The Big Issue founder Lord John Bird has paid tribute to Her Majesty the Queen as news broke her death this evening.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
“The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
This evening, Lord Bird said, “My thoughts and prayers are with the Queen and her family. Her Majesty The Queen, and the Royal Family, have long been supporters of The Big Issue, amongst many other good causes.
“After I started The Big Issue, I was invited to Buckingham Palace by Her Majesty to receive an MBE. She asked me why she was awarding the MBE to me, and I said for services to homeless people, I also said her children were readers of The Big Issue and she said you better send me a copy (which I did) and she sent me a thank you note.”
John said he wasn’t sure if she read it. However, an impression was made.