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Queen’s funeral an emotional experience for British ex-pats

Queen Elizabeth II deserving of love and support
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A painting of the Queen Elizabeth II is seen next to flowers at Green Park, near Buckingham Palace, in London, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. The Queen will lie in state in Westminster Hall for four full days before her funeral on Monday Sept. 19. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Christine Moore remembers vividly her brush with royal greatness.

Moore was in her mid-teens and a member of her school’s choir, which was chosen to sing for Queen Elizabeth II at the Anglican cathedral in Liverpool as part of her Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977.

“I was on the front row and I remember the peach outfit she had on. I remember everything about that day,” said Moore, who lives just west of Red Deer.

She was up at 3 a.m. on Monday to watch the state funeral that drew hundreds of thousands of Britons to the streets of London and millions of others watched on TV or online. Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Sept. 8, 2022 and 10 days of national mourning ended Monday with her funeral.

Among Moore’s now-fonder memories was how long she and the other singers had to wait for the queen, who was running late. And she still recalls how serious the queen was during the celebrations in her honour.

“But she was always a class act. It’s the end of an era.

“It’s really quite sad. It has impacted me more than I thought it would.”

The queen provided a lifetime of service to her country through the good times and the bad, said Moore.

“She went through her own annus horribilis when the castle burned down and her kids were getting divorced. She identified with people in that way, but she still carried on.

“I’ve got tremendous respect for that and her service and her commitment to the people.

Moore’s 93-year-old mother was visiting her in Canada when the queen died.

“It really impacted my mum because they’re the same era. They’ve seen a lot of history and a lot of life.”

The monarchy will not be the same in the queen’s absence, added Moore, who is a Red Deer County councillor.

“I think we’re going to see (the royal family) way more streamlined because England is going through a really hard time, like we are here, with inflation and other real concerns.

“We’re going to see a change.”

The reign of King Charles III and, eventually, of his son William, will be different than the monarchy of the previous 70 years, she believes.

“But in a way, I think that is a natural evolution.”

Moore also joked she will probably have to head to bed early on Monday night after her funeral marathon. But she might have a gin and tonic in the queen’s honour to end the day.

“I know she liked a nice G ‘n T.”

Dorothy Craigmile, who was born in St. Andrews, Scotland and immigrated to Canada in 1976, was also up in the wee hours to watch the funeral.

“I watched it all. I’ve been watching it all since she passed away,” said Craigmile, noting the queen died in Scotland at her beloved Balmoral Castle home. “I think she planned it very well.”

Her memories of the queen go back as far as her coronation in 1952 when she was a five-year-old school girl.

“We didn’t have a TV in those days. So, we all had to gather in a local hall to watch the coronation.”

She was deeply affected by the funeral and the respect shown the late queen.

“I cried many times. Very emotional,” said Craigmile, who now lives in Sylvan Lake.

“I’m a pretty good royalist, but I learned stuff about her I didn’t know. She did lots of great things.

“Look at the support. Everybody loved her. She was very available to the public and she made herself available.”

Knowing that thousands often turned out to see her, the queen always dressed colourfully to stand out, a hat perched on her head and clutching a purse.

“That was very deliberate. She knew that her people wanted to see her.”

Sheila Brown, who came to Canada from England with her husband in 1993, was also moved by Monday’s ceremonies.

“It makes me a little bit homesick. I’m not a big monarchist, but I have so much respect for the queen. She was just always there when we were growing up.”

Brown, who was born in Darlington in the northeast of England and now lives in Sylvan Lake, was also struck by the huge outpouring of support for the queen from all corners.

“It’s a very touching moment in history that we’re observing. It’s sad, but hopeful as well.”

While some have voiced doubts about how her son will fare as king, Brown believes he will be a good monarch.

“I think he will be just fine because he has been training for this for so long — 73 years,” she said with a chuckle.

Alberta also held a memorial for the Queen at the legislature on Monday.



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