PresidentJoe Bidenhas calledKing Charles IIIto offer his condolences following thedeath of his mother,Queen Elizabeth II, last Thursday.
In astatementfrom the White House on Wednesday, the call was announced adding that Biden “recalled fondly the Queen’s kindness and hospitality, including when she hosted him and the First Lady at Windsor Castle last June.”
“He also conveyed the great admiration of the American people for the Queen, whose dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom,” the release continued.
The statement also added Biden’s wish to “continue a close relationship with the King” as he takes on his new role.
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Last week, following the news of the Queen’s death, Biden announced he will be attending herfuneralwhich isset to take place on Sept. 19.“Yes,” he said to reporters, “I don’t know what the details are yet but I’ll be going.”
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When asked if he had spoken to Charles since the news broke, Biden replied at the time: “I know him. I haven’t spoken to him. I did not call him.”
On the day the Queen “died peacefully” at Balmoral, Bidenissued a proclamationto honor the late monarch.
Under Biden’s order, the U.S. flag will also fly at half-staff until sunset “at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”
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SalutingQueen Elizabethas “more than a monarch,” Biden added that she “defined an era.”
“In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her,” he wrote.
He praisedQueen Elizabethfor always ruling “with grace, an unwavering commitment to duty, and the incomparable power of her example.”
“She 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,” continued Biden.
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Speaking to the 70 years ofQueen Elizabeth’s “history-making reign,” Biden said they “bore witness to an age of unprecedented human advancement and the forward march of human dignity.”
“Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world,” the President added.
source: people.com
