"In a sad funeral, a funeral of our monarch, her last gift to us was to encapsulate everything that's great about our nation," Lord Vernon Coaker said, shortly after attending the momentous state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The former Nottinghamshire MP was one of around 2,000 guests privileged enough to say farewell to the treasured monarch at Westminster Abbey. Joel Moore reports on a day people came together.
Outside the historic walls of Westminster Abbey, on the streets of London, lay thousands upon thousands of mourners, some of whom had made the trip from Nottinghamshire. "People will remember this day for the rest of their lives," describes our reporter Adam Toms, who was among those crowds on The Mall that witnessed the procession of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin.
Lord Coaker, who was one of a just a few to be nominated to represent Labour from the House of Lords at the service, said he had never been to anything so historic.
"Even, as some said to me, if they only caught a swift glimpse of Her Majesty as she glided past them," he said.
Read more: Memories of the Queen's youngest and oldest fans in Nottinghamshire
"The atmosphere was respectful, it was dignified and it was thankful," the former Gedling MP added. "I thought the way the service was conducted encapsulated the life of the Queen. We have to honour that legacy and respect the values she stood for but continue to live out the values that she espoused through her life - duty, family, community, patriotism, unity.
"There were silences and there was respectful clapping as a sign of thanks. It was such a privilege and honour. It was sad but it's an inevitability of human life and you look back and think there's a life that has been phenomenally well-lived."
Lord Coaker, who sat 20 metres from the Queen's coffin, was not the only Nottinghamshire person in the Abbey. Much closer was Luke (surname unknown), from Selston, who was one of the proud 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards carrying the monarch's coffin.
"Ashfield Lads. Luke and Aaron [who was on the street with crowds] doing their duty and making their families and the whole of Ashfield feel incredibly proud. Serving Queen and country." Ashfield MP Lee Anderson wrote on his Facebook page.
Sir Ken Olisa, who served as Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London for the past seven years, was also present. The successful businessman, from Hyson Green, was seen speaking to the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby before the service.
Back in Nottingham, mourners were also paying their respects. People gathered at Binks Yard, off London Road, to watch coverage of the funeral.
One of them, Joy Edwards, who met the Queen five times said: “She’s been, I would say, a warrior. She’s stood up for the the country, she’s been upstanding, admirable. Somebody who the world looked up to." People also visited Old Market Square and joined the country in a two-minute silence to remember the late Queen Elizabeth II.
READ NEXT:
