Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to the Camden Chinese Community Centre in 2005

TRIBUTES have been given from across Camden to Queen Elizabeth II after she died on Thursday aged 96.

The long-reigning monarch, who celebrated her platinum jubilee earlier this year, notably visited Camden several times. From transport to healthcare, she opened both the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead and University College London Hospital in Euston Road – as well as cutting the ribbon on the new Euston Station and St Pancras Station buildings.

Her most recent visit was to Camden was in December 2018 when she opened the Ashworth Centre in Lincoln’s Inn. A week before she met staff at children’s charity Coram where a building on its campus was opened in her honour. The event marked 350 years since the birth of the charity’s founder Thomas Coram.

Camden’s mayor Nash Ali OBE, who met Her Majesty in 2003 at King’s Cross Station sent his condolences to her family. The council will be opening several books of condolence across the borough so that residents can pay their respects, with details yet to be finalised.

Her Majesty visited St Mary and St Pancras CofE Primary School in 2008

The Union Jack is being flown at half mast from council buildings as ten days of mourning gets underway. Some churches are opening for people to pay their respects.

Cllr Ali said: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning British monarch, who meant so much to so many people in the United Kingdom and right around the world.

“Our deepest condolences are with His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and the whole of the Royal family. We know many residents will be greatly affected by this news and Camden stands with the nation in this period of mourning.”

Leader of Camden Council Georgia Gould said: “Today is a deeply sad day for Camden and for our whole country as we learn of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Our hearts go out to the Royal family who have lost a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother as well as a monarch today.

“Like many in our community, I have never known a time when Queen Elizabeth II hasn’t been our head of state providing reassurance and leadership through so many changes. Her Majesty has lived a life of extraordinary service and was a figure of unity in many difficult as well as happy times.”

The announcement at 6:30pm, when the flag was lowered to half mast at Buckingham Palace, came hours after a statement that doctors were attending to the Queen and that they were concerned about her health.

Family members flew to Aberdeen to join her at Balmoral, where she had died on Thursday afternoon.

The new King, Charles III, visited Camden in November 2019 when he had a trip alongside his wife Camilla to Swiss Cottage Market.

Labour leader and Holborn and St Pancras MP Sir Keir Starmer said: “We will always treasure Queen Elizabeth II’s life of service and devotion to our nation and the Commonwealth; our longest-serving and greatest monarch.

“Above the clashes of politics, she stood not for what the nation fought over, but what it agreed upon. As Britain changed rapidly around her, this dedication became the still point of our turning world.

“So as the great Elizabethan era comes to an end, we will honour the late Queen’s memory by keeping alive the values public services she embodied.

“For seventy years, Queen Elizabeth II stood as the head of the country. But in spirit she stood amongst us.”

Did you meet the Queen in Camden? Email editorial@camdennewjournal.co.uk

Tributes have been paid by Camden’s opposition leader, Tom Simon who said: “The Queen’s death is sad for many reasons. She was many things to many people. Her loss will be keenly felt and she will be mourned in many different ways.

“Her strong sense of duty and her constancy was a source of comfort to a lot of people in this country. We will miss her.”

Organisations and bodies also paid their respects, including the British Library, which the Queen opened in 1998 and then visited again for the opening of an exhibition on the Royal Manuscripts.

They said: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty the Queen.

“Her duty and dedication to the nation and the Commonwealth have served as an inspiration to us all throughout her long reign.”