Dalai Lama mourns Queen Elizabeth's death

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Friday mourned the demise of Britain's longest serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, at the age 96.

In a letter to the queen's son, His Majesty Charles III, the elderly Buddhist monk expressed his deep sadness and offered heartfelt condolences to him, the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom.

"I remember seeing photographs of her coronation in magazines when I was young in Tibet," His Holiness wrote. "Her reign, as Britain's longest serving monarch, represented celebration, inspiration and a reassuring sense of continuity for so many people alive today.

"Your mother lived a meaningful life with dignity, grace, a strong sense of service and a warm heart, qualities we all should treasure."

The letter concluded with the monk offering his prayers and good wishes.