Thank you, Ma'am FAREWELL GRACIOUS TO OUR QUEEN

So much more than a respected figurehead, Her Majesty’s devotion, humility and humour will forever be treasured

- Donna Fleming

It was a heartfelt vow made when Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II had just turned 21 and was yet to take the throne. “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service,” she said during a speech to mark her milestone birthday.

She kept her pledge right up until the very end of what turned out to be a long and remarkable life. And as her heir – now King Charles III – said in his tender tribute to his “darling Mama”, “That was more than just a promise; it was a profound personal commitment that defined her whole life.

“She made sacrifices for duty. Her dedication and devotion as sovereign never wavered, through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss."

The 96-year-old Queen was still working two days before her death on Thursday September 8 at Balmoral Castle. She met with politician Liz Truss to appoint her as the United Kingdom's new Prime Minister, and also accepted the resignation of outgoing PM Boris Johnson.

The final images taken of her in front of a blazing fire in her Scottish residence show her looking frail but sporting a familiar warm. smile as she leaned on a walking stick and peered over the top of her glasses.

Due to failing health, during the last 10 months of her life she'd had to cancel several engagements or change the way things were done so her responsibilities weren't too taxing. But she continued as best she could in a role that she had not chosen but accepted as her destiny. She was the very epitome of both dignity and determination, embodying the saying, Keep calm and carry on.