'I didn't realise until I saw the flag lower and then I knew.'
As the union jack at Buckingham Palace was lowered to half mast, the crowds outside stood still in shock.
People had gathered throughout the afternoon after hearing she was ill. The gravity of the moment was all over 77-year-old Sheila De Bellaigue's teary face. Also watching the flag being lowered was Michael Hammond, 23, from Southampton. "I thought she embodied the British spirit, she gave her entire life, and just united generations," he said.
Dave Baldwin was at the gym when the news alert pinged to his phone. He jumped on a bike and headed for the palace from Oxford Street, around a mile away."But it's nice to see people turn out and giving flowers. I'm sure it's just the start of people coming and showing their appreciation."
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