Earl of Harewood David Lascelles honours the 'grace and dignity' of his godmother 'Cousin Lilibet'

David Lascelles, of the estate on the outskirts of Leeds, was first cousin once removed to the Queen, though the pair only met on more formal occasions in his adult life.

The last time his godmother and Prince Philip visited was in July 2002, he recalled, where she met soap stars from the drama Emmerdale which is filmed on the edge of the estate.

The main event of the day was to be an hour-long pageant, in front of an enthusiastic crowd, featuring cultures from across Yorkshire's diverse communities.

There were costumes from Leeds’ West Indian Carnival, brass bands from South Yorkshire mining villages, Indian dancers from Bradford, and operatic arias from Lesley Garrett - alongside guest appearances from Mel B, Brian Close and Terry Venables.

Lord Harewood said: "The Queen’s enjoyment was clear for all to see.

"These were the rich, mixed, varied, sometimes contradictory cultures of 21st century Britain, a Britain very different from the country she knew when she came to the throne in 1953 but one with which she continued to identify and one which she continued to represent with grace and with great dignity."

Harewood is a former Royal Household, with Princess Mary, Queen Elizabeth II’s aunt and sister to King George VI, having married Viscount Lascelles in 1922. As a mark of respect, the estate was closed to the public yesterday and will close again for the funeral.

Lord Harewood, the 8th Earl, reflected on the Queen’s death: "The length of her reign and the many changes she witnessed during those years are unprecedented in our history.

"Her death is truly the end of an era, the end of the Second Elizabethan Age."

It comes as Yorkshire's Lord-Lieutenants, royal representatives for the region, spoke of their heartfelt sorrow at the death of the Queen.

Ed Anderson, Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, honoured the joy of Jubilee celebrations across the region, and said her 73-year marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh should serve as an "extraordinary example to us all."

Above all, he said, the Queen has been a “symbol of stability through decades in which the world has seen so many changes”.

Lord-Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire, James Dick, spoke of the Queen's "extraordinary commitment, graceful strength, and admirable determination", as he expressed his condolences.

Professor Dame Hilary Chapman, representing South Yorkshire, said the Queen will be remembered with “great affection”.

And the Lord Lieutenant for North Yorkshire, Jo Ropner, said: “Her unfailing commitment to our country and to the wider Commonwealth throughout the past 70 years has been an inspiration to us all.

“On Her Majesty’s 21st birthday in 1947, the then Princess Elizabeth vowed that her 'whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service' in an address broadcast to the Commonwealth, a commitment which was reaffirmed during her Coronation in 1953.

“That her life was so blessedly long, and that her youthful vow was kept so carefully, is an accomplishment for which we, as a county and as a nation, will be forever grateful."