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In 2012 my wife Odelia, who is a professional cake decorator, prepared a special Diamond Jubilee cake for the Queen. It was ordered by the UK ambassador to Israel and a Jubilee celebration was held at his residence - even the cushion and crown on the cake were edible! Rest in peace Queen Elizabeth II.”

Len Judes, Honorary President of the Israel-Britain Chamber of Commerce

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The Queen was the Supreme Governor of the Church of England so she obviously had a key part to play in my working life as it were. But she’s just been an extraordinary presence, walking alongside this nation over the 70 years of her reign, being a constant presence. For me personally, those broadcasts which are made on Christmas Day every year have been a key fixed point, a bit of inspiration. She was just remarkable so we wanted to be here to pay our respects.

The Reverend Simon Cutmore from Hertfordshire

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For me, she was our patron of scouting. For decades we’ve been promising to do our duty to God and to the Queen so she’s a big part of scouting generally. She has always been a fine example of what duty and service mean, so it’s about showing our respect and giving thanks for the example she set us."

Alex Cutmore, Scout and Cub leader from Hertfordshire

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Less than two weeks after the Queen's accession, I was conscripted into the Royal Air Force. An abiding memory is noticing that on the declaration of loyalty to Her Majesty that I had to swear, all the masculine gender words had been altered to feminine by hand. Ah, the days before computers and word processors!

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On the day of the Queen's coronation, I was a member of the ground crew of 74 squadron whose planes and pilots took part in the fly-past. The weather was appalling, so much so that I’m not sure that our squadron actually managed to join the other squadrons. The weather cleared in the evening and I remember dancing to the early hours in the open air in Chapel Field Gardens, Norwich. A truly memorable day even though, because of my duties, I was unable to watch the ceremony on television which many people had purchased for the very first time."

Lionel Owen

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I was invited to the Queen's Garden Party representing the NHS. It was particularly poignant because the previous year I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Receiving the invitation gave me the opportunity to look forward and plan for a special occasion.

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The year before I was having surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I had very little hair - which I hid under a big hat - no eyebrows or eyelashes! However on that day with my daughter by my side I felt so proud and happy to be part of something wonderful in the company of her majesty."

Maggie Morgan Cooke, Leicestershire

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On a day of remembering the queen it reminds me of a story my Grandpa used to tell me growing up, and one I was always proud of. My Grandpa Gerald Lambourne was the Commander for the Fingerprint Department at New Scotland Yard. For a special anniversary the queen was invited to Wembley Arena for my Grandpa to take her fingerprints for a presentation. I would think he may have been the only person to have ever taken the queen’s fingerprints! As you can see in the photo, HRH Prince Philip was watching over my Grandpa’s shoulder. He was fascinated and made my Grandpa laugh because he asked if he could have his fingerprints done as well which wasn’t part of the plan! Nevertheless my Grandpa was honoured. This photograph appears in a book my Grandpa wrote called ‘The Fingerprint Story’. It’s a special memory of him and the Queen and something I will always be proud of. Oh and that pen she is holding was my Grandpa’s. He still had it when I was a kid, and I used to want to hold it because the queen had touched it!"

Claire Chennells, Surrey

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Her Majesty visited me at my bedside at St Bartholomew's Hospital shortly after I was injured whilst on duty at the Old Bailey bombing of 1973. She asked me how I was and if I enjoyed serving in the polce force. I said yes up until a few weeks ago!" I continued to serve in the City of London police for 34 years. Her presence that day was appreciated and I’ve cherished this photograph ever since. She will be greatly missed."

Kevin McGetrick

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I met the Queen when she visited my college in Southend-on-sea in 1999. She showed a great deal of interest in my engineering course - more than what I had! 12 years later I married my beautiful fiancée on the same day that William married his - 29th April 2011."

