LONDON — Crowds of Londoners and from far and wide made their way to Buckingham Palace Thursday as news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death broke.
The rain tearing through London all Thursday cleared not long before the Union Jack atop Buckingham Palace was lowered to half-mast, signifying the death of the Queen and the end of an era.
Royal Air Force veteran Joe Dowd, 75, was one of them. “My mother worked in Buckingham Palace. She worked there so many years before she died. The Queen is one of the best heads of state. Everyone likes her. She’s above everything and she never gets involved in politics... there are very few like her in the world.”
Yellow and orange police vehicles scattered the area, mingling with news vans and lighting trucks prepping for their broadcasts.
As the glow of the sun disappeared behind a smattering of gray clouds, the city seemed quiet. Unified in shock and grief. One of the few constants in this last century was gone.
As the natural light gave way to the cover of dusk, and street lamps lit the foliage-covered grounds of Hyde Park Corner, hordes of calm, curious crowds trudged back toward the palace. All determined to witness this moment in history.
Matthew Clarke, 39, from Swansea, Wales, pointed out to the crowd that the flag had been lowered. “It feels like one of those days in history.Everyone remembers where they were on 9/11 or when Princess Diana passed,” he told the Daily News.
“She’s been one hell of a queen,” said Nosa, 30, from Nigeria, who has lived in the UK for 15 years. “I’m a bit sad. Still processing it.”
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