'Queen Elizabeth II lived an extraordinary life': Senators Toomey and Casey extend their condolences to the people of Britain

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- People all over the world are mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, including right here in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania's two United States senators have extended their condolences to the Royal Family and the people of Great Britain.

Republican Sen. Pat Toomey issued this statement, "Queen Elizabeth II lived an extraordinary life, serving as monarch through decades of global change. Pennsylvanians extend our condolences to the British people for their loss."

Democratic Sen. Bob Casey said of the beloved Queen in a statement, "I'm saddened to hear of Queen Elizabeth's passing and my prayers are with the Royal Family. As Head of State of our closest ally, she fostered the special relationship between the United States & United Kingdom, a relationship that has been critical to the post-WWII global order."

In addition, President Joe Biden who was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, is honoring Queen Elizabeth by lowering the American flag at the White House to half-staff as the United States mourns with the people of Britain.

In a statement he said, in part, "Queen Elizabeth II led always with grace, an unwavering commitment to duty, and the incomparable power of her example.  She was a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States.  She helped make our relationship special."

Read his full statement here.

More on the life of Queen Elizabeth II: Remembering the Queen | World Mourns | Photo Gallery | King Charles III

Britsburgh co-founder Robert Charlesworth said they're remembering her as a queen who was always willing to embrace new things and was never political.

"She's been with me all my life so from waving a little flag as a child as she passed in a car," Charlesworth said. 

Charlesworth is from Leeds, England. He's been living in Pittsburgh for 12 years.

"Her Majesty, the queen, we all respect and people don't often realize how positive an influence she was," he said. "She was really the people's queen to our nation, so very sad today."

As the co-founder of Britsburgh, Charlesworth was attending a Britsburgh Festival event on Thursday shortly after the news of her death was released. 

The Britsburgh Festival is Sept. 5-11 and features a week full of events. Before highlighting British connections in the Steel City at a festival walking tour in Point Breeze, Charlesworth held a moment of silence with the participants in honor of Queen Elizabeth II.

He said Britsburgh came up with the idea of the festival when the queen became the longest-reigning monarch seven years ago.  He said he communicated with her on numerous occasions and told her about the festival.

"She wished the city and Britsburgh well for every success and endeavor. She really embraced that, and she was always willing to embrace new things and was never political. That was the one beauty of her," Charlesworth said.

He said they thought about canceling some festival events in light of this upsetting news, but he believes Queen Elizabeth II would not want that.

The nonprofit group's board of directors will honor the queen, who Charlesworth said embraced new things, had a sense of humor, dedicated her life to work, and was never political.

"One little cry, a little sniffle. She was good and not stuck up. She was staunch, she was a good queen," Suellen Pipal, who is from the U.K. and was attending the Britsburgh event.

Britsburgh hopes to host a memorial in the queen's honor soon. 

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• Pennsylvania
• Pat Toomey
• Bob Casey
• Queen Elizabeth II