LIVE: Here’s how Cambridge has reacted to the Queen’s death
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a patroness of Queens’ College from 2003 onwards
The Royal Family has announced that Queen Elizabeth II, the country’s longest-reigning monarch, has died aged 96.
The news comes following a statement from Buckingham Palace around lunchtime on 8th September that said doctors had been concerned for her health.
The city, colleges and University of Cambridge are all responding to Her Majesty’s passing.
The Royal Family has ties to Cambridge across multiple levels. Queen Elizabeth II was Patroness of Queens’ College, and her son, who will likely be referred to as His Majesty King Charles, graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge. Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh was also Chancellor of the University for a period of nearly 35 years.
Cambridge City Council
The city council announced that the Union flag is flying at half-mast at their offices this evening via Twitter, after retweeting the Royal Family’s announcement post. At the time of publishing, the city council are yet to make an official statement.
The University of Cambridge
At 7:26 p.m. the University of Cambridge tweeted its official statement regarding the death of the Queen. They also changed their Twitter display picture background to all black.
The statement was attributed to Vice-Chancellor Stephen J. Toope and discussed Her Majesty’s “devotion to public service and the common good.”
The same statement has been issued on the University’s Instagram page, along with a darkening of their Instagram display picture.
Queens’ College
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a patroness of Queens’ College from 2003 onwards. She most recently visited the college in July 2019 and ate lunch with fellows and students in the Old Hall. She was also introduced to then President-elect, Dr Mohamed A. El-Erian.
The college has released a statement regarding the death of their Patroness on their website. Expressing sentiments of grief and gratitude, the statement concluded: “We offer our deepest gratitude to Her Majesty for her exceptional service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and for her dedicated strong support of our College.” The college also issued a tweet at 8:53pm expressing grief and offering condolences to the royal family.
In an email to students this evening, the President announced that the college flag will be flown at half-mast and the college will be dressed in black drapes and ribbons. Portraits of the Queen will be placed around college.
King’s College
King’s College was founded by Henry VI in 1446 and has since then witnessed multiple Royal visits. Queen Elizabeth II most recently visited the college in 2009 with Prince Philip and had previously visited in 1991 and 1962.
The college tweeted that they are “deeply saddened” by the news of Her Majesty’s passing at 6:10 p.m.
St John’s College
St John’s College was founded by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, in 1511. The Queen visited St John’s in 2011, to celebrate the college’s 500th birthday. The college issued a statement on their website expressing grief.
The Master of John’s, Heather Hancock, paid tribute to the Queen, concluding her statement with “She was a remarkable woman whose unparalleled sense of duty will never be forgotten.”
St John’s has announced that the college flag will fly at half-mast and a short act of remembrance will take place in the college chapel tomorrow afternoon. The college also tweeted a picture of candles lit in the Her Majesty’s memory.
Sidney Sussex College
Sidney Sussex College was visited by the late Duke of Edinburgh in his role as University Chancellor and by the Queen in 1996 to celebrate its quatercentenary. The college issued a tweet at 8:21pm expressing condolences. The Master of College, Richard Penty, said in a statement that the Queen “will be warmly remembered by Fellows, students, staff and alumni alike.”
This is a live story that will be updated as more information becomes available.
Feature image via SWNS