The UK’s biggest financial services brands paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II this morning, the day after Buckingham Palace officially confirmed her death.
The world’s oldest monarch died yesterday at her Scottish country residence in Balmoral. Markets remain open today, although there is no doubt that an atmosphere of gloomy reflection has descended on the City of London.
In a statement, Barclays Bank said the Queen had been a “remarkable, much-loved and hugely respected figure”, adding that she “offered our deepest condolences to the Royal Family at this extremely sad time”.
Banking giant Lloyds Banking Group has also replaced its website header with a Queen’s banner as a mark of respect, and said online it was with “great sadness” that it left joined the nation to mourn his death.
Coutts, who counted the Queen among her famous private banking clients, said she was putting together a book of condolences for clients and colleagues to sign in tribute to Her Majesty.
“Coutts has had a long-standing connection with the Royal Family and we were privileged to have Her Majesty The Queen officially launch the opening of our 440 Strand building in 1978 and again in 2016,” Chairman Lord Waldegrave said.
“As a mark of respect, the Coutts flags at 440 have been removed and we are lowering the Union Jack flag to half mast. We will be setting up a condolence book at Garden Court, 440 Strand where customers and colleagues will be encouraged to write their messages .”
In the insurance world, Legal & General, which is listed on the UK’s FTSE 100, has tossed aside its iconic multicolored umbrella logo and replaced it with the silhouette of a closed umbrella instead.
Hargreaves Lansdown, meanwhile, suspended all social media operations, saying only that he was “deeply saddened” by the Queen’s passing.
In asset management, few brands chose to make statements, although one, Blackfinch Group, paid tribute to its chief executive, Richard Cook.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,” he said.
“As a monarch for 70 years, her commitment to the crown and her duties has forced her to constantly adapt through periods of vast political, technological and social change.
“We join the country in mourning his great leadership and our thoughts are with his family at this time.”
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, 1926-2022