Final goodbye to the Queen

• Published date: 22 September 2022

If there had ever been any doubt as to whether the UK could produce a farewell fitting for a Queen of over 70 years that doubt was most definitely misplaced

To say that what I have witnessed has been spectacular would not do it justice, and I am not sure that there is any single word that could, so I will stop searching, and instead try to describe what I have been doing on my unexpected trip home to England to say farewell to my Queen.

This has been a long farewell, divided into parts for me, and all have given me memories to last a lifetime.

After seeing the Queen return to Buckingham Palace in the specially commissioned state hearse on Tuesday evening I met up with my son and we took refuge in his parked car for a few hours as it was pouring with rain.

At around 4.15am we collected up our things and walked the short distance to The Mall to find a spot to wait for the procession that was still many hours away. Staying out overnight with tents had been discouraged by the Metropolitan Police so there were only a handful of people already there and plenty of space on the front.

Then began the long wait, during which we were joined, by chance, by a friend that I had not seen for many years, but with whom I had slept on the pavement almost exactly opposite where we were, for the wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson back in 1986. We must do it again in another 36 years.

The procession taking Her Majesty to the lying in state was due to leave Buckingham Palace at exactly 2.22pm, and by the time it was light there was a steady flow of people around, many taking flowers to add to the tributes in Green Park before taking their places along the route.

There was a certain amount of dispute from the crowd around us when it became apparent, mid morning, that the area between the two sets of barriers in front of us had been assigned as a press pen, but that “somebody” had forgotten to label it as such.

Eventually, a compromise was reached and having made the biggest fuss we ended up with the clearest space in front of us.

By the time the procession started on its steady walk, it was sunny and The Mall looked beautiful — the Union flags flying on each side of the road had long black tassels attached to reflect the national mourning, and there were black ribbons flying from the painted crowns on the top of each flag pole.

The procession itself was dignified and beautiful, with Her Majesty borne on a gun-carriage of the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the coffin draped in her royal standard with a simple wreath of white garden flowers sitting beside the Imperial State Crown, diamonds sparkling in the sunshine. This is a sight that strikes to your heart — the colour and splendour of the gun-carriage is stunning, and then in stark contrast, you become aware of the opposite side of the image, the sombre faces of those walking behind not just their Queen, but their beloved mother and grandmother. Staring fixedly ahead the new King and his siblings looked devastated as they accompanied the Queen in order to hand her over to her people to pay their respects.

Members of the royal household also walked in the procession, each of them facing a very different future with the inevitable change that a new monarch brings. It was a very moving experience that brought more than a tear to my...