware of the many associations and influences that combine through Commonwealth connection, helping us to imagine and deliver a common future.”
The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen will take place at Westminster Abbey on 19 September.
In his first address to the nation as monarch, His Majesty King Charles III paid tribute to his mother, and made a solemn pledge to serve the country with loyalty, respect and love. His Majesty was formally proclaimed King at the Accession Council at St James’s Palace on 10 September, the British High Commission said.
