Niall McCracken

Jennifer and Stephen Crawford, from Saintfield in County Down, are among those paying their respects to Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle.

“We just wanted to show respect to the Queen by coming here. She’s been our Queen since I’ve been born," Jennifer said.

"We have never been to Balmoral before and it’s such a beautiful place. It’s really special to be here today.

"To see the flowers and the people who are paying their respects, it’s really emotional. All the notes are just so touching.

Keiron Tourish
BBC News NI north west correspondent

A Canadian woman has signed a book of condolence for the Queen at St Columb’s Cathedral in Londonderry.

Kate Harley, who is from Ottawa, says the Queen was "someone that you could look up to as a Canadian".

Ms Harley says she admired Queen Elizabeth II in terms of her "strength, determination and stability throughout the years".

"She gave up a lot of her own family life for her country," Ms Harley says.

"Many people in Canada would have shed a tear yesterday upon hearing of the Queen's passing."

The former president of the GAA has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.

Mr Cooney described her as “a very personable and nice person” when he met her on her historic visit to Croke Park in 2011.

Image source, Getty Images

“It's a very sad time for any family,” he told GAA.ie. “With a high-profile person like the Queen who was Queen for so many decades, it's also very hard on the British people. But it's especially hard on her direct family.

“I'd like to pass on my condolences to her family and express my deepest sympathy on their loss.”

One of the heartfelt tributes left at the gates of Hillsborough Castle.

Parents have been guiding young children to the gates to lay flowers.

The castle is the official royal residence in Northern Ireland, and has become a focus for mourners.

Image source, bbc

Image source, Getty Images

Organisers of Omagh Pride have decided that planned events on Saturday will go ahead, but will also feature a mark of respect to Queen Elizabeth II during proceedings.

"Following our committee meeting, where there was much deliberation in relation to the sad news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, we have made the decision that Omagh Pride will go ahead on Saturday," organisers say.

"Much planning has gone into this event and our performers, staging, vendors and so on have been booked for some time.

"As a mark of respect on the day, we will march in silence past Tyrone County Hall, where the flag will be at half mast, and we ask all participants to observe this."

Mark Simpson
BBC News NI

Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill has signed the book of condolence at Belfast City Hall following the death of the Queen.

Party leaders at the city council also signed the book, as did East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson of the DUP and Lord Mayor Tina Black.

The book of condolence was opened earlier on Friday by Lord Mayor Christina Black and Lord Lieutenant Dame Fionnuala Mary Jay-O’Boyle.

It will be open to members of the public between 09:30 and 20:00 BST until the day of the state funeral, Belfast City Council says.

In line with Royal protocol, the Union Flag will also be flown at half-mast until after the funeral.

Niall McCracken

Image source, Getty Images

Members of the press are arriving from around the world at Balmoral Castle, where the public are also gathering to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II.

Yesterday, senior members of the Royal family made one final journey to be with her at the estate in Aberdeenshire where the Queen spent many holidays.

My journey here from Belfast earlier today ended up taking me through the beautiful but remote Scottish highlands.

The mood here, among a crowd of hundreds, is one of reflection.

Valerie Smyth, who is originally from Northern Ireland, but now living in Yorkshire, also travelled for several hours to get here.

"I felt compelled to because you will never see the likes of her again," she said.

Many have left floral tributes and messages at the entrance to the castle.

One note reads: "We'll miss you and your leadership, you will always be in our hearts."

Almost every person I've spoken to has used the same words - "we're here to pay our respects".

People like Dave, who travelled from Glasgow to be here today.

"After everything she gave this country for 70-odd years, I just wanted to be here".

Zara Johnston and her mum Fiona Gamble are among those paying their respects to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle

“I just wanted to come to respect the Queen," 17-year-old Zara said. "It’s just heartbreaking.

Chris Page
BBC News Ireland correspondent

More than 200 people stood at the gates of Hillsborough Castle for a gun salute in honour of Queen Elizabeth II on Friday afternoon.

The official royal residence in Northern Ireland has become a focus for mourners.

Those who brought floral tributes included people in their 90s, who remember well the Queen’s coronation.

Also, parents have been guiding young children to the gates to lay flowers.

As the cannons fired, some people stood with their heads bowed, and many remarked on the sense of history, change and grief.

Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry Andrew Forster signs the book of condolence at St Columb’s Cathedral, where the Queen visited as a young princess in 1945 with her mother and father.

The Queen’s former representative in Belfast Lady Mary Peters says she is saddened by the death of the “most warm, friendly, happy, humorous smiley lady”.

“I loved her,” Lady Mary Peters tells BBC Radio Ulster’s Talkback programme.

