We acknowledge the loss of Queen Elizabeth II with great sadness.

We acknowledge the loss of Queen Elizabeth II with great sadness.

We would like to humbly mark the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. With sorrow and tremendous respect for the most incredible head of state, the United Kingdom has ever known. In the long tradition of succession to the monarchy, we now say, “The Queen is Dead …Long Live the King!” ~ may our Queen, Elizabeth II, rest in peace.

I think it is fair to say, we all dreaded this moment, but we all knew it was looming closer and closer on the horizon. Like the sands of time that never stop, we knew this day would come to pass, and the end of the second Elizabethan period would soon draw to a close. Sadly, marking the end of one of the greatest legacies in English, British, UK, Commonwealth and World history.

For many, it feels like a member of their own family has passed away. You may say this is a ludicrous statement for those who never met or even saw her in person. Still, they are grieving nether the less with the royal family and millions of others around the globe. For some, she felt like the distant relative you seldom see. Still, you always felt like she cared about you; perhaps others see her as a symbol of family values and morality that we all appreciate. She was an emotional compass for many of us. She was a mirror to our heritage and our preserved values.

Elizabeth R has always been a part of our lives, a permanent part of society. From the face on the money in your pocket to her ever-present part of family life, there in the background, every single Christmas. Queen Elizabeth is not only “The Rock” on which our modern country was built, but we all may find a few grains of this rock in every one of us that has helped to shape our own lives. Like the sun, the moon and the gravity that holds everything in place, she has figuratively always held everything together for us. Her steadying influence, calmness in crisis and smile of acceptance for all people make her one of the great people in human history. We will miss her significance and personality as a new day dawns for all in Great Britain.

Whether you are a person that believes in the monarchy or not, there is no denying that Elizabeth, our late Queen, was a genuinely gifted and empathic leader. Able to engage and communicate meaningfully with every person in every walk of life. With the ability to break through the barriers of class, religion, politics and even language. This morning we all awake with a little piece of our lives missing. A loss that we can’t easily overcome. Like many others today, we write to express our organisation’s feelings, which are impossible to state, as this time is for personal reflection. However, today through the many tears of sorrow, we and so many others will fail to capture the true sense of this enormous loss. A loss so many individuals, families, and communities will feel today and for months to come. Perhaps Paddington Bear said it perfectly?: “Thank you … for everything!”