Every year, a young Sam Battershill would travel with his family from their west midlands town to Buckingham Palace and try spot Queen Elizabeth II.
And each Christmas, he would sit with his nana to watch her address to the nation.
"Like religion," he said.
"But obviously, that's not gonna happen now. So that's an end of an era."
Mr Battershill met with other members of a Brits in Canberra group for tea and scones at Queen's Terrace in Parliament House on Saturday morning.
"[It was] just good to get together, all bundle up and just reminisce about her life," he said.
"I do feel sad that she's gone.
"She was such a loving, caring mother, grandmother. She is very family orientated, and everyone loves her in the UK."
It feels like only "five minutes ago" Brits in Canberra were cruising on Lake Burley Griffin to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, member Dr Hayley Smith said.
When Dr Smith heard the Queen was ill, she stayed up on the couch watching the news until her death was announced.
Dr Smith admires the Queen for her role in maintaining the Commonwealth.
"The Queen has done a good job in terms of preserving the dignity of the royal family," she said.
"It's been been really nice the way that Australia has commemorated the Queen and plus having the bank holiday day for mourning. I was quite surprised that Australia has done all that," she said.
"It shows that our bond to England is stronger than perhaps people thought or had realised.
"It just made me feel very much a Commonwealth citizen."
Jim Smith said he has met the Queen, and been around several other members of the Royal Family.
"I was slightly surprised by feeling more sad about it than I expected [because] I've been in Australia for quite a long time now and it's a long time since I've ... been anywhere near the Royal Family," he said.
Mr Smith said while did not consider himself a monarchist, the Queen symbolised great things about his birthplace.
"She is a figure that symbolises some of the best things about British life, integrity and politeness," he said.
"She had taken on an enormously hard job.
"She managed to do that with graciousness and with a smile."
Mr Smith said he understood why some Australians felt disconnected to the royal family, and supported a republic.
"It's a bit weird being in Australia and going well, there we have it, King Charles as monarch," he said.
"[I can understand] some people will feel a desire that we move away from a link to a remote royal family on the other side of the world."
And while still mourning the Queen, Mr Battershill is looking forward to watching King Charles III in his new role.
"I wish him all the best," he said.
"God save the King."
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