Blackburn with Darwen pays tribute to HRH the Queen

Following the announcement by Buckingham Palace of the death of Her Majesty the Queen, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has released the following statements.

On hearing of Her Majesty’s passing, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Cllr Phil Riley said today:

“It is with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth today. There is a sombre mood across the country and on behalf of the borough, I send our deepest condolences to The Royal Family at this very sad time.

“We are now preparing to support our communities over the coming days as we come together to remember Her Majesty and mark this historic moment in time.”

Denise Park Chief Executive, added:

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II: this is a sadness that I know will be shared across the whole of the Borough and nation as a whole.

She has been a guiding light and source of inspiration over her reign of 70 years, and as public servants, it is a particularly poignant moment for all of us to hear of her passing.

As a mark of respect, the flag flown above the Town Halls will be lowered to half-mast and we will open a book of condolence for our residents to pay their respects and to share their thoughts, memories and prayers.

The Council has now entered an official period of mourning and will follow its protocol for marking the death of a member of the Royal Family.”

Councillor Suleman Khonat, Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said: “I would like to pass on our deepest condolences to our Royal family.

“I am very sad to hear of the Queen’s passing. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a hugely respected monarch, both here and across the world.

We have been lucky enough to recently celebrate her Platinum Jubilee and I have felt honoured to attend all the events across the borough to celebrate her long and fruitful reign.

The Queen will be greatly missed, my sincere condolences go to the Royal Family.”

Coun John Slater, Leader of the Conservative group in Blackburn with Darwen, added:

“I had the privilege of meeting Her Majesty on numerous occasions during my time in the Royal Navy. She always showed great interest in the people she met.

“She is undoubtedly one of our greatest monarchs and will be remembered as a knowledgeable, helpful and kind leader.

“The Commonwealth is one of her biggest achievements and something she was rightly proud of, and her loss will be felt around the world not just here in the UK.

“It’s very sad news today and my condolences go to the Royal Family.”

The Union Flag at the Town Hall in Blackburn and Darwen will be flown at half-mast until the morning after the state funeral.

A national book of condolence will be available to members of the public to sign at both Blackburn and Darwen Town Halls, via the Council’s website or online at royal.uk and the Lancashire County Council website.