Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's life was a beacon - the embodiment of the principle of public service and unfailing duty. We are all very grateful for her example, which will be cherished for the rest of our lives and throughout history.
I was fortunate to meet Her Majesty in Buckingham Palace several years ago. The Queen certainly loved our great country and the Commonwealth, but what impressed me most was the interest and concern that she conveyed to those she met. The Queen showed genuine love and concern to all those she worked to serve, and we are most grateful for that.
Historians will write about Queen Elizabeth as a diplomat, a protector of all faiths and a long-serving and much-loved monarch - through 70 years of dedicated service. But it is what she helped write in our hearts that will be her real lasting legacy.
We all now have a responsibility to live up to that legacy to renew and recommit ourselves in our service to others. In so doing, we will show our true gratitude to this wonderful servant and towering figure in our nation's history - may she rest in peace.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Royal Family, and with our new monarch, King Charles III, as he takes forward his new duties. God save the King.