Thursday night (Sept 8.), Elton John paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth following the news of her death.
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During his final show in Toronto, the “Rocket Man” singer took a moment to address the Rogers Centre crowd to say “She was an inspiring presence to be around.”
As images of Queen Elizabeth flashed across the screens that flanked the stage, he recalled “She led the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace and decency and genuine caring, and warmth.”
The Queen passed away just hours before Elton’s show on September 8. The ruler was 96 at the time of her death, which brought an end to her 70-year reign.
“I’m 75 and she’s been with me all my life and I feel very sad that she won’t be with me anymore, but I’m glad she’s at peace,” the singer continued his tribute. “I’m glad she’s at rest and she deserves it. She worked bloody hard. I send my love to her family and her loved ones and she will be missed. But her spirit lives on. And we’ll celebrate her life tonight with music.”
The opening notes of his 1974 hit “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” began as he dedicated the powerful ballad to Her Majesty.
John has always had close ties with the royals. He had a dear friendship with the late Princess Diana and performed a version of “Candle In The Wind” at her funeral in 1997. The following year, he was knighted by the Queen for his work in music and philanthropy.
With news of the Queen’s passing, the singer, along with many others, took to social media to bid the monarch farewell.
“Along with the rest of the nation, I am deeply saddened to hear the news of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s passing,” the 75-year-old singer wrote, echoing his sentiments on stage. “She was an inspiring presence to be around, and lead the country through some of our greatest, and darkest, moments with grace, decency, and a genuine caring warmth.”
He added, “Queen Elizabeth has been a huge part of my life from childhood to this day, and I will miss her dearly.”
Elton John (Photo: Ben Gibson)
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