Paying Your Respects

I watched the Queen's funeral today and you could not help but be awestruck by splendour of the occasion -  the pageantry, the dignitaries and the huge crowds which were unique, certainly in my lifetime, and it did feel like a momentous moment in the country's history. As one paper called it - a spectacular finale to the second Elizabethan age.
What was not unique was the grief felt by her family - which is recognisable to anyone who has lost someone they loved. In this case her family have lost a beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Your heart did go out to them.
I'm not a Royalist at all but you do have to pay respect to how she conducted her reign with fortitude, grace and intelligence.

Today's shot was taken at the Garden of Honour in the Royal British Legion Village just up the road. It was a modest but heartfelt tribute to the Queen. She came to the village on several occasions during her reign, with the picture on the easel showing her on one such visit. Her last visit was in 2019 to launch the second phase of the Centenary Village, which will provide homes to hundreds of veterans.