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TEARFUL Boris Johnson had to stop recording his PM obituary of the Queen as he was too "choked up", he revealed in the Commons today.

The former PM paid a moving tribute to "Elizabeth the Great", who he saw for the last time only on Tuesday at Balmoral.

Boris Johnson paying tribute to the Queen in the Commons today
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Boris Johnson paying tribute to the Queen in the Commons today
MPs stand for a minute's silence in honour of the Queen
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MPs stand for a minute's silence in honour of the Queen
Liz Truss led tributes to the Queen in Parliament today Credit: PA
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Liz Truss led tributes to the Queen in Parliament today Credit: PA

In his first speech since resigning, he fondly recalled their final meeting, saying the was "as radiant, and as knowledgeable, and as fascinated by politics as ever I can remember."

Mr Johnson - the Queen's 14th PM - opened his tribute to Her Majesty with a "confession" that he welled up during his No10 obituary at the mere thought of her death.

He told MPs: "A few months ago, the BBC came to see me to talk about Her Majesty the Queen, and we sat down and the cameras started rolling.

"And they requested that I should talk about her in the past tense. And I'm afraid I simply choked up and I could not go on - I'm really not easily moved to tears."

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"But I was so overcome with sadness, that I had to ask them to go away.

"I know that today there are countless people in this country and around the world who have experienced the same sudden access for unexpected emotion."

He hailed the late monarch for showing the world "how to give, how to love and how to serve".

Parliament has ripped up its normal business for a day of tributes to Her late Majesty.

After MPs paused for a moment's silence, Liz Truss opened the tributes with a heartfelt message.

The PM said: "The United Kingdom is the great country it is today because of her... During the darkest moments of the pandemic, she gave us hope that we would meet again."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: "This is a deep and private loss for them, yet it is one we all share.

"Because Queen Elizabeth created a special, personal relationship with us all.

"That relationship was built on the attributes that defined her reign: Her total commitment to service and duty, her deep devotion to the country, the Commonwealth, and the people she loved."

Former PM Theresa May joined in the tributes, and sent the Commons into laughter with an anecdote about the time she dropped some cheese on the floor at Balmoral.

She said: "I picked up some cheese, put it on a plate and was transferring it to the table. The cheese fell on the floor. I had a split-second decision to make."

Mrs May paused as MPs burst into laughter, before adding: "I picked up the cheese, put it on the plate and put it on the table. I turned round to see that my every move had been watched very carefully by Her Majesty the Queen.

"I looked at her. She looked at me and she just smiled. And the cheese remained on the table."

Theresa May also paid tribute in an emotional Commons today
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Theresa May also paid tribute in an emotional Commons today