It’s a little after 7 o’clock. Martha, 52, opens one eye. With her best friend Jane and her eldest daughter, this Californian spent the night on a floor mat placed at the foot of the barrier installed all along the Mall, the avenue that connects Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square , in London, for a final farewell to Queen Elizabeth II.“The three of us took turns sleeping a little bit, she says, wiping her long, dusty black coat. The atmosphere was very friendly: we met many people with whom we talked all night. And we were lucky: it didn’t rain and it wasn’t too cold. »
Behind her, people are starting to arrive and position themselves along the barrier. Like her, they want to see King Charles III pass shortly before the 11 a.m. start of the religious funeral ceremony, then at 2 p.m. when the official coffin procession leaves for Windsor. The crowd quickly becomes so dense that at 8 am, the authorities close access to the Mall. Latecomers are sent to Hyde Park, from where they can follow the retransmission of the whole day.
“Express our pride in being English”
Holly and Suzy, both 24, pull themselves out of the tube and into Hyde Park. They choose the largest of the eight screens installed in the park and open their plastic cover. Their backpack is filled with sandwiches, packets of crisps and a bottle of non-alcoholic prosecco. “I only had that in my fridge”, laughingly apologizes Holly, wearing a beige jacket and a white crop top. “We only planned for this yesterday, hence our lack of preparation. For us and our four friends who will join us later, this day is above all a patriotic celebration, like the Football World Cup, an opportunity to express our pride in being English. It’s a joyful day, especially with this holiday! »
David, 65, had planned everything. As soon as he arrived from Bradford, in the north of the country, he went to the famous queue to see the remains of the sovereign, installed from Wednesday to Monday morning in the Palace of Westminster. A sausage sandwich in hand and medals hanging from his blue blazer, this veteran is beaming. “I wouldn’t have traded my nine-and-a-half-hour queue for anything in the world: I’ll never forget Westminster Hall, the soldiers guarding his coffin, totally frozen as if they were made of wax. » At his side, his sister Sharon is thrilled: “To celebrate this funeral in a very British way, I just devoured for breakfast a plate of chips with mashed peas. My day is successful! »
Reflection and impatience
The crowd is now dense in a crowded Hyde Park, while the coffin of Elizabeth II is transported by men to Westminster Abbey, located a few dozen meters away. The voices are silent. Even if the religious ceremony does not speak to all this crowd, which mixes believers of multiple religions and non-believers, the rite pushes most spectators to meditation. The two minutes of silence that follow are broken only by the cawing of crows above Hyde Park and a few cries of children.
Back at the edge of the Mall, Martha waits impatiently for the procession to pass. “Mom, here they come! », shouts behind her a little girl sitting on her mother’s shoulders. The crowd then falls silent. Everyone tries to catch a glimpse of the coffin, King Charles III and his family, amid raised arms and outstretched cameras. A few bursts of applause then ring out. The queen left and her family with her. They quickly leave London for Windsor. Elizabeth II will rest there in the family vault with her husband Prince Philip, who died last year.