• US President and First Lady express condolences at the British Embassy in Washington.
• American flags will be flown at half-staff “until the day of internment”.
• The Queen’s reign spanned seven decades. The first couple say she was “a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride” for Britons.

US President Joe Biden and world leaders mourned the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who died earlier Thursday at the age of 96.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Jill Biden expressed their condolences at the British Embassy in Washington, where they made an unscheduled stop to sign a condolence book.

“We are all in mourning for you. She was a lovely lady. We’re overjoyed that we got to meet her “The President informed embassy personnel.

The first lady also gave a flower bouquet to British Ambassador to the United States Karen Pierce, who greeted them at the embassy.
In a joint statement, the President and First Lady stated that the Queen, the longest-reigning British monarch whose reign spanned seven decades, “defined an era.”

“Today, the thoughts and prayers of people all across the United States are with the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in their grief,” the White House statement said. “We send our deepest condolences to the Royal Family, who are not only mourning their Queen, but their dear mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world.”

According to President Biden’s proclamation on the Queen’s death, American flags at the White House, other federal buildings, military facilities, and embassies around the world will be flown at half-staff “until the day of internment.”

The Queen was described as “a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her” by the first couple in their statement.

“Supported by her beloved Prince Philip for 73 years, Queen Elizabeth II led always with grace, an unwavering commitment to duty, and the incomparable power of her example. She endured the dangers and deprivations of a world war alongside the British people and rallied them during the devastation of a global pandemic to look to better days ahead,” the White House statement continued.

The Queen, the Bidens added, “was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States.”

“She helped make our relationship special,” the statement said, referring to the UK’s “special relationship” with the United States — a term coined by Winston Churchill. The Bidens also said they look forward to continuing “a close friendship” with King Charles III and the Queen Consort.

The Bidens wrote that they first met Queen Elizabeth in 1982 as part of a Senate delegation travelling to the United Kingdom.

Biden and the Queen last spoke and saw each other during the President’s visit to the United Kingdom in June 2021, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.