Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has marked the one-year anniversary of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen died in her Scottish residence of Balmoral at the age of 96 before her son King Charles III ascended to the British throne.

Mr Sunak has since shared how he 'treasured' his memories of meeting the late monarch and took a minute to remember her "extraordinary life".

While Rishi Sunak was not in office at the time of her passing, he did meet with the Queen privately a number of times during his time as Chancellor.

Barrhead News: Rishi Sunak fondly remembered meeting the Queen when he was Chancellor (Danny Lawson/PA Wire)Rishi Sunak fondly remembered meeting the Queen when he was Chancellor (Danny Lawson/PA Wire) (Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Rishi Sunak marks 'solemn anniversary' of Queen Elizabeth II's passing

The Prime Minister said that on the "solemn anniversary" of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II "our thoughts are with His Majesty King Charles III and the whole royal family."

He said: “With the perspective of a year, the scale of Her Late Majesty’s service only seems greater.

“Her devotion to the nations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth only seems deeper.

“And our gratitude for such an extraordinary life of duty and dedication only continues to grow.

“I treasure my memories of those occasions when I met Her Late Majesty, in particular the private audience I had with her at Buckingham Palace before presenting my first Budget as chancellor.

Barrhead News: The Queen passed away at the age of 96 in her Aberdeenshire home of Balmoral (Yui Mok/PA Wire)The Queen passed away at the age of 96 in her Aberdeenshire home of Balmoral (Yui Mok/PA Wire) (Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

“I was struck by her wisdom, by her incredible warmth and grace, but also her sharp wit.

“People across the UK – whether they had the good fortune to meet Her Late Majesty or not – will be reflecting today on what she meant to them and the example she set for us all. We will cherish those memories.”

Sunak added that the "remarkable" bond between the country and monarch endures under her son the King.

“So, while we continue to mourn Her Late Majesty’s passing, we should be proud that this remarkable legacy of service – and this remarkable bond – continues to grow today under the reign of His Majesty The King.”