JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Members of Missouri’s Friends of the U.K. Caucus have expressed
their condolences to the British royal family and people following the death of Queen Elizabeth
II.
The letter highlights the late Queen’s contributions to her nation and the world. It draws
special attention to her cultivation of the “special relationship” between Britain and America. A
delegation of Caucus members plan to attend an official thanksgiving service in memory of
Elizabeth later this month at St. James Cathedral in Chicago. Read from the letter below:
“To His Majesty King Charles III, His Majesty’s Government and the people of the United
Kingdom,
It is with great sadness that we received the news of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s passing.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the royal family and the entire British people. Queen
Elizabeth exhibited the very best qualities of a leader and those in public service worldwide
should look to her example.
Rep. Derek Grier (center) with British Honorary Consul Mark Sutherland (right) and British Consul General for Chicago Alan Gobashian (left).
The impact that Queen Elizabeth had on her own country and the world at large cannot be
overstated. She proved to be a point of stability for the British people by reigning for over 70
years, the longest reign of any monarch in Britain’s history. Her modernization of the monarchy
and outreach to the public allowed the monarchy to continue to have a presence in the world that
is admired even here in the United States. She was a tireless force for charity and humanitarian
causes across the globe. Additionally, it cannot be forgotten that Queen Elizabeth was the first
British monarch to address Congress. This historic occasion was very significant and symbolic of
the “special relationship” that our countries have shared since the Second World War.
Members of the Missouri Friends of the UK Caucus with British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly.
In Missouri, we have sought to cultivate this special relationship between our countries that the
Queen so strongly believed in. That is why in 2020, the Friends of the UK Caucus formed here in
the Missouri legislature with the aim to increase the trade and connections between our two
countries. We hope that in carrying on our work we continue her legacy and advance the vision
she had of what fruitful cooperation between our countries can bring about.”