With Great Sadness on the death of our Queen

The Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset and the Chairman of Dorset Council have paid tribute to Her Majesty The Queen who has died at the age of 96.

Buckingham Palace issued the following statement this evening – “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

“The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

Her Majesty was on the throne for 70 years and was the longest reigning monarch in British history.

Angus Campbell, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Dorset, said: “The country is in deep mourning following the loss of Her Majesty. All our thoughts are with the members of the Royal Family at this most difficult time.

“Whilst still a Princess, on her twenty-first birthday, Her Majesty broadcast a declaration to the country and the Commonwealth which included the words:

‘I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.’

“Those words encapsulate the love, service and pure strength of character with which Her Majesty has led the monarchy of Great Britain and the Commonwealth over her extraordinary seventy-year reign. It is so special to see the words of a twenty-one-year-old Princess so perfectly foreshadowing her long life of dedicated service to us all.

“We have all lost a unique, loving and determined Monarch who has, over seventy years, not only delivered the extraordinary, devoted service and support she promised at such an early age, but given us so very much more besides.

“Our loss is incalculable.”

Councillor Val Pothecary, Chairman of Dorset Council, said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Royal Family and the country as we mourn the loss of Her Majesty, and I would like to offer them our heartfelt condolences.

“We give thanks for her wonderful life and years of devotion to serving the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. She has been an inspiration to us all.”

Dorset Council will update their  newsroom with information about flowers, books of condolence and any other local arrangements as they receive more information from Buckingham Palace in the coming days.

The Parish Council will also post updates of local arrangements.