Ottawa-area woman grateful to mourn Queen in London
When Ellie Haine purchased her flight back to the United Kingdom, the dual British-Canadian citizen wasn’t expecting to be home for one of the most impactful moments of the British monarchy.
Instead, a brief trip to Cambridge has become a chance to stand beside thousands of others along Whitehall Mall in London, as the Queen makes her final journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.
"I felt very emotional and I think it’s part of some British identity that the Royal Family is a big part of our lives here; coming home kind of gives me a chance to feel part of that," Haine said.
Monday, Haine had a front row seat to the monumental time in British history; taking in Buckingham Palace where the wait to mourn at the gates of the palace stretched for hours and the Royal grounds were awash in bouquets.
"It gives a sense of closure, I also feel like it could be a once in a lifetime opportunity," Haine said.
Mourners from around the globe are descending on the English capital in the lead up to the state funeral on Monday.
Casell Davis travelled from Rhondda, Wales for a chance to pay his respects Tuesday.
"It’s quite surreal to be honest, as soon as I walked into the area, it just hit me," Davis said.
Wednesday, Haine says she’ll be among the thousands waiting to see the Queen’s procession along the Royal Mile as she makes her final journey to Westminster Hall. Like so many others, Haine is hoping for a chance to pay one final tribute to her monarch, and get a glimpse of the new King, before returning home.
"I’m looking forward to having a chance to pay my respects to the Queen - in a way, by seeing her coffin go past - I’m looking forward to seeing the new King, that’s going to be something special too," she said.
One last memory she never expected to make, in honour of the woman seared into the memories of so many across the world.
"I am really glad to be home for it, you can take the Brit out of Britain but you can’t take the Britishness out of them," Haine said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.