Queen Elizabeth II has died

Buckingham Palace has announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen has made a number of visits to Shetland, including in 1981 when she officially opened the Sullom Voe Oil Terminal.

Flags across the country are now being flown at half-mast, including at Lerwick Town Hall.

Tributes are being paid to the Queen.

SIC convener Andrea Manson said: “This is a profoundly sad day for the nation. As our Monarch, The Queen has given a lifetime of service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and her passing marks the end of an era.

“She will be remembered for her immense contribution to public life and her popularity, which has been felt in all corners of the Commonwealth, including Shetland.

“I am sure the people of Shetland will join the period of mourning that will take place across so many nations and territories. We mourn her loss and send our condolences to the Royal Family”

Lord Lieutenant for Shetland Bobby Hunter said: “Her Majesty’s passing is a time of great sorrow for us all.

“The Queen has been a figurehead for our nation and an unwavering constant in our lives since taking the throne in 1952.  There will be many who have fond memories of The Queen’s three visits to Shetland, including Royal walkabouts in Lerwick and the sight of the Royal Yacht Britannia by our shores.

“During the period of mourning, we shall reflect on her incomparable role and duties over so many years, and then look forward to supporting her successor, King Charles III.  I offer my heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family at this sad time.”

MSP Beatrice Wishart said: “In the months and years to come, many will reflect on the life of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history.

“A life of service, grace, integrity and stability with an unwavering sense of duty to our nation and the Commonwealth.

“Respected and admired around the globe, many will feel a great sense of sadness. The Royal Family are mourning the loss of their mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

“To His Majesty the King and the Royal Family, and on behalf of the people of Shetland, I offer my deepest condolences.”

Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael said: “The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be felt keenly across the Northern Isles, as it will across the whole of the United Kingdom.

“For the past seventy years as our monarch she has been at the centre of our nation’s life.  The pace of change in that time has been exceptional but the continuity that she has given to our country has been a rock on which its progress has been built.

“The country has lost a much loved monarch but the King and the rest of the Royal Family have lost a mother, grandmother and a great grandmother.  We send them the deepest condolences and sympathies.”

Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant said: “I am saddened about the passing of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II and offer my deepest condolences to the Royal Family, and those who worked closely with her.

“Her Majesty has been at the forefront of British culture for 70 years. She has been steady in the face of political upheaval and represented a comforting consistency for people across the commonwealth during turbulent times. She will be sorely missed and leave a lasting legacy of patience, practicality and humour.”