On my first trip to the UK, I landed in London on 8 Sept 2022, the day the Queen left us. Though I do not keep myself abreast with the political scene, I do think fondly of the Queen as someone who can handle tough situations with grace. This was definitely one thing that changed the way my trip would be been, as I stayed in UK over the 10-day period of mourning.

A Visit to (the outside of) Buckingham Palace, London

I visited the Buckingham Palace on 9 Sept 2022, it was definitely different from usual. I bet it was a lot more crowded than it usually was, though I had not been here before. There were media tentages, reporters, police cars, and people who just wanted to pay their respect to the Queen.

The Mall, a famous red paved road which leads to the Buckingham Palace
Police cars spotted
The EIIR cypher, which stands for Elizabeth II Regina (Queen in Latin), would soon be changed to CIIIR, which stands for Charles III Rex (King in Latin).

London at Night

As I was on a guided city tour in the day, it was very rushed and there were no time to absorb the atmosphere. Hence, I came back that night.

Most of the LCD screens on the streets of London became a tribute to the Queen.
Even the casinos were displaying tributes to the Queen
The outside of Buckingham Palace was even more crowded and lined with flowers and letters for the Queen. There were messages from people around the world, probably from kids as well. How loved was the Queen.

Thinking about Singapore’s Lee Kwan Yew

It was an uncanny resemblance to the time Lee Kwan Yew left us in Singapore. The tributes, the somber, even their legendary life.

Other parts of UK

Even as I left London to other parts of UK, the mourning was no less intense. Tributes to the Queen were still displayed at shopfronts; flowers were still laid outside churches; Birtish flag on half-mast everywhere; the news were all about the Queen.

Flowers laid outside a church in Birmingham
Most shops were closed on 19 Sept 2022, the Queen’s funeral day
A deserted shopping street in Newcastle on 19 Sept 2022

My Tribute to the Queen

A visit to the St. Martin’s in the Bull Ring in Birmingham
I wrote a note to the Queen
Visitors to the church from all over the world. One of those moments that inspired me to start this travel blog.

In some way, being part of the 10-day mourning of the Queen’s passing was one of the highlights of my trip. I came to realize the end of the mourning on 20 September morning as I watched process of the British flag raised from from half-mast to full, and I left UK the next day with a lingering heavy heart.