One of the thousands who gathered outside Buckingham Palace on Thursday

THERE’s a symmetry between those who gather for Royal births and deaths. People stand around, waiting for a sign that something, anything is about to happen. There is no news. Some drift away, deciding the big development will happen tomorrow. Others hang on for just another half hour. Then all of a sudden, from nothing, everything happens all at once.

The moment where the flag was lowered to half mast at Buckingham Palace, at 6:30pm, was the turning point. Those who had come to show their concern for the Monarch gasped, pointing upwards as the ropes were pull to move the Union Jack. They surged forward, waiting to see something else, anything from beyond the Palace gates.

In the hour before the announcement of Her Majesty’s death, some hopeful omens appeared. The torrential rain that had plagued London lifted, unlikely sunshine breaking through the clouds. Then a rainbow appeared. Perhaps after all, after 96 years, everything was going to be okay.

Crowds jostle with their smartphones to get a photo of the official death notice on the palace

However it was not to be. Within minutes of the notice being attached to the palace’s fence, people started to arrive with flowers. One new mourner had the announcement from BBC Radio 1 playing on her phone, delayed by streaming. As God Save the Queen played, one man said “shall we sing”, and the crowd joined in. Sporadic applause later broke out as the evening went on.

Nicola Stuart was one of those who had arrived in the meantime. She said: “I can’t believe it. I don’t think we will realise the enormity of this until it has sunk in. I just felt I had to come down here after work, and then obviously we got the news. It’s just so sad, she was the nation’s grandmother.”

Tens of thousands arrived to pay their respects

A crush formed to get a glimpse of the death notice. Having been born in an era where television had been entering the popular sphere, she left the world where TikTok and smartphones are the norm. Once upon a time people taking photographs of themselves next to a plain notice announcing Queen Elizabeth’s death would have been considered vulgar. To some in 2022 it is now socially acceptable. To others, stranger’s smartphones in the distance were the only way they were able to see the traditional bulletin, jostled and elbowed out of the way by ardent royalists.

The flag is lowered to half mast

In hours the numbers outside had swelled from a thousand to tens of thousands. Millions, no doubt, will arrive to pay tributes in the next few weeks. As the heavens opened again, the crowds continued to pour in. In a British way, even rain would not deter them.