The atmosphere was somber and the crowds remarkably quiet apart from rare applause and sporadic renditions of God Save the Queen. As night fell there were hundreds of bunches of flowers and rows of flickering candles as crowds lingered outside the royal residence, with many huddled under umbrellas and tearfully comforting each other. Dozens of police officers lined the gates while mourners draped a huge union flag at the Victoria Memorial opposite. Among the early evening crowd was David Horrocks, who was born in 1959. The Queen was the only monarch he had ever met. “She’s been so strong, she’s seen a lot of adversity with what she’s seen in the country,” he said. “He’s proven to be a very strong character, someone to look up to.” Horrocks had come after the news to pay his respects to his father, a royalist who was a member of the Royal British Legion and who had met the Queen. “I hope that it has really helped build a legacy that will actually remain, but of course, it depends a lot on – is Prince Charles the person to actually do this? I hope it is. We will find out.” The sense of loss was palpable as the crowd continued to swell despite the light rain. For many, it was a moment to reflect on the Queen’s extraordinarily long tenure, while others spoke wearily of what the loss portends for a new government and head of state. Linda Hlonjwa, visiting from South Africa, was saddened by the news but noted her country’s colonial past that has yet to be reckoned with. “Things are changing at home. We learn a lot.” Crowd sings national anthem outside Buckingham Palace after Queen’s death – video But it is not a good time for Britain, Hlonjwa said. “He just welcomed the new prime minister two days ago and now he is dead. There are a lot of changes, I hope they can maintain what they started.” Maura Ford waded through the crowd with a bouquet in hand to pay her respects. “Two days before he died, he brought in a new prime minister. And he didn’t give up. And she kept her oath to be a servant of all the people of Britain and the Commonwealth,” Ford said through tears. With a new government in place, Ford, who is British-American, hopes his members will make good on their promises, but said it was up to people to help others during this time. “I think we should all put some stoic nature into our lives and help other people as much as we can. And to sustain ourselves, because this will not be easy for everyone,” he said. Ed, who did not want to give his last name, was one of many who placed their bouquets at the gates. The surrounding crowd was quiet enough to hear the sound of bicycle tires screeching as the cyclists passed by. “It’s not unexpected,” Ed said. “But I remember as I was growing up, my mum would stand up every time the Queen spoke. So I thought he would appreciate that.” Growing up in Hong Kong, Ed belonged to a boy scout group that used to swear allegiance to the Queen. “So she was the queen for us, there was only one.” Fighting back tears, Ed said he felt emotional standing outside the palace gates. “There have been ups and downs, a lot of ups and downs,” he said. “But through all the turmoil, all the changes we’ve experienced, it’s like a constant you can count on. So I thank her for that.”
