The First Minister has said everyone across the UK and the Commonwealth "owes a deep debt of gratitude" to the Queen. 

Nicola Sturgeon was speaking as Platinum Jubilee celebrations marking the monarch's 70 years on the throne continue across the UK. 

She told the BBC that she feels "great respect" for the Queen for her "dedication" and "selfless commitment to duty". 

Ms Sturgeon added: "But you don't have to be a great supporter of the monarchy, I am not talking about me here, to have huge respect for the queen and to think of her as quite an extraordinary individual to whom everybody across the UK, and the Commonwealth, owes a deep debt of gratitude."

The First Minister will attend the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday as Jubilee celebrations continue. 

However, the 96-year-old monarch will not be attending the service after experiencing "some discomfort" at the celebrations on Thursday. 

She is believed to have experienced episodic mobility issues during Thursday's events.

Speaking on her experiences with the Queen, Ms Sturgeon said she treasures her conversations with the monarch. 

"I like her a lot - I have deep respect for her as many people do," she said. 

"The context of those conversations are rightly by convention completely private and confidential and I won't breach that.

"But I think it is fair to say that that opportunity to talk with her, to benefit from her knowledge, her wisdom and perhaps above all the completely unique perspective she has on modern world history, is something that I deeply value and will always really treasure."

The First Minister added: "She is somebody who has had a front row seat on the last 70 years of history. She has met every world leader over that time. She has seen up close and personal some of the key events of history.

"The knowledge that gives her, the wisdom that gives her, the perspective that gives her is much more valuable in these conversations then any specific thing that she will perhaps say".

Questioned whether she considered herself a monarchist, Ms Sturgeon said: "I support the Queen and her successors remaining head of state - it is the policy of my party as I think you well know."

She added: "I actually don't think that this weekend is the time to really be talking about these things."