Speaking of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, South Wales Police & Crime Commissioner Rt Hon Alun Michael said:

“It is with immense sadness that today we learn of the death of Her Majesty the Queen; My personal thoughts are with her family at this sad time.

“In her long life of service. she showed real understanding and care for Wales and I remember with particular pleasure the way she joined us in Cardiff to celebrate the opening of the first Senedd – Assembly as it was then known – showing real interest, concern and respect for this new addition to the constitutional arrangements over which she had already presided for many decades. For most people the Queen, who has been the beating heart of our monarchy here in the United Kingdom for almost seven decades, is the only monarch they have known in their lifetime, so she is uniquely woven into the fabric of our society, our rich history and our traditions including our new ones here in Wales.

“Throughout a long and exceptional life of service, The Queen conducted herself with impeccable grace and virtue, despite remaining under the constant gaze of people across the world. It is easy to overlook that every significant moment in her life, be that in celebration or personal tragedy, the moments that we have the privilege of experiencing privately were played out in the public eye, making the hallmarks of her reign even more remarkable still. As a Minister and Privy Counsellor, I frequently had the privilege of attending upon her at Buckingham Palace and while the business was purely formal - had she not approved the legislation or the names of High Sheriffs offered to her there would have been a constitutional crisis of the first magnitude – she showed immense knowledge and interest in the detail as well as a keen and sharp sense of humour.

“As we say farewell to our Queen, she leaves a lasting legacy and will long be remembered for her extraordinary and unwavering commitment to her family, to people and communities throughout these islands, and to the wider community of nations not least through the Commonwealth.”