Crieff’s Stephen and Fiona Leckie were among those attending the Queen’s funeral in Westminster Abbey on Monday.
Mr Leckie, the Lord-Lieutenant for Perth and Kinross, described the experience as a privilege and an honour.
Mr Leckie said: “It was the most remarkable spectacle.
“We appreciate that we were hugely privileged and honoured to be invited.
“We spent the whole weekend in London. We went down on Friday night in order to be at Westminster Hall on Saturday, and we spent an hour inside soaking up the atmosphere.
“We watched two Changing of the Guards and spoke to a lot of people outside, and it was an honour to be able to do that.
“It was remarkable the number of folk who walked into the hall. It is majestic and huge, but everyone’s eyes were on the catafalque [coffin platform]. The whole focus was the coffin and Her late Majesty. It was very moving to witness and experience.
“On Sunday, we took a walk to Buckingham Palace and Green Park. There were throngs of people everywhere. People were queuing, going nowhere, yet going somewhere – making their own pilgrimage and their own mark to the pageantry of the Royal family and Her Majesty.”
Mr Leckie continued: “The quantity of flowers was unbelievable. Fiona laid some flowers. We walked three or four miles and were out all day soaking up the atmosphere. People were polite, courteous, calm and pleasant. There were a lot of military personnel and police about. Everyone was incredibly helpful and we were directed gently along.
“We spoke to a lot of people who were camping out overnight on the route. They weren’t allowed tents but had sleeping bags, and we had a great chat with them and realised the importance they put on the Crown and the Royal family. They were paying their own respects, as we were.”
On the day of the state funeral, the Leckies arrived at Westminster Abbey just after 8am.
Mr Leckie continued: “Westminster Abbey is incredible. We sat in hushed tones for the first hour and as the organ started up the other guests started arriving.
“We saw First Minister Nicola Sturgeon coming in, President Joe Biden, the current Prime Minister Liz Truss and previous prime ministers, heads of states from countries all over the world, including the Commonwealth, Kings and Queens and then, of course, the Royal family, and a reminder that the Royal family is a big family.
“There were a lot in that group alone as they all filed silently in surrounding the coffin.
“And as the coffin passed, everybody either bowed their heads or curtsied and, as King Charles III passed with the Queen Consort, everybody bowed and curtsied again. That was very special as was the service.”
Mr Leckie said another of the most moving moments for him was when the massed pipe bands heralded the arrival of the coffin.
He added: “We know the Queen’s love of Scotland and we know the Queen’s love of the bagpipes. The first we heard of the service about to start was the gong being struck 96 times and then we heard the massed pipe bands in the distance. You knew the louder they got the closer the service was to starting.
“And as the pipers passed the great west door, the sound of the pipers and then the drummers going past was a very emotional moment, especially for us Scots inside the Abbey.
“It was such an honour being part of it. The reason we were there was to mark a funeral – the funeral of a graceful Queen, a mother and a grandmother.
“That has not gone by us, but we were also there to represent the good people of Perth and Kinross.
“I don’t think people realised how much the death of the monarch of 70 years was going to affect them.
“The organisation both in Scotland and London has been exceptional.”
And of the new monarch, Mr Leckie said: “We have met King Charles III a number of times now and, like his mother, he is interested and is interesting.
“He works hard. He knows a lot more than folk would imagine.
“He is very well briefed when you meet him, so he will be an extremely good king for us.”
