Hillary Clinton speaks for the first time in her concession speech: 'We need to give Donald Trump a chance'.

She had planned to deliver her speech on a stage shaped like the United States of America, underneath a massive glass ceiling in a huge convention hall showing us all what she had done. Showing us all that the glass ceiling could be smashed.

But instead it remains firmly in place (for now) and the speech so many expected from Hillary Clinton was not victorious, but instead gracious, remorseful and yet inspirational to any young girl wondering why their dreams of a female president had been shattered.

Maybe not today, they were left feeling not this year, not for a while, but someday soon. Someday soon it will happen.

Mrs Clinton moved her speech from the grand glass-roofed ball room to a small nondescript room in a hotel in Manhattan. With her husband Bill and daughter on stage she said “I’m sorry.”

Despite the fact Mrs Clinton is currently leading in the national popular vote she told the crowd that she called Donald Trump to congratulate him and “offer to work with him on behalf of our country.”

Mr Trump won the presidency with 276 electoral votes to Mrs Clinton’s 218, he won Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin against the odds.

After a one hour delay Mrs Clinton arrived at the hotel in a van, flanked by her husband and daughter, Chelsea.

As she took the stage the crowd applauded, loud and deep their shock turning to admiration for the woman they believed in.

To the roaring crowd she said: “Thank you, thank you. And I love you all, too.”

“Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a president for all of our country…”

She then apologised to her supporters.

“I’m sorry that we did not win this election for the values we all share…

“You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it too. This is painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want you to remember this. Our campaign was never about one person, it was about building a country that we love, We have seen that our country was more deeply divided than we ever thought.”

She urged her supporters to accept  Mr Trump.

“I still believe in America and I always will. And if you do we must accept this result and look to the future.”

“Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead,” she said.

“Our constitution enshrines the peaceful transfer of power. And we don’t just respect that, we cherish it.”

“I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans.”

Mrs Clinton told the crowd she was disappointed.

“I know how disappointed you feel because I feel it too,” she said. “And so do tens of millions of Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort. This is painful and it will be for a long time.”

“I have spent my entire adult life fighting for what I believe in. I’ve had successes and I’ve had setbacks.”

She goes on to tell supporters “to never stop believing that fighting for what’s right it worth it. It is – it is worth it.”

“And so we need you to keep up these fights now and for the rest of your lives.”

She acknowledged that she would not be the one to break the glass ceiling.

“And to all the young women who put their faith in me this campaign and in me. Nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion. I know we still haven’t shattered that … glass ceiling but some day someone will and I hope sooner than we might think.

“And to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt you are powerful and valuable.”

She urged them to pursue their own dreams.

She then said that America’s best days “are still ahead of us because, you know, we are stronger together and we will go forward together.

“You should never regret fighting for that.

“Let us have faith in each other … let us not grow weary … there is more work to do.”

Earlier, Clinton’s running mate, Tim Kaine, had addressed the applauding crowd for being the first woman to achieve the nomination and for winning the popular vote.

“I’m proud of Hillary Clinton because she’s achieved vast dreams,” he said.

“Nobody had to wonder about Hillary Clinton about whether she would accept an outcome of an election in our beautiful country. Nobody had to question that. That love of country is something that is obvious to everyone.”

“Hillary and I know well the phrase William Faulkner, ‘They kilt us but they ain’t whipped us yet.’ We know that the work remains. In that important work that remains, it is so comforting to know that Hillary Clinton is going to be battling for the values.”