When Jeff Edwards heard the news that Queen Elizabeth died on Thursday, September 8 he was "overcome by emotion and cried". That's because the 64-year-old had a special and personal connection to the late monarch.
At just eight years old he was one of 240 schoolchildren at Pantglas Junior School when a coal waste tip came crashing down the mountainside, engulfing the school and 19 homes. Out of the 144 people killed, 116 were children.
In the aftermath of the disaster, the Queen waited eight days to visit and meet with people who had been affected - a decision she was always said to have regretted. The delay attracted criticism and years later the Queen's former private secretary, the late Lord Charteris, said he felt he had given her poor advice.
Read more: The Queen's special link with Aberfan born from tragedy
But for many left mourning in the village, they felt her presence helped them during their darkest hour. Thereafter the Queen and the people of Aberfan developed a special bond with each other. She revisited the village several times over the decades including to open a community centre in the 1970s and Ynysowen Community Primary School in 2012.
During King Charles' first visit to Wales as monarch on Friday, he and the Queen Consort attended a reception for local charities at Cardiff Castle, where they had tea with the members of The Aberfan Young Wives Club.
The club was set up shortly after the disaster as a group of solidarity for the women then in their 30s who had lost children and partners in the tragedy. Over the years, the group has met up every week and often takes trips, with its members meeting the Queen several times. For the men in the village, Ynysowen Male Voice Choir was established with a similar purpose and still perform together to this day.
Following the Queen's death, people in Aberfan have paid tribute to Her Majesty, calling it a "very sad" time for the community.
"She had a close association with Aberfan over the years and she always showed an interest in the community itself," Jeff said. He first met the Queen during the opening of the community centre, where he said she made him feel comfortable despite his nerves. Overall, he met her around a dozen times.
"She was so easy to speak to," he explained. "Even though I was nervous to meet a member of the Royal Family, she made conversation flow. The last time I saw her was at the opening of the school in 2012. She was delighted that a new school was being built for a new generation of young people to give them the opportunity that many children in my generation didn't have because they died.
"She commented on the greenery of the area because all the industrialisation had gone since she last visited and the village had regenerated itself. She said how beautiful it was with the mountainside and the playground.
"Each time she visited, she brought the community together. And even though she didn't come to the 50th anniversary, she commanded the then Prince Charles to come. He read out a letter about the amazing spirit of a community that had suffered such adversity." You can read the full message here.
Tanya Devonshire, 51, currently works at the community centre. She said the majority of people in Aberfan were saddened by the news. She said: "It was really sad when I found out she had gone. Aberfan had a connection with her, definitely.
"She came here after the disaster, not straight away, and I don't think everyone understands why she didn't come straight away, but personally I do. When she came I think she shed a tear as well. She opened the school here and the community centre as well. All around it's sad. I think the majority of people in Aberfan love her even if there are a few who don't like the royals."
Leah Farrell lives in Merthyr Tydfil but works at Ynysowen Community Primary School. She said September 8 was a particularly sad day for staff at the school as many live in Aberfan and have met the Queen. The 33-year-old said: "I work as a teaching assistant at the school and the Queen was here 10 years ago opening the school. Everyone is a bit hung up as there's a massive connection to her here because of the disaster. Aberfan became very personal to her so her death hit the school really hard. The teachers were on edge and listening out for the news all day. They feel very connected to her especially as some of them live in Aberfan and have met her."
She said she also felt a lot of compassion towards King Charles as he grieved his mother. She said: "I found it sad how King Charles had to go out the next day, I really felt for him having to smile after he lost his mother. I know it's what he needed to do. I think of him as her son and it was all about him becoming a king - if I lost my mother, you wouldn't see me for days."
Keira Farrell was out in Aberfan along with Leah and echoed her thoughts. The 34-year-old said: "It's sad because she's a person. I'm not a royalist, but she has a family. When anyone loses their grandmother it's horrible."
On Saturday, married couple Robert and Claire Vaughan were visiting the graves of the disaster's victims from their home in Six Bells near Abertillery. Robert, 56, said: "When I grew up in Welsh-speaking west Wales, I didn't feel any connection with the Queen. As time passed with maturity I started to see the bigger picture.
"She's been fantastic and I couldn't speak more highly of her. My mum is a huge fan and she's 92 so lived through the war years and saw what the monarchy did for this country. I have massive respect for the Queen.
"I've always wanted to come here to Aberfan to visit the graves and it was very humbling. I think we should remember that other people have passed away and that she lived a privileged life and died at the age of 96 - but she has been fantastic for this country."
Claire, 57, said: "I wouldn't call myself a massive royalist but the Queen has always been the Queen my whole life and it's sad. She's always held herself with great dignity unlike some of the other members who maybe let themselves down a little bit."
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