On the passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Queen Elizabeth II delivered a heartfelt tribute on Sunday. She called him a “hero who relentlessly championed human rights in South Africa and around the world.”

“I remember with fondness my meetings with him and his tremendous warmth and humour,” the 95-year-old Queen said in a statement.

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“Archbishop Tutu’s loss will be felt by the people of South Africa, as well as by so many people in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, and across the Commonwealth, where he was held in such great respect and esteem,” the statement continued.

The Queen’s remark was posted late Sunday on the Royal family’s official Instagram account.

“The Queen has sent a message of condolence on the passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu,” the caption read.

Slide two shows Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh meeting Archbishop Tutu in 2004 following the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey.

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