On the afternoon of September 8, Elizabeth II passed away, just hours after Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen's health was beginning to deteriorate rapidly. The Queen was the longest reigning female monarch in world history, overseeing more than half a century of political and cultural change. In addition to the 15 prime ministers who served during her reign, the Queen forged unique relationships with countless world leaders in Britain and abroad, from Winston Churchill to Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Barack Obama.

Politicians around the world are now reacting to this loss in the British royal family by expressing deep sadness and reflecting on the Queen's legendary influence throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.