First Minister Nicola Sturgeon leads Scottish tributes to Queen

Scotland's first minister has described the death of Queen Elizabeth II as a moment of "acute loss and profound sadness" for the UK and the world.

Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute to Her Majesty's "exceptional wisdom and dedication" throughout her reign.

And she said Scotland had "loved, respected and admired" the Queen, who died at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire at the age of 96.

She had been the UK's longest serving monarch after reigning for 70 years.

Her death means her oldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, is now King Charles III and will lead the country in mourning.

A statement released by Buckingham Palace at 18:30 on Thursday said: "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

"The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."

The flags at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh were lowered to half mast minutes after the monarch's death was announced, as were those at many other buildings across the country.

A notice of her death was also attached to the palace gate.

The Queen's family had gathered at the Balmoral estate earlier in the day after concerns grew about her health, with doctors placing her under medical supervision.

Ms Sturgeon said the Queen had been the "great constant in our national life" for more than 70 years, and that her death marked "the end of an era".

The first minister added: "She has inspired us, on occasion comforted us, and always personified the values we hold dear.

"Throughout her reign she performed her duties with exceptional wisdom, dedication and fidelity.

"Scotland loved, respected and admired her - and by all accounts Her Majesty was rarely happier than when she was here in Scotland at her beloved Balmoral".

Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was appointed by the Queen at Balmoral on Tuesday, said the monarch was the rock on which modern Britain was built and had "provided us with the stability and strength that we needed".

Speaking about the new King, she said: "We offer him our loyalty and devotion, just as his mother devoted so much, to so many, for so long.

"And with the passing of the second Elizabethan age, we usher in a new era in the magnificent history of our great country, exactly as Her Majesty would have wished, by saying the words 'God save the King'."

Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack said the Queen's reign was "defined by hard work and dedicated public service, earning her the respect and devotion of her citizens".

He added: "Her Majesty had a genuine love of Scotland, and a very special relationship with us Scots. Her Majesty was held dear by people in Scotland, and she will be very much missed."

The Scottish Parliament's presiding officer, Alison Johnstone, said the Queen had enjoyed a "long and enduring bond with Scotland and the Scottish people which will be long remembered".

And Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said she had been a "national treasure who represented the very best of our United Kingdom throughout her entire life".

Anas Sarwar, the leader of Scottish Labour, said the Queen had brought the nation together and provided hope and light in dark times from the Blitz to the pandemic.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the Queen represented "perhaps the greatest life of public service in the history of our country, our family of nations is in mourning".

Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said the Queen had been a "steady constant in the life of our nation" for more than seven decades.

The Queen maintained a deep affection for Scotland throughout her life, having spent a lot of time as a young princess with her parents at Balmoral or her maternal grandparents at Glamis Castle in Angus.

She gave her first public speech in Aberdeen in 1944, when she opened a home for the British Sailors' Society while still a teenager.

And after ascending to the throne in 1952, she maintained the Royal Family's tradition of holidaying at Balmoral every summer.