We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty the Queen. Our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family whilst we all mourn the loss of our longest serving British Monarch. Her life was one of great dedication, service, and duty, and all of us at Sparks join the world in mourning her passing.
The day of the funeral Monday 19th September our Offices, Showroom and Online will be closed, this will be for the full day to allow our colleagues to pay their respects.
We will open again for business on Tuesday 20th September at 7.30am. All the orders placed online after 5pm on Friday, 16 September 2022, and until Tuesday 20 September, will be processed starting from Tuesday, 20 September 2022.
About Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II
Much can be said about the life and work of her Majesty, the Queen Elizabeth II, and we warmly recommend the Queen's Life and Reign section on the Royal.uk to recollect and celebrate her life. Updates regarding the Royal Family can be found on Twitter, where the news of her passing was also first announced.
Lying-in-State of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - The Lying-in-State of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will take place in Westminster Hall at the Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament. The Lying-in-State opens to the public 24 hours a day from 5pm on Wednesday 14 September until 6.30am on Monday 19 September. Members of the public may visit Westminster Hall to pay their respects.
Here is a collection of links in no particular order remembering the longest serving British Monarch.
- Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - A period of national mourning commenced with the announcement and will continue until the state funeral. During this time, the Government has issued guidance and outlined principles for the public, organisations and businesses for observing the period of mourning including information on ceremonial events in central London. Read more via Gov.uk to find out about all the arrangements.
- Commemoration and Condolence - "And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all." A Statement from The Prince of Wales. Read more on the commemoration and condolence via Royal.uk. You can also send a message of condolence here.
- Obituary: Queen Elizabeth II - The long reign of Queen Elizabeth II was marked by her strong sense of duty and her determination to dedicate her life to her throne and to her people. Read the full obituary via BBC.co.uk.
- HM Queen Elizabeth II - article at Royal Trust Collection. Also watch the tribute video via vimeo here.
- Elizabeth II - the Queen, a collection of links and articles and events via wikipedia.
- Queen Elizabeth II - a life in pictures, 12 images from the life of Queen Elizabeth II, via Google Arts and Culture.
- Elizabeth II - queen of United Kingdom (Alternate titles: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith) - biography via Britannica.
- Articles on and about the Queen via People.com - Queen Elizabeth II was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. She assumed the title of Queen in 1952 after her father's death and reigned for more than 70 years until her death on Sept. 8, 2022, making her the longest-reigning monarch in British history. She was also the only female member of the royal family to have entered the armed forces and served in World War II.
- Queen Elizabeth II - intro via Royal Mint. "In 2016, Queen Elizabeth II became the world’s longest reigning living monarch, having already surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria’s reign to become the first British monarch to mark more than 63 years of service. From a young queen and a fairy-tale coronation, to a pillar of strength in an ever-changing world, we have shared in the highs and lows for an incredible 95 years of Her Majesty’s life." - continue reading this article online.
Photo credit: Lying-in-State picture here.