Michael Fragnito, Essex

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This is me as a five-year-old presenting flowers to Her Majesty the Queen in 1977 during her Silver Jubilee tour of South London. I was wearing my 'best dress' sewn especially by my mother, Sofia, for the occasion and remember clearly being rather shy, but tremendously excited, at the prospect of seeing the Queen. She was, of course, gracious in accepting the small bouquet of flowers that I had gathered for her from my garden, wrapped together in lace. May God rest her soul.

Elizabeth Tsangaraki Wilding from Streatham Common

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In 1955, when The Queen arrived by train at Waverley Station, Edinburgh, my father Colonel Donald Lear of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers was commanding officer of the Guard of Honour. My mother Penny Lear was ironing my father’s tartan trews (trousers) when she was distracted by the phone and accidentally left the iron on the trousers. To her horror, on her return she found the iron had burnt a hole in the seat of the trews! This triggered an emergency! My father only had an hour or so to find a solution. Luckily a fellow officer had the same build and height, and was able to lend his tartan trews. When The Queen stepped off the train, her majesty was met by the greeting officer who mentioned the incident. The Queen then inspected the Guard of Honour, which included my father. Then demonstrating her majesty’s sense of humour and enjoyment of amusing incidents, she apparently turned to my father and with a big grin said, ‘I hear you had a wee problem with your trews!"

Robin Lear, Surrey

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I remember Her Majesty the Queen when she came to visit us for the official opening of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals. It was such a surreal day. She had a lovely sense of humour. She was so down-to-earth and heart-warming."

Asher Williams, from Leighton Buzzard

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The queen visited my late daughter at the Children’s Trust in Surrey many years ago. That was remarkable. The family felt touched by the visit and attention given to my daughter."

Christopher King

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Kirat really enjoys drawing and was he was really moved by Queen Elizabeth passing away. He wanted to do something in her remembrance."

Gurjit Banggar, from Birmingham

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At the opening of a new court hall and police station in Leamington Spa, I was lucky to give flowers to Her Majesty and got emotional. The Queen smiled at me and said, 'thank you!'. The most memorable day of my life, and it was televised. Thank you ma’am and rest in peace."

Marina Sumner

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I queued for five hours. It seemed like less though. Mostly because it was very interesting chatting with people in the queue about where they had come from and why they were there. It’s clear that moments like this bring people together in quite an extraordinary way. The mood was very friendly and welcoming - from the stewards, the police, the staff at the Palace of Westminster.

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My overwhelming impression will be the view down Westminster Hall — that huge, ancient room and there in the middle of it, under the crown and the royal standard was this little coffin. That’s the paradox - the individual in the coffin and then the weight of this majesty, the embodiment of the state. It’s a very powerful thing to see first hand. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it."

Barendina Smedley, Norfolk

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He received a call from Dr Kenneth Kaunda saying he was ready for breakfast. My dad was running late. As he rushed to meet him he stopped in a palace corridor to tie his shoelaces, as they had come undone. As he was tying them, he heard a voice say, “May we help you?” He looked up and realised it was the Queen. He promptly said "No", whilst giving her his back. Then he remembered the protocol, picked up his shoe and walked away from her, shoe in one hand, bowing, and saying, “So sorry”. According to my dad, the Queen just looked at him, smiled and shook her head. Priceless story, and I always loved the way my dad told it!"

Fiona Mulaisho, London

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It was February 1952 when the Queen had watched Prince Philip play polo near Nyeri, Kenya. My mother, who was in the Women's Institute, had made a cake for the tea afterwards and the Queen selected a slice of it. I was not born until 1954, and my mother died less than two years later, but I am proud that the Queen chose a slice from my mother's cake.

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The Catholic Mission had raised a banner to our future Queen. Little did she know that that very evening she would go up to the Treetops animal watching lodge as a Princess and come down a Queen. Prince Philip was given the task of informing The Queen of her father's death. My father's scrapbook pictures and words say it all."

Fiona Willis from Somerset

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My cousin's father-in-law served on the HMS Eagle at Malta. When he died they found a whole load of photos including this one of the Queen's visit in 1954. I was asked to convert the images to digital which I was glad to do."

Charles Denney, Bedford