Well-wishers from as far away as Canada and the United Arab Emirates travelled to Buckingham Palace to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II on the fourth day of mourning.
Waiting in a queue of hundreds along the pavement outside St James’s Park, visitors were directed to lay flowers in a designated area in Green Park, after the piles of bouquets were moved away from the front of Buckingham Palace.
Grace Drang, from Canada, said outside the palace: “Our people have a long history with the crown. We’re indigenous people from Canada, I think that we’re very proud to be part of the Commonwealth.
“Her image was all over everything as well, our money, our coins. I think that people in Canada are deeply affected and showing their respect at our parliament and showing signs of condolence.”
Hundreds visited Buckingham Palace to pay their respects
Zac Goodwin
People from as far away as Canada and the United Arab Emirates travelled to the palace
Joe Giddens
One man, who did not give his name, had flown to the UK from Dubai as soon as he heard that Queen Elizabeth II had died, and would return after spending a week in the capital.
He said: “I wanted to pay my respects to the Queen and to the Royal Family. She meant stability, she meant sense of duty.
“I’m not from England, but the UK has been my home for 14 years and I have the most immense respect for the Queen and I felt that I needed to be here.”
Mourners have also dropped flowers into the fountain in St James’s Park by the palace to pay their respects to the late monarch.
Flowers and teddy bears, including a stuffed corgi, continue to be laid at the foot of the fountain.
Sylvia Willcox, from Putney, south-west London, remembers watching the coronation on television when she was seven years old.
She said that she wanted to come to the palace “to pay respects and to see everyone in the same frame of mind. We’ve always admired her and loved her”.
Ms Willcox added: “I think some lose touch as they grow older with royalty and maybe not think it’s that important, but as I get older, I think especially now, it’s come to the fore how important she was and what a good job she actually did.
“It’s made people realise that lifelong, selfless duty that she’s always done without any aggravation. It’s just been supportive, she’s been a supportive person for us all.”
