Emotional tributes were paid to Her Majesty the Queen as a book of condolences opened at Liverpool's town hall.
The book of condolences was opened this afternoon by Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson, Lord Mayor Councillor Roy Gladden, High Sheriff Lesley Martin-Wright and Vice-Lord Lieutenant Robert Owen DL. The Union Flag above the town hall will be flown at half-mast over the coming days as the country enters a period of national mourning.
People from across the region turned out to pay their respects to Her Majesty this Friday at Liverpool Town Hall, where a book of condolences will remain open throughout the weekend.
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Lord Mayor of Liverpool Councillor Roy Gladden paid tribute to the Queen as he recalled having lunch with her at the town hall during her visit to the city in 2016. Cllr Gladden told ECHO: "The memories are good ones. She was very sociable, she made you feel so at ease immediately.
"I was concerned, I think anybody would be for the first time of meeting the Queen, and immediately you met her and it was as if she was just talking to you and no one else was there in the room.
"I think there was a great deal of love and respect for her, mainly for her herself, for what she's done.
"We talk about people being royalists or non royalists, but whatever the case may be there's not many people I've ever known who have ever said they didn't have respect for her and the great work she did over the years because her selfless commitment for the job was second to none.
"What we're doing over the next couple of days - and of course it's only in the planning stage now because as I said it came so quickly and so swiftly, the death of Her Majesty - we've got the book of condolences of course, which is now going to be open."
The book of condolences will be open at the Town Hall until 8'ocklock tonight and throughout the weekend for people to pay their respects to Her Majesty.
Cllr Gladden added: "I think many of the things that we had planned over the maybe the next ten days are now going to be left aside until we have these ten days of mourning."
Les Ellis, 76, was visibly emotional as he arrived to sign the book of condolences this afternoon. Les said: "I just felt I needed to be here to give my condolences and I think she has been a truly remarkable woman.
"I would just like to say thank you for your years of service, unflinching as promised from 1952 to today. Throughout my lifetime she never flinched.
"I think there will be very few people that have anything derogatory to say about her, and I think the majority of the country and beyond think she is someone to look up to.
"I think she's been there but she kept her promise for 70 years - no one else would do that I think."
Pat Critchley, 68, from Bromborough, also attended Liverpool Town Hall today to sign the book of condolences with her husband Nigel, 62. Pat said: "I'm feeling really really sad, she's just been such a part of my life.
"My mum was pregnant with me when she saw her coronation and she went to somebody's house because obviously in those days not many people had televisions, so she watched the coronation on a little black and white television.
"She will definitely be in my thoughts because she was not only the Queen, she was a mum, a grandmother and a great grandmother and not only that but she was a lovely, lovely lady."
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