Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) expressed his sadness after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and recalled her connection with the most populous federal state. "With Queen Elizabeth II, we are losing one of the most important and dutiful monarchs in contemporary history," he said on Thursday evening. "North Rhine-Westphalia mourns the loss of their queen with the British."
During her visits to NRW in 1965 and 2004, she touched the hearts of North Rhine-Westphalia, said Wüst. The Queen as a guest in NRW - that was "an expression of lived friendship and deep connection between our countries". "She was revered for her serenity and empathy," he said. "With her death, a chapter of contemporary history comes to an end."
As the state parliament announced, a book of condolences is to be laid out in the parliament building in which citizens can express their mourning. The British Queen died on Thursday at the age of 96 at her country estate, Castle Balmoral in Scotland, the palace said.
