Mourners in London Pay Last Respects to Late Queen Elizabeth II
Mourners from England and abroad honored the dedication of the late Queen Elizabeth II in London Monday, September 19.
“Queen Elizabeth II was a remarkable woman, dedicated to her country, her people. I’m here to honor her life,” one woman from Weston-super-Mare, England, told Storyful.
An Italian man dressed in a Union Jack suit had stayed in London to pay tribute to the late queen and express the love of the Italian people. He said: “People in Italy loved the Queen for the 70 years of her reign, so I said to myself that I want to stay here now, today, for the funeral, to make the right tribute to the queen from Italy.”
A West London Scout said that after being a member of various institutions dear to the late queen, he felt it was his duty to attend the events in London. “She did her duty for me, so I’m doing mine for hers,” he said.
One man, a member of a group dressed in suits printed with English currency notes bearing the late queen’s face, called the ceremony at Westminster Abbey “a fantastic sendoff for the queen.” He said: “She’s lived a very full life and hey, I think we would all like to perhaps go that way.”
One man, who had traveled to London from Leicester, said there was “Nowhere else in the world to be. It means the world.”
A woman from Rotherham agreed, saying, “It means the world to be able to say goodbye,” describing the event as “sad but great.”
One man who had brought flowers to lay summed up the message to the late queen that he had come to give, saying: “Thank you very much for all you have done for us. We will promise to live up to your expectations.” Credit: Catherine Barnwell via Storyful
Video Transcript
CATHERINE BARNWELL: Why are you here today?
- Well, I'm a big royalist. And Queen Elizabeth II was a remarkable woman. Dedicated to her country, to her people. And I'm here to honor her life. Unfortunately, I couldn't be here for the Jubilee. So this was the perfect time to come and celebrate her life.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: And how did you find the atmosphere, being there, watching the ceremony?
- It was lovely. Everybody was ever so friendly. I would say the organization, as well, was perfectly executed. We also went to queue for the lying in state. And everything was perfect. I couldn't have changed anything.
- I am Teddy. I come from Italy. I'm here for the funeral of the Queen.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: And what does the Queen mean to you?
- For me, but also for Italian people, she was a very important figure, historical figure. And people in Italy, like Britain people, loved the Queen in these 70 years of her reign. And so I said to me, I want to stay here now, today, for the funeral to make the right tribute to the Queen from Italy.
- So we live in London. But we really liked the Queen. And it's a privilege for us to be here in this historic moment. So that's why we brought our flags, to show our friends in Brazil that we really enjoy to be here.
- Came down for the state funeral because, as a member of scouting, I've been a part of a lot of institutions that the Queen has been the head of. So scouts, military cadets, lifeguards, and the Lifeboat Institution. So I've always done my duty through a few different things that she's been a patron of. So she did her duty for me. So I'm doing mine for her.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: And how did you find the ceremony?
- Listening to it actually on the speakers in the mall was actually a lot different to watching it on TV. So everyone had their-- everyone had their moment.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: And how much does it mean for you to be here today?
- Everything that you see on TV, it's a little different when you come down and do it in person. So this one had to be-- you have to be here in person for it.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: How did you find the ceremony earlier?
- Well, very touching and extremely well organized. Just a fantastic sendoff for the Queen really. She's lived a very full life. And hey, I think we'd all like to perhaps go that way, you know?
CATHERINE BARNWELL: And could you please tell me the story of the suit jacket that you've got on?
- Oh, yes. So the suits-- so it's part of a suit. And normally, it has a tie that has the Queen on it, as well. But we thought it was appropriate today to show that the Queen was such a beautiful lady, you know, especially in her younger days. And perhaps we don't appreciate that. And to just show her image of how beautiful she was was just a touching memory for us.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: Amazing. Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
- Cheers.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: Thank you.
How did you find it, being there and the atmosphere?
- Absolutely wonderful. Yeah, it's just so calm, so quiet.
- Really nice.
- I've done royal funerals before. And it's always the same.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: And what does it mean for you to be here today?
- Nowhere else in the world to me. Yeah, it means the world.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: What does it mean for you to be here today?
- Oh, it means the world, yeah, to be able to say goodbye. And she hadn't put a foot wrong, has she, all through the reign.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: Absolutely.
- It's been great. Sad but great.
CATHERINE BARNWELL: What does it mean for you to be here today?
- It means a lot, you know? We've never been to anything like this. And knowing of what our Queen has done for us, what she's represented, and her family as well, it's just our little way of saying 'thank you very much for all you have done for us. And we will promise to live up to your expectations.'
