London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

The queen's queue: A portrait of our times

The queen's queue: A portrait of our times

The death of Queen Elizabeth has drawn people from across Britain and the world to queue through the streets of London to pay their respects - a melting pot of nationalities, religions, ages and backgrounds.

Among the tens of thousands waiting more than 14 hours to file past the late monarch's coffin on Friday were veterans who had sworn to give their lives in service to their queen and others who had grown up as children of former British colonies.

They had come together to mark a moment in history - the passing of Britain's longest reigning monarch.

Older mourners spoke of their pride in a monarch who was still carrying out government duties two days before she died while younger people spoke of their need to bear witness to such a huge national event.

"She was my boss for 24 years," said Martin Jervis, 54, from Suffolk in eastern England, wearing his naval beret and medals and explaining how, as a member of the armed forces, everything he had done was for the queen.

"That pride and that respect and that responsibility never goes away," he said.

Jervis queued with his cousin Ricky Woods, 51. Starting at midnight they were a couple of hours away from entering the vast medieval Westminster Hall when he spoke to Reuters at around 9 a.m..

While the early hours had been marked by laughter, chat and a sharing of stories amongst strangers, Jervis said the atmosphere had become "a little bit more serious, a little bit more sombre" as they edged along the River Thames towards parliament.

OUTPOURING OF AFFECTION


Cordelia Stronge, 56, from Sierra Leone, spoke of her pride in her adopted city London as she queued with two family members who had been visiting the capital from the West African nation.

"We've known her since we were children," she told Reuters, wearing a colourful blue and yellow headscarf and multiple layers. "Sierra Leone, where I come from, was a colony under the British Empire so she means a lot to us."

The death of Queen Elizabeth has sparked an outpouring of emotion across Britain, with elderly men and women, some in old military uniforms, moving slowly and quietly among the sea of floral tributes left in royal parks and outside royal palaces.

At the same time many younger observers have arrived, smartphone in hand, to celebrate a life and an occasion.

"I'm never going to be part of something like this again," said 25-year-old medical student Jane Ganeshalingam who queued with her mother and explained that her earliest memory in life came from a celebration of the queen when her school gave out bookmarks.

"Part of being British I guess is just having a queen or having Queen Elizabeth II on the throne."

For Reverend Paul Roberts, 42, a vicar in the Church of England from Herefordshire, western England, he said he was there to represent his parish and give "something very small back" after she did so much.

"It makes me feel very proud, really, the eyes of the world are on us and so many people that we've been speaking to in the queues, they're from all over the world," he said, wrapped in a winter coat.

"The queen really is a truly global leader."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
×