Queen Elizabeth II dead, global leaders pay tribute

Queen Elizabeth II’s death is bad news for everyone.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday was met with tremendous sadness from a globe that, for the most part, had never known another British queen as well as admiration for the length of her reign and the historical transformation she oversaw.

Leaders, many of whom were not even alive when Elizabeth ascended to the throne, expressed their sorrow for the country and their uncertainty about what the future may bring for a country beset by tumultuous politics and instability, above which the monarch frequently acted as a pacifying, unifying force.

And people from former colonies of the once-vast British Empire, including some monarchy-opposing individuals, paid respect to the king.

President Biden postponed a speech he was supposed to give in Washington and instead lauded Elizabeth as a "stateswoman of unmatched dignity" and "unwavering commitment to duty."

In a statement, Biden added, "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was more than a monarch, she defined an era."

Whether they gathered in front of their televisions to watch her coronation or watched her Platinum Jubilee on their cellphones, he continued, “She was the first British monarch to whom people all around the world could feel a personal and immediate connection.”

The Canadian prime leader, a somber Justin Trudeau, cried up as he praised her "wisdom, compassion, and warmth" while expressing his deep regret.

On her third day in office, the new British prime minister, Liz Truss, took the stage at 10 Downing Street and solemnly hailed the queen as the "rock upon which Great Britain is built."

Australia's government, where there is a strong anti-monarchy sentiment, stated that the British people "will feel they have lost part of what makes their nation whole."

“This is a loss we all feel, for few have known a world without Queen Elizabeth II,” the statement said. “In her seven remarkable decades on the throne, Her Majesty was a rare and reassuring constant amidst rapid change. Through the noise and tumult of the years, she embodied and exhibited timeless decency and an enduring calm.”