‘Having a king is a bit weird’: Queen’s death exposes generational rift in royal regard

Despite the generational divide, a sense of loss and sadness was clear among crowds outside Buckingham Palace. Photograph: Samir Hussein/WireImage

Standing solemnly before Buckingham Palace, Kamala Thiagaras said she vividly remembered the day Queen Elizabeth II was married. Then a student in a Catholic church, she and her fellow pupils had cakes, biscuits and chocolate to celebrate.

“We will still remember her until we die. We were glad that we were there when she was Queen and she ruled us as we were in the Commonwealth” said Thiagaras, who is Sri Lankan.