The president of the United States, Joe Biden, and several of his predecessors mourned the death of Queen Elizabeth II, remembering their personal meetings in private and publicly.
The president and his wife Jill Biden said in a joint statement that the queen, the longest-reigning British monarch (seven decades), “defined an era.”
“Today the thoughts and prayers of the entire United States are with the people of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth in their grief. We send our deepest condolences to the royal family, who are not only mourning their queen, but also her beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her legacy will feature prominently in the pages of British history and that of our world.”
At the same time, the president ordered that in the White House, federal buildings, military installations and embassies abroad, the American flags fly at half-staff “until the day of the burial”, in about ten days.
In their statement, the first couple called the queen “a constant presence and source of comfort and pride to generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her.”
The queen, they added, “was a statesman of unparalleled dignity and steadfastness who deepened the fundamental alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States.”
“She helped make our relationship special,” the statement said, referring to the UK’s “special relationship” with the United States, a term coined by Winston Churchill. The Bidens also said they look forward to continuing “a close friendship” with King Charles III and the new queen consort.
In turn, the former US presidents also expressed their condolences after the death. George W. Bush, who welcomed him to the United States as president, recalled spending time at Buckingham Palace.
“Spending time at Buckingham Palace and having tea with Her Majesty, and her corgis, is one of our fondest memories of the presidency,” Bush wrote. “Queen Elizabeth skillfully led England through dark times with her people’s confidence and her vision of a brighter tomorrow. Our world benefited from her steadfast determination and we are grateful for her decades of service as sovereign.”
On the other hand, Donald Trump, who on his first visit to London as president was marked for disrespecting protocol and turning his back on the queen, wrote in a statement that “his enduring leadership and diplomacy secured and promoted alliances with the United States and with countries around the world. However, she will always be remembered for her fidelity to her country and her unwavering devotion to her countrymen.”
“Melania and I will always cherish our time together with the Queen, and we will never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom and wonderful sense of humour. What a great and beautiful lady she was, there was none like her!” Trump wrote.
The Obamas also remembered the queen as a leader who made the role of monarch “her own.” “Her Majesty of her was only 25 years old when she took on the daunting task of leading one of the world’s largest democracies. In the decades that followed, she would make the role of queen her own with a reign defined by grace, elegance and a tireless work ethic, defying the odds and expectations placed on women of her generation,” she wrote.
Finally, Bill and Hillary Clinton marked the death by remembering her as someone with “unfailing grace, dignity and genuine concern for the welfare of all her people” by saying goodbye to Elizabeth II, who used to sign “Elizabeth II Regina” and in the family called her ” Lilibeth”.
