I was at RAF Wyton this evening for their annual reception and Sunset ceremony. Just as a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight was finishing its flypast, the news started to be passed around the crowd that the Queen had passed away.
The proceedings for the evening were quickly changed and we all stood there processing the news as the band played Sunset and the RAF flag was hauled down. The commanding officer, Wg Cdr Farley-West, took the salute, and then the band played the national anthem – God Save the King.
It was a poignant moment; Sunset is the piece of music traditionally played to mark the end of the day in the military, now marking a remarkable life of service.
Today’s news was not unexpected – the death of someone in their nineties never is, and news had come earlier in the day from Buckingham Palace to the effect that the Queen was gravely ill – but it was still a bolt from the blue. Even though it was evidently true, I couldn’t quite process it and I think the same was true for a lot of the others there this evening, particularly for those in the military who have a particular allegiance to the Queen.
Since then, it has been something of a surreal few hours for me. I am currently the mayor of Huntingdon, and so I went back home, put on a black suit and tie, added the black mourning bag over the jewel on the mayoral chair and headed in to the town hall. The team at the town hall were already hard at work, implementing our part of Operation London Bridge.
My official statement – written and approved in advance – went out on social media
“It is with the greatest sadness that this evening we have learnt of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Having served our Nation with the utmost loyalty and devotion for 70 years, I hope that we as a town can come together during this period of mourning to reflect and remember our Monarch for all that she did, inspired and served in that time.
On behalf of the people of Huntingdon, I offer my sincere condolences to the Royal family and to every person grieving locally, nationally and beyond at the loss of, for many of us, the only British Monarch we have known in our lifetime.
May this time of sorrow around the world be an opportunity for us to demonstrate locally our great sense of community, to support each other as we mourn the loss of our Queen.
Please know that through your time of deep sorrow, I, along with our families, friends and neighbours share your grief and that together we will look ahead to brighter days, which is what Her Majesty would want us to do.”
Message from the Mayor, Huntingdon Town Council Facebook page.
There are all sorts of little details that go into the planning for that – there will be a book of condolences in court room two at the town hall, which usually has a picture of Oliver Cromwell, removed for the duration. We quickly went through what I was going to be doing over the period of mourning, and then I drafted a message for the book of condolences and then wrote it in the book itself.
For fully seven decades, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II unfailingly served our country, working for her people to the last.
Just as the remarkable example of her life brought people together across the continents, I am confident that all the people of Huntingdon will come together to mark her reign, our sadness at her passing matched only by our affection for her in life.
Our thoughts with His Majesty the King, Her Majesty the Queen Consort, and all the Roayl Family.
It is now for us to follow the example of selfless dedication that Her Majesty has left us.
[signed] David Landon Cole,
Mayor of Huntingdon,
8-ix-2022
The next few days are going to be very strange. It does mark the end of an era, and we are entering a few months at least that will be very difficult for a great many people. I have various official duties coming up, including being at Huntingdon railway station for when the funeral train passes through. As someone said at the town hall this evening, it will be that moment and the fact that it will have a physicality to it that will really start to bring everything home to a lot of people.
I suspect that the question, ‘where were you when the Queen died?’ will start to go round before too long. Well, I was at RAF Wyton, watching a Spitfire fly overhead before the RAF ensign came down to the strains of Sunset.