Queen Elizabeth II: Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire pay their respects

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh fed an elephant while visiting Whipsnade Zoo in 2017

Community groups and civic and religious leaders have paid to the Queen following her death.

Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.

She visited many places across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire during that time.

Services will be held, flags will be flown at half-mast and books of condolence have been opened across the three counties.

One of the Queen's earliest visits to the area was to Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, on 20 July 1952, where she laid the foundation stone of St Barnabas Church, before going to Evensong at St Albans Cathedral.

Shortly after she came to the throne, the Queen visited St Albans Cathedral for Evensong

On Thursday evening it lowered its flag and rang its bells half-muffled for an hour.

It said it was "deeply saddened" to hear of her death and special services would be taking place to "pray for her, mark her death and commemorate her life".

In 2012 she visited Hitchin as part on a tour to mark her Diamond Jubilee where she was presented with lavender oil from locally grown plants, similar to a gift presented to Queen Victoria at Hitchin station in 1851.

Later she moved on to Stevenage where she officially opened the new £16m maternity unit at the Lister Hospital.

Thousands lined Hitchin's market square to greet the Queen in 2012

The Queen met two students wearing red noses for Comic Relief Day at North Hertfordshire College in Stevenage in March 2003

Hertfordshire County Council said the thoughts of its councillors and officers were with the Royal Family.

Council leader, Conservative Richard Roberts, said it marked "a very sad moment for our country".

A book of condolence has opened at County Hall in Hertford and at all the council’s libraries for people who wish to pay their respects to the Queen

Books of condolence have opened at at County Hall in Hertford and at all the council's libraries for people who wish to pay their respects. There is also a dedicated area for floral tributes underneath the arches at County Hall for people who wish to pay their respects.

On 11 April 2017, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh fed seven-year-old Donna while touring a new £2m home for nine Asian elephants at Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire.

They also met 10-month-old Elizabeth, who had been born the day before the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations the previous year and was named in her honour.

The zoo said she had been patron of ZSL from her coronation in 1953 and had supported them for many years.

"Her passion for animals will always be remembered," it said.

As a mark of respect, the zoo has announced it will not open on Friday.

The Queen with the former Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis in Dunstable in 2017

Helen Nellis, who retired as Bedfordshire's Lord-Lieutenant on Tuesday after 10 years, said seeing the moment the Queen fed Donna was a memory she "will hold forever" and the "iconic" image was used as the Queen's Christmas card that year.

Mrs Susan Lousada, who took up the role on Wednesday, said she felt "immense sorrow at the passing of Queen Elizabeth II".

Students took photos on their mobile phones of the Queen as she arrived at the Samuel Whitbread Community College in Bedford in November 2006

In 1999, the Queen opened the new terminal at Luton Airport

On 17 July 2020, she knighted Captain Sir Tom Moore at Windsor Castle, which was her first official engagement in person that year after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The investiture was to honour the 100-year-old, who raised more than £32m for NHS charities walking round his garden in Marston Moretaine.

The Queen's first in-person official engagement after the Covid-19 pandemic began was to knight Capt Sir Tom Moore from Marston Moretaine in a "unique ceremony" at Windsor Castle.

The chief executive of Central Bedfordshire Council, the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, the mayors of Bedford and Luton Borough Councils, the chairman of Central Bedfordshire Council and councillors and officers of all three authorities, plus the county's emergency services, said they were "deeply saddened" at the news of the Queen's death.

The flag outside Bedford's Borough Hall has been lowered to half-mast.

A book of condolence will be opened on Saturday at the Harpur Suite in Bedford and the council is inviting residents to lay a floral tribute at the entrance to Russell Park nearest to The Embankment.

The flag is flying at half-mast at Bedfordshire Police HQ in Kempston

Bedfordshire Police chief constable, Garry Forsyth, said: "As Crown servants, this is a particularly poignant moment for our policing family and we will be flying the flags at our premises at half-mast during the national period of mourning," he said.

"We would urge anyone who is feeling particularly saddened by this news to reach out to one of the many agencies available to support."

In 1970, the Queen met US President Richard Nixon and his wife Pat Nixon with Prime Minister Edward Heath at Chequers in Buckinghamshire

During her reign, the Queen invited 15 prime ministers to form a government and was often a visitor to Chequers in Buckinghamshire, the official country residence of the government leader.

Also in that county, Milton Keynes was one of the cities she created to mark her Platinum Jubilee this year.

In 2007, she paid her first visit to the then town in 15 years, officially opening the MK Stadium and a new St John's Ambulance Centre at Greenleys.

The Queen carried out a number of duties on a visit to Milton Keynes in 2007

The Queen had the Turing Bombe machine explained to her by wartime operator Jane Valentine during a visit to Bletchley Park in July 2011

The Golden Jubilee in 2002 saw the Queen visit Aylesbury

The Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, Countess Elizabeth Howe, said she offered "sincere condolences" on behalf of Buckinghamshire residents to the King and to all the members of the Royal Family.

"We shall remember Her Majesty for her special qualities; her empathy, her humility, her wisdom and her faith," she said.

Politicians in the area have also paid their respects and written tributes.

Mid Bedfordshire MP and former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries described her as "a constant source of strength and kindness throughout all of our lives".

Sarah Owen, the Labour MP for Luton North, said the Queen had "played such a pivotal role in many of our lives".

St Albans Liberal Democrat MP, Daisy Cooper, said: "I had the privilege of meeting the Queen when I worked in Commonwealth affairs - I will always remember her warm smile and sharp sense of humour."

Sir Oliver Heald, the Conservative MP for North East Hertfordshire, said: "The UK was fortunate to have such a person representing our country for so long."

Rob Butler, the Conservative MP for Aylesbury said the "love and affection we feel for her was vividly demonstrated across our county" during the Jubilee celebrations which were a "mark of gratitude and appreciation for her commitment and duty".

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