Image source, Getty Images

The former Lord Lieutenant of the City of Belfast says Queen Elizabeth II, who she last met in June, had spent a magnificent 70 years “looking after all of us”.

“I think we are all grateful she died without too much pain,” she said.

“To be working on Tuesday and to pass away on Thursday is remarkable.”

Lady Mary Peters says she had been amazed by the Queen’s knowledge of Northern Ireland.

“Her love of the place came across very strongly,” she recalled.

Queen Elizabeth had an "extraordinary gift" in combining her long service with a capacity for connecting with people, Irish President Michael D Higgins has recalled.

President Higgins remembered his meeting with the Queen at Belfast's Lyric Theatre in 2012.

Image source, Getty Images

The president said he would particularly remember her attention to detail over the course of his interactions with her.

Speaking to RTÉ News, external, he said the Queen had been enormously well informed about the contribution of the Irish community in Britain and had "never been stuck in a rut of history in a particular period".

He said she never stopped realising how the world was changing.

All planned public events across Northern Ireland are cancelled, the Northern Ireland Assembly says in a tweet.

Stormont will also be closed to the public while the assembly observes a period of national mourning.

Floral tributes lie under a mural unveiled in the Shankill earlier this year to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

"I've cried all night. I'm absolutely devastated," says Stacy.

She describes the Queen as a peace builder, a loving woman and a kind grandmother, saying she will miss her "cheeky smile".

"It feels like the heart has been ripped out of the Shankill.

"We really are just her most loyal subjects."

On Friday morning, Julie Stockman and three friends booked flights and a hotel in Westminster to attend the state funeral.

"We want to go and pay our respects to the Queen," she said.

"Just to be in that location where the Queen will be buried is very welcoming for us."

Ms Stockman said that she was "devastated" at the passing of a "loving person".

"She's the only monarch that I ever knew in my lifetime.

"The people on the Shankill and our Britishness to our Queen, we feel as if we've lost a grandmother."

Image source, Pacemaker

One memorable event that Ms Stockman praised the Queen for was shaking Martin McGuiness' hand when she visited Belfast in 2012.

"I think she was a very forgiving person. I believe it took a lot for that lady to do that," she said.

"But for peace, she felt like she had to do things like that."

Image source, Pacemaker

Ireland's foreign minister Simon Coveney says the moment the Queen spoke Irish during her first visit to the country in 2011 was "extraordinary for British-Irish relations".

"Through this period she managed to charm an entire country," he tells BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme.

"She managed to carry the weight of history very lightly and she addressed the complexity of the British-Irish relationship in terms of our history, with all its tragedy but with all its closeness, in a way that resulted in so many people seeing her with a new affection.

"Loved by so many people and also loved by many people in Ireland, north and south, and that's why so many people are sad to see her passing and want to recognise her extraordinary contribution.

Image source, Getty Images

Mr Coveney also extends his condolences to the unionist community in Northern Ireland.

"To all of the unionists in Northern Ireland, can I just offer my condolences and the condolences of the Irish government.

"She was very much your Queen but she was the Queen internationally for so many others in terms of recognition and respect.

"She was someone who really understood duty and service."

Image source, Google Maps

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council will close the following facilities from Friday until Monday as a mark of respect to the Queen.

• Lagan Valley Leisureplex
• Dundonald IceBowl
• Lough Moss Leisure Centre
• Glenmore Activity Centre
• Kilmakee Activity Centre
• Grove Activity Centre
• Vitality Gym at Billy Neill MBE Country Park
• Castlereagh Hills Golf Course and Aberdelghy Golf Course

Further information can be found on the council's website here, external.

The Northern Ireland Office says the public will be welcome to pay their respects to the Queen at Hillsborough Castle.

Julian Fowler
BBC News NI

John Maguire, the retired managing director of Belleek pottery, met the Queen at Buckingham Palace about 15 years ago after the company won a Queen’s Award for exports.

He described it as “a fantastic occasion” and “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity".

Above the water gate at Enniskillen Castle, the flag is flying at half mast.

On her last visit to Enniskillen in 2012, the Queen attended a service in a Protestant place of worship and then walked across the road to a Catholic church.

The walk between St Macartin's Cathedral and St Michael's Catholic church was cheered by crowds on both sides of the street.

A 96 round royal gun salute is taking place at Hillsborough Castle to mark the death of the Queen.

Guns are being fired across the United Kingdom and abroad.

Each of the 96 rounds marks a year of the Queen's life.

More books of condolence have opened across Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

They can be found at The Burnavon Theatre, Cookstown, Hill of The O Neill & Ranfurly House, Dungannon and The Bridewell, Magherafelt.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council will also open books of condolence later this afternoon at the Enniskillen Town Hall and The Grange, Omagh.