QUEEN ELIZAB ETH ’S DEATH : Reaction from world leaders

PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan on Friday sent her message of condolence to the Royal family and the British people on the demise of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Head of State also signed the book of condolence at the residence of the British High Commissioner to Tanzania, David Concar in Oysterbay, Dar es Salaam.

Queen Elizabeth (96) died on Thursday afternoon at her Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

In her condolence message, President Samia said she was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

“On behalf of all Tanzanians, I send my sincere condolences to the Royal Family and the British people. The Queen will be remembered around the world as a pillar of strength, peace, unity and stability,” read part of the tweet in her verified twitter account @SuluhuSamia.

Apart from President Samia, other heads of African countries also sent their condolences to the Royal family and the UK people.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda recalled the Queen’s 70 years’ stewardship of the Commonwealth Nations, saying the modern Commonwealth is her legacy.

“In this moment of sorrow at the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I extend my deepest condolences to His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen Consort, and the entire Royal Family, as well as the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth,” he said.

His message was not far from what the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said in his condolence message as shared by the state house.

In his message of condolence and comfort to UK’s King Charles III, the Royal Family, Prime Minister Liz Truss and the British people, President Kenyatta mourned the 96-year-old monarch as a towering global icon of selfless service to humanity.

“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a towering icon of selfless service to humanity and a key figurehead of not only the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations where Kenya is a distinguished member but the entire world,” President Kenyatta mourned.

The President said he received the sad news of the passing on of Queen Elizabeth II with great sorrow and a deep sense of loss, saying the people and the government of Kenya stand in solidarity with the Royal family, the United Kingdom and the world in mourning the departed monarch.

For his part, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said the Zambian people were equally saddened to learn about the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Royal family and the people of the U.K. during this difficult period. May God comfort and give them peace, as they mourn Her Majesty. May her soul rest in peace,” he said in his tweet.

The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa said Queen Elizabeth II was an extraordinary and world-renowned public figure who lived a remarkable life.

He said her life and legacy will be fondly remembered by many around the world…The Queen’s commitment and dedication during her 70 years on the throne remains a noble and virtuous example to the world.

“I met Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the last Commonwealth meeting which was held in London in 2018, where we spent some time looking at letters that former President Nelson Mandela sent to the Queen, and we reminisced about the great statesman that Her Majesty so respected,” said Mr Ramaphosa.

For their part, President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi and Emerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe also said the Queen has been an inspiration for generations around the world and will be remembered for her leadership.

The President of Namibia Hage Geingob and his Botswana counterpart Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi also expressed their condolences to the Royal family and people of the UK.

“With a sense of sadness, I learned of the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September. Her Majesty’s passing after over 70 years of vulnerable reign, resonated across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and indeed across the Commonwealth and globally,” read part of the tweet by President Geingob.

The Head of State for Botswana Dr Masisi said; “On behalf of my family, myself, and the people of Botswana, I wish to convey our sincerest condolences to the @RoyalFamily and the people of the United Kingdom following the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Our thoughts & prayers are with them during this difficult time”.

Who Was Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London, to Prince Albert, Duke of York (later known as King George VI), and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.

Queen Elizabeth II became queen on February 6, 1952, and was crowned on June 2, 1953 in Westminster Abbey, at the age of 25.

She was the mother of Prince Charles, heir to the throne, as well as the grandmother of Princes William and Harry.

Elizabeth assumed the responsibilities of the ruling monarch on February 6, 1952, when her father, King George VI, died. For the first time ever, the coronation ceremony was broadcast on television, allowing people from across the globe to witness the pomp and spectacle of the event.

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain was the longest-reigning monarch in British history. She celebrated 70 years on the throne in June 2022 with her Platinum Jubilee.

As the longest-serving monarch in British history, she tried to make her reign more modern and sensitive to a changing public while maintaining traditions associated with the crown.

After turning 18, Elizabeth spent five months with the Auxiliary Territorial Service and learned basic motor mechanic and driving skills. “I began to understand the esprit de corps that flourishes in the face of adversity,” she recalled later.

Through the war, she exchanged letters with her third cousin, Philip, Prince of Greece, who was serving in the Royal Navy. Their romance blossomed and the couple married at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947, with the prince taking the title of Duke of Edinburgh.

She would later describe him as “my strength and stay” through 74 years of marriage.

The Duke of Edinburgh was at the Queen’s side for more than six decades of reign, becoming the longest-serving consort in British history in 2009.

Their first son, Charles, was born in 1948, followed by Princess Anne, in 1950, Prince Andrew, in 1960, and Prince Edward, in 1964. Between them, they gave their parents eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.