HM The Queen: Statement

The staff, members and Council of the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House are deeply saddened by the news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and join the country in mourning.

News release Updated 12 September 2022 1 minute READ

As the Patron of the institute since accession to the throne in 1952, Her Majesty supported our mission to help governments and societies build a sustainably secure, prosperous and just world.

Throughout her long reign she maintained interest in our work and lent her personal support to the establishment of the annual Chatham House Prize in 2005 and presented the award in person on behalf of the institute’s members on three occasions.

Among her many engagements with Chatham House, HM The Queen helped to engage the next generation by supporting and then attending the launch of the  Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs in 2014, when she met the first intake of Academy fellows.

Her Majesty was a force for continuity, stability, and reassurance in world affairs for leaders and ordinary citizens alike, providing guidance and counsel throughout over seven decades of profound and sometimes turbulent social, political and economic change.

As our Queen but also Head of the Commonwealth she was an instantly recognizable figure on the world stage, and her commitment to the values of service and responsibility was an inspiration all round the globe.

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We are enormously grateful for Her Majesty’s involvement over the decades as Patron of Chatham House, her support for our mission to inform and educate and personal interest in our activities and initiatives. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family as they mourn her loss and remember her remarkable life.

Chatham House Director Bronwen Maddox and Council Chair Sir Nigel Sheinwald.

On behalf of Chatham House staff, members, and Council.