Hailing from Kochi, retired engineer Benedict Kanakkanatt and his wife, Shaima, have made travelling their hobby. Recently, they flew to London just to “witness history”. THE WEEK spoke to Benedict soon after he and Shaima left Westminster Hall, where Queen Elizabeth II is lying in state until her funeral on September 19.
Edited excerpts from an interview:
Q/ Did you travel just to see the Queen’s funeral? If so, why?
A/ Yes, we travelled just for the funeral because it is history happening live, right in front of our eyes. We already had a UK visa, but had delayed the trip as we are expecting our second grandchild. Then, the Queen passed and we packed our bags.
Q/ There are jokes and memes about the queue in front of Westminster Hall.
A/ (Laughs) We stood in line for seven hours! The British queue is something in itself. No one jumps the line. No pushing or shoving. No anger or impatience. People in the queue pop out to buy food from eateries and snack bars nearby; water is supplied in some places. Shaima and I did not feel the burden of the long wait.
Someone told us that there were one lakh people in the line. I was amazed by their discipline and their devotion to the Queen. Why else would someone queue up for so long? By the time we left, the wait was 10 hours! (While the interview was on, the queue was eight kilometres long).
Q/ What are the queue timings like?
A/ The queue is on round the clock from Wednesday, September 14. It will end at 6:30am BST on Monday, September 19, the day of the state funeral. The funeral itself is restricted to family and dignitaries. Even the airspace will be closed during the state funeral.
Q/ What was the most impressive moment?
A/ It is the feeling when you enter Westminster Hall. It is the oldest building in the British Parliament complex. It was built in the 11th century and is about 900 years old. The Queen’s coffin, covered in the royal flag, looks so lost in the magnificent hall. Also impressive in the vigil of the guards in their magnificent uniforms. They are on guard round the clock and have six-hour shifts, but the vigil team changes every 20 minutes.
(The three ceremonial units guarding the queen as she lies in state are The Gentlemen at Arms, the Royal Company of Archers and the Yeomen of the Guard. The Gentlemen at Arms are the most senior of the sovereign's guards; the chief whip of the House of Lords is their captain—currently Baroness Williams of Trafford.)
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Q/ And the most touching moment?
A/ It is the silence that falls as we near Westminster Hall. It is a respectful quietness. No one enforces it or demands it. People just seem to be lost in thought about the Queen. Some people in the queue were in dark suits or formal mourning dress. Others were more simply dressed. But everyone was equally contemplative as the moment of viewing drew close.
And as the casket came into view, some would bow for a second and others would cross themselves. It was a most touching moment.