“She was the cornerstone of our country”: Councillors, religious leaders and mayors pay their respects to The Queen.

The Queen passed away this evening after being admitted to Balmoral this morning following serious health concerns.

Members of the Royal Family - including Prince William, Prince Charles and Prince Harry – made their way to the hospital to join her earlier in the day.

Councillor Nick Mawer, former mayor of Bicester, said: “She fulfilled her constitutional role in the most honourable way. She was the cornerstone of our country.

“She was such a long-standing monarch and therefore a lot of us associate the monarchy with her, rather than the institution itself.

“The calm way she dealt with a number of issues of a personal and family nature over the years is admirable.

“She was an incredible person. One of those people for whom public service is at their very core.   

Read more: Queen dead: Elizabeth II dies aged 96, Buckingham Palace confirm

Acting rector of the Bicester team ministry, Peter Wright, said: “It’s unexpected news and a great shock for the nation.

“It will take some time to sink in, it’s an absolutely momentous occasion.

“In Bicester we are opening the churches this evening and for the next few weeks.

“Thoughts are with the royal family.

“For the vast majority of us she has been the only queen we’ve ever known, I’m 62 and she’d already been on the throne for seven years when I was born.”

The Queen was the longest reigning monarch the United Kingdom has ever had, having ruled over the land for more than 70 years.

She has just become the world’s second-longest reigning monarch.

Member of the Progressive Oxfordshire Group Councillor Nick Cotter said: “She did our country proud.

“She will be sadly missed. Whether a royalist or not one must admire all she achieved. An act never I think to be repeated.

“I have a great deal of respect for all that she achieved in a long and loyal lifetime of civic duty to the people of these Isles.

“She was a shining beacon in an often-dark world. One who dedicated her life to a country through 15 prime ministers.

“Above all I respect what she has achieved for womanhood.”

“She brought so much to this country, the commonwealth and the world.”

Mayor of Bicester Alex Thrupp said: "My thoughts and prayers are with the royal family."

Mr Mawer added: “I felt numb when I heard she was taken ill.

“It was like waiting to hear news of a family member in hospital.

“I’ve been to Buckingham Palace for a garden party before and had the honour of being in her presence.

“That’s a memory I will always cherish.”

 

 

Read more from this author

This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1

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