The Secretary General of Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland, has mourned the death of Queen Elizabeth II, describing her 70-year reign as an unmatched devotion to service.” The queen has been the titular head of the Commonwealth, a group of nations, which brings together 56 countries. Rwanda is currently the chair-in-office of the bloc. “After a long life of faith, duty and service, a great light has gone out,” Scotland said in a statement released by her secretariat. The British Queen died at the age of 96, on Thursday, September 8, following a royal statement issued earlier in the day indicating concerns over the Queen's health. Scotland described her reign as seven decades of extraordinary change and challenge, “Her Majesty was the epitome of duty, stability, wisdom and grace.” It was wonderful to see her passion and animation whenever discussing anything relating to the Commonwealth, Scotland said. “The growth and vibrancy of our modern Commonwealth is a credit to her and testament to her dedication, wisdom and leadership.” While highlighting the Queen's devotion, she pointed out that between 1971 and 2018, she missed only one Heads of Government Meeting. That being the latest one that took place in Rwanda. “Her devotion to duty was only matched by her skill as Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, always a generous host and consummate diplomat.” Queen Elizabeth came to the throne in 1952 and has ruled Britain for 70 years, making her the longest reigning monarch in the UK and the second in the whole world.
