Sir Elton John knew the Queen personally. In 1998 she even knighted him. In Toronto, the British singer reacts emotionally to her death at a concert in the evening. And some of his fellow musicians are also deeply affected.
Sir Elton John paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II for the "inspiring presence" in his life at a concert in Toronto, Canada - and then sang one of his biggest hits for her. The pop legend suspended the show at the Rogers Center in front of tens of thousands of fans on Thursday after it was announced that the monarch had died.
"She has guided the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace, grace and genuine warmth," said John, who has close ties to Royalty and has been known as "Sir" since the Queen knighted him in 1998. Elizabeth II was also the head of state of Canada.
He is glad that the Queen is now "at peace". She has served the country for a long time and worked very hard. "We're celebrating her life with music tonight," John called out to the cheering crowd, then intoned his song "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me." The singer and pianist had already provided a particularly moving moment at Princess Diana's funeral service in 1997 and sang a rewritten version of his ballad "Candle In The Wind".
Other stars have also been emotional about the death of the British monarch. Sting says he even shed tears. "I cried quietly for the Queen, I am sad for my country and what it has lost," the musician tweeted.
Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney posted a photo of the young Queen on Twitter with the words: "God bless Queen Elizabeth II. May she rest in peace. Long live the King."
Abroad, the great grief for the queen may be perceived as strange, wrote the inventor of Harry Potter's apprentice, J.K. Rowling, on Twitter. "But millions felt affection and respect for the woman who fulfilled her constitutional role without complaint for 70 years." The Queen has drawn a red thread through the lives of most Britons. "She became an enduring, positive symbol of Britain around the world."
Simon Cowell, music manager and judge of talent shows like America's Got Talent, paid tribute to the Queen for leading with a lot of love: "I consider myself lucky that in my lifetime we have had a monarch who has managed to make great things happen Balancing leadership, tradition and progress."
And Mick Jagger also thought of the late Queen Elizabeth II. "All my life Her Highness Queen Elizabeth II has been there," the Rolling Stones frontman wrote on Twitter. "I remember watching the highlights of her wedding on television growing up. I remember her as a beautiful young woman, right down to the nation's beloved grandmother."
