Sir Elton John has recalled the “joyous and humbling experiences” of meeting the Queen, as he joined fellow celebrities and other public figures in bidding farewell to her. The musical megastar said he would fondly remember moments “out of the public eye” and praised the Queen for serving with “grace and dedication”.
Famous British faces posted on social media from around the world, after following the Queen’s state funeral on Monday. Sir Elton shared a black and white photograph of him together with the monarch and wrote: “Today I’ll be joining the rest of the world in remembering Her Majesty The Queen.”
“My own memories of her are filled with joy and admiration. The Queen honoured me with a CBE, a knighthood and the Companion of Honour. I was lucky enough to perform at three of her Jubilees. They were always joyous and humbling experiences.
"But it was the moments out of the public eye that I will most fondly remember her for - dancing together to ‘Rock Around the Clock’ at Windsor Castle or experiencing her great wit, warmth and humour first hand. She served with grace and dedication, and she will be sorely missed.”
Stephen Fry praised the “ritual, ceremony and symbol” of the funeral as he said he had tuned in to the service from a hotel room in New York from 3am local time. He said on Twitter: “Watching the #queensfuneral from 3am onwards in a New York hotel room somehow brings me closer to it all than if I were back home.
“Words can’t compete with such ritual, ceremony and symbol. Think how many jigsaw puzzles will come from this…”
Gordon Ramsay shared a photo of the Queen in a bright pink outfit and wished her farewell. The celebrity chef, 55, said: “Today we join the world as we mourn and commemorate Her Majesty The Queen.
“The very definition of an inspiration, who touched the lives of us all. Rest in peace your Majesty, your legacy and love will live on in our hearts forever.”
Former This Morning presenter Fern Britton said the Queen’s “work was done” and there would “never be another” in her own tribute.
“We grieve and yet her warmth remains,” she wrote. "The lights dim but the air shimmers with her presence. Her work is done. Her rest deserved. There will never be another. The Queen has left the building.”
Another tribute came from British Hollywood star Kate Beckinsale, who shared a photo of the Queen waving goodbye, on Instagram. The 49-year-old, best known for starring in the Underworld film series, wrote: “Fly safe, Ma’am. Goodnight and god bless xxx”
ITV host Lorraine Kelly, 62, simply reshared the last official photo of the Queen, taken by photographer Ranald Mackechnie, which was released on Sunday ahead of the funeral. TV star Amanda Holden, 51, shared a black and white photo from the Queen’s coronation in 1953, writing: “Rest in Peace your Majesty” before adding a black love heart emoji.
DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles said he was “incredibly proud” of the armed forces, security services and police who “managed to pull off and manage such a huge security event and dignified funeral cortege”. Knowles, 59, added: “Great to see troops from all around the commonwealth too. Extraordinary spectacle with the world watching.”
Socialite Tamara Ecclestone, 38, also bid farewell, writing on Instagram: “I don’t know what I expected, I suppose I expected our Queen to be immortal. Waking up today my heart hurts it feels so real so final.
“Thinking of her family who haven’t really had a chance to mourn privately instead they have been so gracious and inclusive of us all.”
Monday saw VIPs, dignitaries and mourners gather in the capital to say a final farewell to the Queen, who died at Balmoral in Scotland on September 8 aged 96. The service at Westminster Abbey and subsequent procession marked the climax of a week of ceremony.
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