The Queen and the Queue

'London Bridge is activated' popped on my screen while I was deep in my work. That popup left me stunned to concentrate any further. I scanned through BBC, my go-to source, and other news channels to confirm any latest news. All were carrying the same message since morning that the Queen's doctors were concerned for her health. 'London bridge' was the project code for most businesses across the country as an action plan in the event of the Queen's passing. Most of our teams were busy in meetings, discussions and planning the next steps. To be ready to take necessary actions from the word 'Go'. Needless to say, the seriousness and severity of the situation were profound. With emotions running high and pressure mounting, the stoicism of the Queen was yet to rub on me, I thought.

In the evening, I left my workstation to buy a few necessities just in case the shops closed at short notice. There was an eerie silence walking past the shops. Some had closed for the day others were calm and quiet. I could sense that the palace might have confirmed the news. Coming back, I continued work taking the planned actions like a robot without emotions or reflection on the events. Within a few hours, the country and the whole world changed. UK's longest-reining Monarch, Queen Elizabeth the second, had left for her heavenly abode at Balmoral, Scotland. The news didn't sink in me till the morning. We started more discussions in and outside of work. It felt as if the whole world already had plans for this D-Day. The palace even had approval for all the preparations from her Majesty well in advance. And here I was reflecting on a life of a ninety-six-year-old graceful lady. The privileges, the happiness, the challenges and all the sorrows that she went through, who happened to be the Queen for seventy-odd years, made it a hundred folds, all beyond my imagination.

For the next several days, all forms of information channels carried heartfelt condolences for the passing of her Majesty. The Queen sacrificed her entire life, a promise rare these days, for the nation, the commonwealth and the world. Her life's journey was extensively documented over the years and social media made it possible to share it instantly across the globe. Mourners across the world paid tributes in their capacity.

I followed her final journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh through the beautiful Scottish landscapes. When the first march started from Holyrood Palace to St Gale's Cathedral on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, it bought back memories of my frequent walks on that route. On the first day of lying in state, when the general public can pay their respect to the departed soul in a place of importance or government building, thousands lined up to pay their respect. We could sense the number will be close to half a million down south.

The next day, when the Queen's convey with the coffin flew down to the capital for the four days of Lying in state, people lined the roads from the airport to Buckingham Palace to see a glimpse of the hearse. Hundreds stationed themselves in front of the Westminster Palace hours before the actual ceremony started. Many braved the night's cold and windy conditions near the Thames to be the first ones, to pay their last respect to their beloved Queen. The queue was already forming and snaking till London Eye by morning. In the afternoon, when the short ceremony concluded and the gates of Westminster Hall, the oldest building in the Parliament estate, opened to the general public, hundreds had passed through the Catafalque - a wooden raised surface to place a coffin.

My thoughts were swinging between 'to join' or 'not to join' in the queue in the coming days. Within hours it was not only the talk of the town but the whole world. The next day we had a dedicated queue tracker to inform the public of the latest status. By mid-morning, the queue had to be paused, as the waiting time was over twenty-four hours due to the sudden influx of people who hurried to pay their respect. Back in India, we are used to long and snaking queues at places of spiritual importance. However, here it felt different as it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see an official Lying in the state of the longest-reining monarch. And the fact that the queue had a deadline added pressure and importance.

I decided to join on the final full day of lying in the state. Reaching the station, I could make who was to join the queue, mostly all black outfits with backpacks, prepared for the long wait. The facilities on the way were improving by the hour. The government buildings, museums, and other buildings of importance were kept open for washrooms, refreshment breaks, and resting places. When I started at Southwark park, close to 3 miles of actual walking distance from Westminster, the tracker showed fourteen hours and seven miles of estimated walking distance, considering the zig-zags in between. I ran the first half of the park to get a wristband that was the entry pass, dashing through the lines of cameramen and reporters trying to capture every bit of the madness. Finally, I managed to join thousands ahead of me and countless more but out of sight.

The first hour went into understanding the logistics, the terms used for instructions and overall soaking in the mood. There were volunteers all over explaining and answering all sorts of questions. Few of them even helped to make it cheerful. I could see people from all walks of life coming from different places and communities, speaking various languages. It felt more like a fun fare than a sad event. At times, laughter erupted like spring when strangers started to know their fellow companions. We all started looking out for each other. We could get in and out of the queue to use washrooms, eat, drink and rest. At times, it covered a lot of ground and other times, it felt like a snail. Every bit of uncertainty gave rise to thoughts of quitting. We crossed most of the distance glancing through the known yet ignored landmarks of the capital.

By evening, I reached the opposite side of the parliament. The sunset glowed on the big ben and parliament building. It felt as if telling us that all things come to an end. After seven hours of walking and little breaks, I entered the last leap of the queue in the Victoria gardens. It felt like we achieved a great deal. However, this was just my illusion after the long walk. A volunteer offered snacks and water and informed us that there were two more hours to go and a distance of 3 miles zig zag. I could cross this park in five minutes on a typical day. But today was not a normal day by any standards. Large barricades were placed as security was heavy and the lines moved fast. The mood of the queue was now quiet and somber. After the tight airport-style security, we continued towards Westminster hall, which rarely opened to the public. The last time it opened was for the Queen Mother's lying in state. It felt as if the late queen chose this place as a mark of respect to her mother.

When I entered the hall, there was an eerie silence. Everyone moved slowly towards the catafalque, where the Queen's coffin draped in Royal Standard rested. On top were the Crown, the Orb and the Sceptre, all traditional and symbolic of her coronation. As promised, she dedicated her whole life to the service of the people. As to how well she performed her duties is to each their own. The fact remains she was the longest-reining monarch and the most loved. And here she was, resting in peace and blessing every single soul who stood in the queue to glance one last time.

Beyond the royal pageantry, I appreciated the Queen's Guards, who stood in a vigil on the four corners of the catafalque. They stood there in their large armors motionless with heads bowed and only moving eyes at times. I could witness one of the changes of guards, as guards changed every twenty minutes. We could only hear the tapping of the sword to signal the change and the heavy boots on the floor. The controlled emotions and gestures showed their sincerity and sense of duty to their boss.

When my turn came, I moved slowly towards the catafalque bowed and prayed for the departed soul. It felt like, be it a commoner or a queen, we all meet the same end but how well we live our lives makes all the difference. I left the place with the peace and satisfaction of witnessing history and being a small part of it. The Queen and The Queue forever etched in my memory.