the farewell to Elizabeth II in London

It is a sunny day, but freezing. The London sky is particularly blue and clearer of clouds, but the painter Peter Brown uses a light blue and gray at the same time to portray the scene.

He knows that in London it can rain at any minute. She has been on the corner of Lambeth Bridge for two days portraying the crowds that do not take off, the lines that seem never ending to bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II.

At this point, although there are hours of waiting for the pilgrims, they can already breathe. The Palace of Westminster, the impressive British Parliament, is now close at hand.

On a normal day, the walk is between 10 and 15 minutes.

Along the line, thousands of volunteers also hand out bottles of water to the pilgrims and require them to raise their arms to see a yellow bracelet, which today is like a luxury object because it certifies that they have made the line from the beginning.

Nice is Chilean and has lived in London for 20 years. She raises her arm with her handcuff, as if she’s about to cross the finish line, but a metal barrier still doesn’t allow her to go on.

“It was a great lady. A good monarch, a good person. He gave everything for this country, for the whole world. So I’m grateful to the crown,” she says.

Far from complaining, the pilgrims say that they have had the opportunity to read that book they had pending and even to make new friends. They share their tea, their snacks and their lives. The waiting time ranges between 11 and 16 hours.

Some carry portable chairs, but the line is moving so fast that they can’t even open them.

The queue is a great challenge for the body and the mind. Priests constantly approach the public to give them strength.

“We are here to listen to them. They are talking about the loved ones they lost, this brings them back. For this, some feel very sad and others are grateful,” says Father David Bell as he walks towards the end of the line.

Mission accomplished

Anita and her father were in the fiery chamber of Elizabeth II for just 7 minutes, after a wait of 6 and a half hours “which was all worth it”. “It was somber, extremely somber. Very quiet, if a pin dropped, you could hear it. Very emotional.”

She had an additional reason to say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth: “My dad, Manu, visited Winston Churchill on camera and wanted to see the queen.”

The honor of a wake in Westminster Hall is reserved for the king and queen only. An exception was made in 1965 for World War II hero Winston Churchill, who, interestingly enough, was also Elizabeth II’s first prime minister.

For her part, Sandra carefully observes the painting that Peter is about to finish. In this, people have no face. Although the painter assures that one of them, with a gray cap, is the English soccer star David Beckham.

Sandra says that she was able to enter the wake after spending 10 hours in line, all night, then her workday: “It was very emotional.”

Once in Westminister Hall, that enormous room that has 900 years of history, and after passing through security as strict as that of an airport, the pilgrims can finally begin to descend the stairs that will take them to Elizabeth’s coffin in a few steps.

The coffin, made of oak, is located on a purple platform and covered with the monarch’s flag.

On it rests the symbol of the queen: the priceless and impressive Crown of State that has more than 2,600 diamonds and hundreds more precious stones.

This is guarded 24 hours a day by soldiers from three different regiments, all in the service of the monarch, and all in red and gold uniforms.

smell of flowers

So many millions of flowers have arrived outside Buckingham Palace since Elizabeth II’s death was announced that the public has been asked to leave them in neighboring Green Park.

Walking a couple of minutes the first trees are discovered, with thousands of branches around. White flowers prevail, colored roses and, above all, sunflowers.

Most arrangements have heartfelt messages in which the words “thank you” and “we will miss you” abound. Many are made by children, with brightly colored hearts. Others have the British colors: red, blue and white.

While putting her bouquet of flowers, Caris has begun to cry. “It’s a very emotional moment. I have a lot of mixed emotions, it’s very sad. There’s a gloomy atmosphere and sadness. You can feel it,” she reveals.

Sandra works at St. James’ Park, another huge park, neighboring Buckingham, and she does the same route every day and night.

He stopped today, before starting his day at Green Park. He is carrying a bouquet of white flowers that he has delicately placed on the grass, which is already turning yellow.

“I am very sad. It is a very sad day for this country. She (Queen Elizabeth II) has been in my life all my life,” he insists.

Following the fallen petals of the flowers, along the path a little bogged down by the rain that sometimes peeks out, are Sam and his son Lui, who is a military man and was in the service of Elizabeth II.

They each live in a different city in England, but they have met in London to bring white flowers to the late monarch.

“It’s a privilege to be here,” says Sam. “It has been a privilege to serve him. I feel sad that he left, but I am ready to serve the new king,” adds Lui.

Meanwhile, Melani walks hesitantly while avoiding the security barriers put up by the Police after the queen’s death, around Buckingham Palace, which Elizabeth called “office”.

He has paused his tour several times, trying to find the best angle to take a selfie in which the official residence of the monarchy in London appears, whose flag flies vigorously at half-staff.

“It’s the place to be, isn’t it? She did so much for us. She was an amazing lady who did so much for our country.”

Peter painted Buckingham Palace the day after Elizabeth II’s death and will surely want to portray Westminster Abbey. There where the most powerful of the public and millions of others will say goodbye to the only queen they have ever known.