First in the queue at Cardiff Castle to bag a good spot for the 96-round gun salute was Sara Rees, a 56-year-old radiographer, who waited patiently in the drizzle with her cockapoo, Teddy.
Like many who attended, she had her own personal royal memories. “I first saw the Queen in 1977 at the time of her silver jubilee,” Rees said. “She came to Neath when I was 11. She opened a leisure centre, visited a factory and then she went to Margam Park. We all had a day off school and went and saw her. Everyone loved her.
“Later I saw at the Royal Welsh Show – she used to go there on the Wednesday. She’s the only queen we’ll ever have in our lives. It’s a sad day.”
There is no official royal residence in Cardiff, even though King Charles had the title Prince of Wales. It meant that floral tributes were left all over the capital – outside the castle walls, on the steps of the Welsh parliament building and close to the entrance to City Hall.
But everywhere there were people, of all ages and many nationalities, who wanted to share their thoughts.
South African Jaden Hanson-White, 19, who is studying in Swansea, said: “This is a moment in history. We were in the movie theatre when we heard. My cousin messaged on my family group that the Queen had passed. I was totally gobsmacked. She reached the world.”
Ashley Manuel, 42, and Jasmine Maniraj, 39, from Reading, took their daughters Stefna, 14, and Sabrina, 10, to the salute. Stefna said: “It’s really sad she passed away, we were expecting her reign to last longer.” Sabrina added: “I expected her to live to 99 or 100 years.”
The Queen was a frequent visitor to Wales, attending formal government occasions as well as sporting events and the agricultural show. She was last in the capital to mark the official opening of the sixth Senedd in October last year.
One of the Welsh communities with the strongest link to the Queen is the valley village of Aberfan, 20 miles north of Cardiff, where 116 children and 28 adults died when an unstable coal tip perched high above a valley slid down the mountain, engulfing Pantglas junior school in 1966.
The Queen is said to have regretted waiting eight days before she visited the village, but after she did strong connections were forged. One of the survivors, Gaynor Madgwick, a child at the time, said on Friday that the Queen came to be thought of as “a mother” to the village.
Touching messages were left in the books of condolence that have opened at City Hall. One well-wisher wrote: “A constant in my life.” Another: “The world and I will miss your enchanting smile and wonderfully coloured clothing.” One former member of the armed services wrote: “I was proud to have served you ma’am.”
Gillian Lewis, 46, from Newport, left the message: “Thank you so much for bringing so much joy to my grandmother.”
After writing her note, Lewis explained: “The Queen was an idol for my grandmother Hilda. She styled herself on the Queen – had the same hair and everything. This brings back a lot of childhood memories for me and memories of my grandmother.
“I asked my 12-year-old daughter Erin this morning what she thought. At first she said it didn’t mean anything. When she thought about it, she said a figurehead has gone, it’s a moment in history.”
