It was to Heathrow the Queen returned from Kenya as Queen following the death of her father King George VI in 1952; some 60-plus years later, Heathrow Terminal 2 was in 2013 renamed The Queen’s Terminal, with the Queen attending its official opening in June 2014.

"The world has lost an irreplaceable person, and our country one of its greatest," read Heathrow’s tribute the UK’s longest-serving monarch.

"All of us at Heathrow are saddened to hear Her Majesty the Queen has passed away. We offer our condolences to the Royal Family, the British public and the nations of the Commonwealth at this time.

"We’re thankful to have shared many key milestones with Queen Elizabeth II during her life, including welcoming her warmly in 1952 when she arrived back from Kenya as our Queen."

British Airways, meanwhile, the UK’s flag carrying airline, hailed the Queen’s "immense resilience" and said it would cherish the moments it shared with the monarch.

"We are deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Her Majesty the Queen," said BA “At this terribly sad time, our thoughts are with the entire British Royal Family and the nation as we grieve her immeasurable loss.

"We are deeply honoured and proud to have flown Her Majesty on a number of occasions, moments which we will always cherish.

"Her Majesty has for so long shown immense resilience and encouraged us to stand together with the United Kingdom. We thank her for her service and bid her a final farewell.”