Lewis Hamilton has paid an emotional tribute to the Queen after her death on Thursday.
The seven-time world champion had met Her Majesty on several occasions in recent years, having first been in the presence of the monarch when he was made an MBE in 2009. Since then he has spoken highly of the Queen – and took to social media on Friday morning to give his reaction to the news of her death, aged 96.
"How do you find the words to describe the loss of Her Majesty The Queen? She was truly an iconic leader, an inspiration and a reassuring presence for most, if not all, of our lives," the Formula 1 star wrote on Instagram.
"Since the sad news yesterday, I’ve been reflecting on her incredible life. She was a symbol of hope for so many and she served her country with dignity, dedication and kindness. She was truly like no other and I’m grateful to have lived during her time. Her legacy will be long-lasting and her passing deeply felt.
"I had the incredible honour of being able to spend time with her. It is something I’ll never forget. We talked about our shared love of dogs and she was incredibly generous with her time.
"I know the whole nation and many others around the world will be mourning her loss and my thoughts and prayers are with her family and all those close to her, who have lost a loved one. Rest in Peace." Accompanying the heartfelt post was a photo of the Queen smiling.
Hamilton is currently at Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, where the sport's organisers plan to pay tribute to Britain's longest-serving monarch. A minute's silence will be held before the first practice session on Friday afternoon, in the pit lane shortly before 2pm.
"Formula 1 mourns the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," said the sport's chief executive Stefano Domenicali. "For more than seven decades she dedicated her life to public service with dignity and devotion and inspired so many around the world.
"Formula 1 sends its deepest condolences to the Royal Family and to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth."
