Queen Elizabeth II (source: AP/TASR)
Queen Elizabeth II's seven decades of steadfast leadership and dedication to the service of her country through many global changes have made her a role model and an inspiration for us all, President Zuzana Čaputová wrote on Twitter in reaction to the news of the death of the world's longest-serving monarch.
"Her passing is the end of an entire era," the president posted on Facebook.
The queen passed away at her estate at Balmoral in Scotland on September 8, the royal family announced in the evening. At 96 years of age and after serving 70 years on the throne, she was the longest-serving monarch in British history.
"Full of energy and curiosity in her eyes, this is how we will remember her," the president said.
Čaputová met The Queen at a NATO summit in London back in 2019.
Following The Queen's death on September 8, flags at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava will flow at half-staff on Friday.
British nation has lost its symbol
Queen Elizabeth II was a respected sovereign and her departure marks the end of a whole era in the history of humanity, Prime Minister Eduard Heger stated as he sent his condolences to the British royal family, the people of the UK and the Commonwealth.
Heger highlighted the way Queen Elizabeth II had ruled her country, not least during difficult moments in both her personal and public life.
"She always emanated power and dignity," Heger stated, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
His Foreign Minister Ivan Korčok, who has recently submitted his resignation letter to the Presidential Office, described The Queen as a personality who embodied democratic values and the identity of the United Kingdom, praising her for her decades-long service to the country.
Róbert Ondrejcsák, Slovakia's ambassador to the UK, posted on Facebook that Queen Elizabeth II was the embodiment of the unity of the British nation, a symbol, but also a very important personality who really shaped history.
"She actively participated in the defeat of Nazism," he added.
Speaker of Parliament Boris Kollár wrote that Queen Elizabeth II was a symbol of the stability of the UK. Her successor will need to try very hard to compare to her, Kollár observed as he sent his condolences to the people of the UK and the Commonwealth.
"It is with deep sadness that I received the news about the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," Kollár wrote in his statement, TASR reported.
He highlighted her visit to Slovakia in 2008 as one of the most notable events in Slovakia's modern history. "A memorable moment [was] the unveiling of the memorial in Devín, which symbolised our renewed belonging to Western civilisation," Kollár noted, as quoted by TASR.
Visit to Slovakia
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited Slovakia in late October 2008. During her time in the country, she encountered thousands of Slovak fans. At a reception, she was introduced to some of the top personalities of Slovak social and political life.
Queen Elizabeth II visited Bratislava in October 2008. (source: SITA)
Then in Devín, near Bratislava, she unveiled a memorial to victims killed while trying to cross the Slovak-Austrian border under communism.
In a public speech during her visit she also highlighted the long and complex road which had led to the achievement of Slovak independence, and mentioned important historical events that helped shape this country.
"Here on the River Danube, Slovaks have long been on the crossroads of history. You have witnessed the coronations of kings and queens, the signing of peace treaties ... caught behind the line dividing East from West for so long, Slovakia has now asserted its place in a common European home," she said.
Queen Elizabeth II, President Ivan Gašparovič and participants from the British Council project Dreams and Teams, October 2008. (source: Courtesy of the British Council)
Queen Elizabeth II even dropped the puck to start an ice-hockey match in Poprad, eastern Slovakia, and visited the Tatras.
