The Queen: Harrogate Mayor pays tribute to Her Majesty - a 'constant source of courage and inspiration'

Buckingham Palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, this afternoon. She died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.

Councillor Victoria Oldham, mayor of the Harrogate district, said in a statement: "It is with great sadness to hear of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

"Her Majesty The Queen has been a constant source of courage and inspiration throughout the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and across the world.

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"Throughout her 70-year reign, she has touched so many of our lives and led us through many dark but also many positive times.

"On behalf of everyone across the Harrogate district, I would like to offer our deepest condolences and sympathy to the Royal Family during this time.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with you all."

Other leading figures in the Harrogate district have also begun paying tributes to the Queen, including the leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

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Councillor Carl Les said: “The Queen’s reign has already been noted as the longest ever of any of the country’s monarchs, but she will be remembered for so much more than the length of her time as the Sovereign of our nation.

"Her tireless and unstinting commitment to the role has been an inspiration throughout the whole of her reign, and her legacy will leave an indelible impression for generations to come.

"I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy to the Royal Family for not only their loss, but the nation’s loss too. God save the King."

County council chairwoman and Masham councillor Margaret Atkinson also said: "I have always had a great deal of admiration for the Queen, and she was such a beautiful, kind and remarkable lady who I was fortunate enough to meet at a Garden Party in 1997 due to my charity work for Yorkshire Cancer.

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“She had such dignity and humanity and kept to her promise that she would dedicate her life to the people of the UK and the Commonwealth. Which given her age of 96 when she passed away, is an incredible achievement.”

Harrogate and Knaresborough's Liberal Democrat party added: "We wish to pay our respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We thank her for her lifetime of dedicated service, our thoughts lie with the rest of the Royal Family today."

The Royal Family gathered at the Queen's Scottish estate after concerns grew about her health earlier today.

Her eldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, will now lead the country in mourning as the new King.