British national anthem played at Venice Film Festival in honour of the Queen

Footage circulated online showed ‘God Save The Queen’ booming out across the festival grounds

The British national anthem was played at Venice International Film Festival on Thursday 8 September to honour the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Footage circulated online showed the festival grounds as “God Save the Queen” played out, while Hollywood stars continued to grace the event’s red carpet.

A-list celebrities including Brad Pitt, Ana de Armas, and Adrien Brody arrived on day nine of the festival, as the world reeled from the news of the Queen’s death.

Screenings went ahead as usual in the Italian city, though other upcoming arts events including the Bafta Tea Party in Los Angeles, and the BBC Proms were cancelled following news of Her Majesty’s death.

The 96 year old monarch died “peacefully” at Balmoral on Thursday afternoon (8 September), according to Buckingham Palace, having spent 70 years as head of state, outlasting her predecessors and overseeing monumental changes in social and political life.

The Queen was Britain’s longest-serving monarch. Her eldest son, Charles, will be succeeding her as the nation’s new king.

Since her passing, heartfelt tributes have continued to pour in from across the globe. UK prime minister Liz Truss describing her as “the rock upon which modern Britain was built”, while the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said the late monarch had “constantly showed us the meaning of life”.

(PA Wire)

Sir Elton John also paid tribute to the Queen at his concert in Toronto on Thursday night, during which he praised the monarch and her “inspiring presence”.

Follow the latest updates as the world pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II