The death of the Queen: 'We owe her a debt we can never repay', head of the Royal Navy says as Portsmouth prepares for a 117-gun salute

The Queen – the United Kingdom’s longest serving monarch – died at the age of 96 in Balmoral yesterday, surrounded by her family.

Her death has sparked an outpouring of grief across the city, the country, and the world, with a 12-day period of mourning across the UK featuring a series of events subject to approval from Buckingham Palace.

A Royal Navy 117-gun salute to mark Her Majesty’s death will take place in Portsmouth at 1pm on Friday, September 9.

The First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key said ‘the very sad news has touched every member of the Royal Navy’

The admiral added: ‘In all our lives, her reign has been a constant, and her dedication and lifetime of service was utterly inspiring. She exemplified qualities we all aspire to.

‘As the daughter, wife and mother of Royal Naval officers, Her Majesty had a close affinity with the men and women in her Royal Navy and those who support us and she took close personal interest in their well-being, as well as that of their families. We owe her a debt we can never repay. May she rest in peace. God Save the King.’

The last British Sovereign to have seen action in battle was the Queen’s father, George VI, who fought in the battle of Jutland in 1916 as a 20-year-old Sub-Lieutenant.

Her Majesty’s late husband, Prince Philip, held a number of military ranks during his life and had a distinguished military career. After serving the Royal Navy during the Second World as a Commander, the Duke was made Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps and later Admiral of the Fleet.

The Queen’s son Prince Andrew served for over 20 years in the Royal Navy, where he saw active service as part of the task force that sailed to the South Atlantic to regain the Falkland Islands in 1982.

The chief of the defence staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, said the relationship between the Queen and the Armed Forces was ‘deeply personal’.

He added: ‘Through her own service in the Second World War, and as the wife, mother and grandmother of service personnel, the Queen understood better than most the burden and the glory of life in uniform.

‘In the coming days our sailors, soldiers, and aviators must perform their final duty to a much-loved Sovereign. We do so with admiration and gratitude.

‘For those of us who have the privilege to now wear the King’s uniform, there remains no greater honour than to serve our Crown and Country.’