The Royal British Legion has paid poignant tribute to the late Elizabeth II, calling her “an inspiration to us all.”
In a series of tweets, the Royal British Legion wrote of their “deepest sorrow” in marking the death of Elizabeth II, who served as Patron of the organisation from her own accession date, 6 February 1952.
“The Queen’s unwavering dedication to the British Armed Forces will be greatly missed. Our sincere condolences are with the Royal Family at this time,” its tweet thread concluded, though a longer statement was published on the Royal British Legion’s website.
There, the Legion paid tribute to Elizabeth II as an inspiration “from her unwavering sense of duty to her devotion to a lifetime of service. Her enduring dedication to the Armed Forces will be deeply missed and never forgotten and we send our sincere condolences to the Royal Family at this time.”
The tribute continued with remembrances of Elizabeth II’s wartime service—the first female royal in British history to actively serve in the military. The Legion wrote, “We are immensely thankful for her lifetime of faithful service and we join the entire Armed Forces community and Country in mourning her loss,
“The Queen has always maintained a close relationship with the Armed Forces, a bond which first began when she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1945. On doing so, she became the first female member of the Royal Family to serve as a full-time active member of the Armed Forces.
“As Head of the Armed Forces, the Queen was steadfastly committed to honouring the service and sacrifice of the entire Armed Forces community and leading the nation in moments of Remembrance each year during the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance and the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph.”
Elizabeth II’s long association with the Royal British Legion saw her attending its events including the Festival of Remembrance and services at Westminster Abbey, among others.
The Royal British Legion recalled that how, throughout her reign, Elizabeth II “took the time to meet and talk with Service men and women of all ranks, and their families,” and how her “kindness, grace, humanity and genuine interest in their experiences meant a great deal to all who encountered her on that day as it has on the many occasions when she has met with veterans, serving members of the Armed Forces and their families.”
King Charles III now becomes Head of the Armed Forces and one of his immediate patronages will be the Royal British Legion.
