'A beautiful, kind and remarkable lady' - North Yorkshire leaders' tributes roll in for Queen Elizabeth II

The chairwoman of North Yorkshire County Council, Cllr Margaret Atkinson, spoke of the profound impact that the Queen had on the lives of so many people throughout her reign.

Cllr Atkinson 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.

“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.”

North Yorkshire County Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, praised the Queen’s “unstinting commitment” to serving the country, and praised her dedication to the role as the nation’s monarch.

Cllr 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.

“I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy to the Royal Family for not only their loss, but the nation’s loss too.”

The chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, Richard Flinton, spoke of how the Queen’s legacy will live long in the memories of so many generations.

Mr Flinton said: “Whether it is those of her own generation through to children and young people, the Queen was a person who was respected and loved by so many.

“Her work, commitment and passion for the role as our monarch will live long in the memories of the nation, and she will be truly missed.”

The leader of the opposition on the county council, Cllr Bryn Griffiths, who is the leader of the Liberal Democrat and Liberal group, added: “There are few people whose loss could be felt so deeply by so many.

“Most of us have only known Queen Elizabeth as our monarch. We could not have wished for anyone better to have represented our country and been so respected on the world stage.

The leader of the Labour group, Cllr Steve Shaw-Wright, said the Queen’s life was defined by service to her country and the Commonwealth, to her family and her subjects.

“The Queen was an extraordinary person and part of an extraordinary generation,” he said.

The leader of the North Yorkshire Independents Group, Cllr Stuart Parsons, said: “The Queen’s death is remarkably sad, and Her Majesty has served our nation and the world stupendously.

“I find it most difficult to contemplate the death of such a wonderful sovereign.”

The leader of the Green group on the county council, Cllr Andy Brown, added: “It has been an astonishing achievement to have been so heavily in the public eye for so many years and to have always behaved with dignity.

“The generation that lived through the Second World War brings an incredible depth of experience that deserves the respect of all of us who have benefited from their exceptional contribution to our society.”

Visit www.northyorks.gov.uk for information regarding opportunities for people to pay their respects, including where to place wreaths and details relating to the flying of flags.

An ebook is also available via Buckingham Palace’s website.