Balmoral/London – Thousands of people, from ordinary Britons to international tourists, gathered outside royal residences on Friday to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, expressing their shock and sadness at her passing while applauding a queen who had been a part of their lives for decades.
The mounds of flowers outside Buckingham Palace in London, Windsor Castle just outside the city, and Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands grew as the day progressed.
“It’s not as if it wasn’t anticipated, but it’s still unexpected. It’s simply that she was such a rock for so long, wasn’t she?” said Deborah O’Brien of Norfolk, eastern England, who was visiting Balmoral.
Queen Elizabeth died on Thursday at Balmoral Castle at the age of 96 after 70 years on the British monarchy, making her the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Currently, her son is King Charles III.
For many, it was difficult to conceive of a nation without a person who had been a continuous presence in their lives through good times and bad.
“She’s been around for so long, serving as the face of Britain and the Commonwealth, so it’s just that sort of shock of things being different, it just doesn’t feel real,” said Dan Buckley, 22, a native of Aberdeen who endured the Scottish rain to pay his respects at Balmoral.
From the Commonwealth Games to the Diamond Jubilee, I recall a sense of excitement whenever the royal family and the queen were involved in a significant event.
Others lauded her sense of responsibility, citing the fact that she worked practically until her death, meeting the outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his replacement, Liz Truss, on Tuesday at Balmoral.
Alice Hendry, a 48-year-old textile designer, was among the mass of individuals who came to drop flowers outside Windsor Castle.
“What an amazing lady. She worked until two days prior, when she swore in a new prime minister. That’s absolutely remarkable. When someone takes an oath to serve their country, their sense of obligation will endure for the rest of their lives. What an outstanding illustration of that!”
‘EVERYONE’S GRANNY’
Under a light drizzle, tens of thousands of people gathered in front of the gates of Buckingham Palace and up the Mall, the leading boulevard.
Some had colored their hair in the colors of the Union Jack, red, white, and blue. People were permitted to approach the gate and leave flowers. Some cried or held one another.
Liam Fitzjohn, a 27-year-old railway employee from South London, had brought his daughter.
Even though she won’t remember it, we can tell her that she was present when history was made. “We simply had to bring flowers. She is all we have ever known; we will never have another queen like her.”
Many of them gathered in front of Buckingham Palace were international tourists, with some even carrying suitcases.
Nobu Yamanaka, 52, stated, “I’m travelling back to Japan today and I stopped by on my way to the airport.” “I hauled my large bag through the line at this particular event. It is being viewed by everyone in Japan.”
When asked how she would remember the queen, Trish Heathcote, a tourist from Derbyshire in central England who was visiting Balmoral, responded, “Just as a lovely, caring person who has devoted so much of her time to everyone.”
Sharon Stevens, a 57-year-old employee of the Royal Meteorological Society, expressed shock and sadness at Windsor.
“However, you also wish to honor the extraordinary lady she was and the legacy she left behind. Because she has always been a part of our life, we simply felt compelled to pay our respects today.
Her 25-year-old daughter, shop designer Kelly Stevens, stated, “She has been my queen my entire life. She has been a tremendous inspiration. Such a great woman.”
“I believe it will be quite different. Having a king is something one must become accustomed to. However, I am confident that Charles will do an outstanding job.”
Kay McClement, a 55-year-old tourist worker who resides near Balmoral, stated that she sent flowers with a friend.
“She was incredible. She resembled everyone’s grandmother. She was able to convey the mood with her words and adored the United Kingdom.”