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Reuters
Reuters
World
By Andrew MacAskill and Humza Jilani

Farewell to the queen: emotional crowds line streets of London and Windsor

Crowds take photographs on the Horse Guards Avenue ahead of the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Picture date: Monday September 19, 2022. David Davies/Pool via REUTERS

Vast crowds gathered in London and Windsor for Queen Elizabeth's state funeral watched the grand procession in silence and awe on Monday, as some wept, others clutched one another for support, and some held up their children to view 'the making of history'.

In central London where the funeral began, tens of thousands lined the streets around Westminster Abbey, the Mall - the elegant avenue leading up to Buckingham Palace - and Hyde Park. Many had camped overnight or arrived in the chilly early hours.

Crowds on The Mall stand for a two minutes silence during the state funeral and burial of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth in London, Britain September 19, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs

At the first sight of the queen's coffin being borne to Westminster Abbey, a hush fell over the crowds, who followed the funeral service on large television screens or from a radio broadcast on loudspeakers.

Many said the scale and pageantry of the funeral captured how they felt and was a fitting goodbye to the queen, who died on Sept. 8 aged 96. She had been on the throne for 70 years, and most Britons have known no other monarch.

"I find it hard to express in words what we just witnessed. This was really special and memorable," said Camilla Moore, 53, from Nottingham, after watching the funeral service in London. "It was terribly sad. So very, very sad. The end of an era."

The crowd in Whitehall take photographs ahead of the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Picture date: Monday September 19, 2022. David Davies/Pool via REUTERS

Chloe Jesson, 59, had travelled south from Manchester and said she found the ceremony emotional.

"You felt the sadness for the country and her family. At the same time it was a celebration of her life... I occasionally cried, but I was never sad, if that makes any sense," she said.

"The best thing was there were people from all walks of life, each race and religion and everyone came here to celebrate."

Members of the public in the crowd on The Mall, central London ahead of Queen Elizabeth II state funeral on Monday. Picture date: Monday September 19, 2022. Martin Rickett/Pool via REUTERS

After the service, the queen's coffin was taken on a gun carriage, escorted by her family and thousands of soldiers dressed in ceremonial finery, past her Buckingham Palace home and on to Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner, to the strains of funeral marches.

From there, it was placed on a hearse and driven to Windsor Castle, west of London. The queen will be buried at the castle, in the King George VI Memorial Chapel.

Hundreds of thousands of well-wishers lined the route, throwing flowers, cheering and clapping as it passed from the city to the English countryside that she so loved much.

People react as they watch the funeral of Britain's Queen Elizabeth on a large screen in Holyrood Park Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, September 19, 2022. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

John Ellis, 56, an army veteran, came from Portsmouth to Windsor, and watched the services from Long Walk, the 3-mile-long avenue that sweeps to Windsor Castle through Windsor Great Park.

"It's been a moving day. I've been struck by the reverence of everybody throughout," he said.

"My own emotions were mixed, up and down... The most moving moment I think was when the hearse went past. I was really struck by the silence. Especially with all the bands there, I thought there was going to be lots of music and fanfare and there wasn't, there was just silence."

People wait along the route that the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II will be pulled on a gun carriage following her funeral service in Westminster Abbey in central London Monday Sept. 19, 2022. Emilio Morenatti/Pool via REUTERS

As the funeral procession drew close to the castle, even the queen's beloved pony and corgis were taken out to watch.

'A LOVING AND CARING PERSON'

Colin Sanders, 61, a retired soldier who had come to London from North Yorkshire to bid farewell to the queen, struggled to hold back tears listening to the ceremony on the Mall.

Members of the public, one of them holding a Paddington Bear toy, outside Buckingham Palace wait to watch Queen Elizabeth II funeral procession, in central London Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. Christophe Ena/Pool via REUTERS

"It felt like we were there and part of it... it was very moving," he said.

"I knew I'd well up ... She's like your grandma, a loving and caring person. She said she'd serve the country and that's what she did."

It was Britain's first state funeral since 1965, when World War Two leader Winston Churchill was afforded the honour.

People react as they watch the funeral of Britain's Queen Elizabeth on a large screen in Holyrood Park Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, September 19, 2022. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

More than an hour before the funeral service began all viewing areas in central London were declared full. Authorities had said they expected up to a million people might travel to the capital.

Melanie Odey, 60, a teacher, had camped out in a tent with her daughters and grandchildren after arriving on Sunday afternoon.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of history, to pay your respects," she said.

People watch the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth on their phone, in London, Britain, September 19, 2022. REUTERS/Tom Nicholson

Some in the crowds were silent and sombre, dressed in black. Others wore bright colours and said they wanted to celebrate the queen's life.

Anna Kathryn from Richmond, in southwest London, had never met or seen the queen. Yet she said her family felt they had a personal tie with her.

"It is like we have had a death in the family, we couldn't miss this," she said. "She was such a bright spot in everyone's lives and now it feels like that light has gone out."

(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Stephen Farrell in London and Humza Jilani in WindsorAdditional reporting by Richa Naidu, Peter Hobson, and Natalie Grover in London, Alistair Smout in Windsor, and Lindsay Dunsmuir in EdinburghWriting by Alexandra HudsonEditing by Janet Lawrence, Frances Kerry and Rosalba O'Brien)

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