Crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace in London on Thursday watched as the flag was lowered to half-staff after Elizabeth II’s death at 6:30 p.m. Between tears, silence was made and shortly after, the national anthem “God save the Queen” began to play.
“Oh no!” echoed the crowd as the 96-year-old monarch’s death was announced.
In the early afternoon, fans, tourists and journalists began to gather outside the palace, concerned about the state of health of Queen Elizabeth II, following a statement issued by the Palace.
Elizabeth II, the world’s most famous monarch, passed away at her Balmoral castle in northern Scotland.
Throughout the afternoon, thousands of people from all generations flocked to the palace gates. Some cried, others carried bouquets of flowers. Applause was heard from time to time.
“We have come to pay tribute to her. She was like a grandmother to the nation. She was our conscience. It is a huge loss,” Sophie, a 27-year-old Englishwoman, told AFP.
“Of course I feel sad. She was present all my life. She represents a lot for us. Nobody knows what will happen without her,” said Lukas Baskov, a 26-year-old Englishman.
the mother of the nation
Joshua Ellis, a 24-year-old Londoner, shed tears. “I know I was 96, but that doesn’t stop me from being in shock. It’s in our hearts. It’s hard to define what it means to be British, but we could always look and see the stability. (…) It also represented a bond with my grandmother , who was a huge fan and passed away last year,” she said.
For Suzan Antonowicz, “it’s like losing a family member.” “We have known her all our lives. She is the mother of the Nation. She was heroic in so many situations. My respect for her is incredible, but my love is even greater. We will mourn her for years,” added this Englishwoman.
Referring to the new king, Carlos III, Antonowicz considered that he has “a lot of talent”. “I’m very hopeful,” he added.
On Thursday, the sovereign’s doctors had expressed their “concern” regarding the health of Elizabeth II.
“I was hoping the Scottish environment would suit her,” Elizabeth Jackson, 66, named after the queen, said before her death was announced.
“She was queen all our lives, she was so calm, so measured,” Maureen Barnett, a retired teacher, said with emotion.
