The Queen shines over London one last time in poignant New Year’s Eve fireworks display

A tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth was one of the standout moments for royal fans this New Year’s Eve. The moving tribute featured alongside a show of support for Ukraine in London's annual New Year fireworks display, as more than 100,000 people gathered on the banks of the River Thames to mark the beginning of 2023.

• The annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display in London showed support to Ukraine and paid an emotional tribute to the country's longest-reigning monarch as it bid farewell to 2022
• 12,000 fireworks lit up the night sky as the display commended the Queen's life and legacy, including a voice recording from the Queen herself as well as a recording from Dame Judi Dench
• In other royal news, 2023 predictions for the Royal Family from psychics who correctly predicted the Queen’s death, Trump’s presidency and the coronavirus pandemic

Royal fans were left “in tears” this New Year’s Eve as London saw out 2022 with one final tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth, the longest-serving monarch in British history.

As more than 100,000 people welcomed in 2023 on the banks of the River Thames in England’s capital city, they were welcoming in the first year under the Carolean era, following the death of the Queen this summer.

The tribute to the Queen, who died in September, featured a voice recording from her and a message recorded by Dame Judi Dench.

As bewitched audiences heard a message from one of the Queen’s previous speeches, a swarm of drones formed into a coin with her face. As the fireworks and lights then changed to a purple – a color associated with the Royal Family – the lights spelled out a touching EIIR – the Queen’s cipher.

After honoring the legacy of the late Queen, the drones switched and seamlessly morphed into a coin of King Charles, a touching way to demonstrate the changing of the guard and the dawn of a new era for the monarchy.

As an image of Charles profile in the shape of a coin lit up the London sky, a message from his was played out to the masses.

It was a message on the importance of preserving our planet. The subtle differences in the two messages played – one by the late Queen and one by the current King – summed up the difference in their styles.

The Queen was adept at avoiding too clear a stance on political issues, choosing to speak on themes such as faith, service and unity.

Charles, on the other hand, is known to passionately care about hot topics like global warming and environmentalism.

Fans online were quick to praise the spectacle.

One asked, “Anyone else totally emotional at the New Year firework and drone tribute to The Queen?” with another replying that it “set her off” into tears.

Other descriptions included praise such as “magnificent”, “respectful” and “unbeatable.”