Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday, whom he hailed as “a friend of France, a queen of hearts” having “forever marked her country and her century”.
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II embodied the continuity and unity of the British nation for more than 70 years. I remember a friend of France, a queen of hearts who forever marked her country and her century”, reacted the president in a tweet, after posting a photo of the queen, who died at 96 in his Scottish castle of Balmoral.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II embodied the continuity and unity of the British nation for over 70 years. I keep the memory of a friend of France, a queen of hearts who marked her country and her century forever.
—Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) September 8, 2022
Tributes from Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande
The former French head of state Nicolas Sarkozy (2007-2012) for his part estimated, in a press release, that Elizabeth II “was the symbol of the unfailing friendship between our two countries and of the values on which it is based”. .
“I keep the memory of a brilliant and free spirit, faithful to the heavy duty which was his; of a humble and generous personality, who inspired entire generations”, he continued, paying tribute to ” his smile, full of kindness and playfulness”, as well as “his deliciously British humour”.
“She had met all the presidents of the Fourth and Fifth Republics and liked to recall the conversations she had shared with them, thus signifying the strength of the bond which united our two countries beyond political differences”. “I remember the warm welcome he received when he came to France in 2014 for the 70th anniversary of the landing, one of those reserved for people who have entered the hearts of French women and men forever. “, he pointed out.