Although many sad about queen’s passing, others’ feelings are complicated

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - The UK national period of mourning continued Wednesday as Queen Elizabeth II left Buckingham Palace for the last time.

Her coffin followed the windy streets of central London, a horse-drawn carriage bringing her to Westminster Hall.

Her son, the new King Charles III, and his siblings and sons marched behind the coffin, which featured a wreath of white roses and her crown resting on a purple velvet pillow.

CBS46 is here in London to witness the pageantry and history-making leadup to Monday’s funeral. As a former London-based correspondent, who reported extensively on the royal family, it is especially meaningful to be here reporting on this week’s events.

Thousands gathered along the route, eager to get a glimpse of the procession. For a lot of them, it’s not just history. They’re saying goodbye to someone they have known or feel like they have known their entire lives.

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One woman who emigrated to the UK from Sierra Leone in Africa told me she feels more at home here than she does when she travels back to her home country to see family. “When I go home, I can’t wait to get back to London because of how beautiful this country is. So, yeah, the Queen was our everything.”

But not everyone who came out was as enamored with the royals. One man told me his feelings for the Queen were complicated. The extravagance to him is a bit much. “So many diamonds and property and palaces. I find it hard to see all that.”

King Charles III has now taken the reins, ascending to the monarchy he was destined for since the day he was born 73 years ago. Some of today’s attendees remarked how they’d lost respect for him after the death of his former wife, Lady Diana 25 years ago. “I would prefer William. For younger people,” one Londoner told me, referencing King Charles’s and Diana’s 40-year-old son, who will inherit the throne himself one day.

It is true that young people haven’t had a contemporary Queen or King since Elizabeth was crowned at the age of 25. Still, there are many Brits who support the monarchy, especially now.

Erica, from London, told me, “She was a great lady. She served the country well. So we thought it was a great time to honor her and all the things she’s done for the country. and pay our respects.”

Her friend Lucy also had another woman on her mind, someone who’d also died recently. “I’m here more for my mom. She would have wanted me to be here for this bit of history.”

The Queen will lie in state in Westminster Chapel for the next four days, giving the public a chance to come and pay their respects. People have been waiting in hours-long lines in order to be able to walk past the coffin. The public viewing will end Monday morning, as the Queen is brought to Westminster Abbey for her funeral and then Windsor Castle for her burial next to her father, King George VI, her mother, and her late husband, Prince Phillip, who died just last year.

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