Susanna Reid opens GMB with moving speech about the Queen’s death

Susanna Reid paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at the start of the latest episode of Good Morning Britain.

The host does not usually presenting Friday’s edition of the show, but broke routine in honour of the Queen, who died peacefully on Thursday (8 September).

Clearly affected by the news, Reid, who was dressed in black, praised the Queen as “dignified” and “dutiful”, calling her death “quite a moment”.

Follow the latest updates as the world pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

“We knew this moment was coming, and yet it is still a shock,” Reid said, sat next to her co-host Ben Shephard. “Only those over 70 years old have known any other monarch, and now we will all know another one.”

Reid continued: “The reign of any monarch, the most constant presence in all of our lives. The longest reign of any monarch. The mot constant presence in all of our lives. She was a steady presence as Queen while everything else changed over the decades.”

The co-host said the Queen was “devoted to our country, to the Commonwealth, to her family and to a life of service, which has been both reassuring, comforting but also inspiring”.

Echoing a tweet she sent in the wake of news about the Queen’s health, hours before her death was announced, Reid concluded: “We knew that she couldn’t be immortal, and yet I think we all hoped she might be. It’ll take time for it to sink in.”

The Queen’s son, the Prince of Wales, automatically succeeds her as King, ruling over the UK and more than a dozen Commonwealth nations – a role for which the 73-year-old has spent a lifetime in preparation.

Clarence House has confirmed Charles will be known as King Charles III.

In the wake of the Queen’s death, many are remembering the Queen’s more playful moments, with particular focus being given to her skits alongside Daniel Craig’s James Bond, not to mention the joke she made at Craig’s expense, as well as Paddington Bear, voiced by Ben Whishaw.

The latter in particular was recalled after news of her death broke due to a post shared by Paddington’s official Twitter account, which featured an emotional callback to their platinum jubilee scene together just three months ago.