CIVIC and political leaders have paid tributes to Queen Elizabeth II after her passing on Thursday.

Monmouthshire County Council’s Chair, Cllr Laura Wright, on behalf of the citizens of Monmouthshire, said: “I am deeply saddened by the news of Her Majesty the Queen’s death.

“The Queen has touched the lives of so many people. We honour her vital work in the areas of public and charitable service. Her loss will be deeply felt across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the rest of the world.

“This year’s Jubilee celebrations, when thousands of local people across Monmouthshire joined events across the county to commemorate her 70 years of dedicated service, highlight to me how much she has meant to so many people.

“I would like to express our heartfelt admiration and gratitude for everything the Queen has done.In a display of mourning and respect, all of Monmouthshire County Council’s flags have been lowered to half-mast.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Jeff Cuthbert, said: “Her Majesty the Queen served this country with dedication and devotion for more than 70 years and she will be greatly missed by the British public.

“We knew her, first and foremost, as a servant of the people.

“But she was also a mother, grandmother and great-grand mother and a friend.

“Today my thoughts are with the Her Majesty’s family and loved ones at this very sad time.

South Wales East Senedd member Natasha Asghar said: “This dreadful news, although not unexpected, has still come as a huge shock and brings to an end the longest reign of any British Monarch in history.

“There is no denying that Her Majesty The Queen was a remarkable woman who served this country and the Commonwealth with great loyalty and dedication.”

“She has been an inspiration, role model, and huge stalwart to millions of people here in Wales, the rest of the UK and across the globe.”

“Throughout Her long reign, Her Majesty didn’t put a foot wrong. The Queen was a figurehead for the UK during times of enormous change, a constant, reassuring presence as we saw so clearly during the recent pandemic.

“It was an honour to meet The Queen at the opening ceremony of the Welsh Parliament.”

Welsh Conservative Leader Andrew RT Davies said: “The sad news of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s passing will touch many families not just in the United Kingdom, but also across the Commonwealth and the world.

“Many of us will not have known another Head of State of our great country.

“For many, she has been as much a part of our families as those who gather each day around the family table.

“Tonight, there will be an empty chair around those tables, as many will reflect on her 70-year reign and a lifetime of public service.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Royal Family at this sad time. In the fullness of time, our sadness will give way to the sunshine of memories that her reign has brought to our lives and our great country.”

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“My thoughts are with the King, Her Majesty’s other children, grandchildren and all those close to her at this difficult time.

“Her Majesty’s passing, without a doubt, does mark the end of a very long, and indeed a seminal chapter in the history of our nations and for most people her presence has been one of the few constants throughout their lives.

“Her Majesty served the country with the absolute greatest dedication, honour and dignity.

“Her life will forever be interlinked with a period of great change within the UK and although many today would struggle to recognise the world she had been born into, she always seemed to belong very much here today in the present,” she added.