Windsor prepares for the Queen’s final farewell with funeral gifts

WINDSOR, UK (FOLHAPRESS) – Windsor is used for crowds. The city 40 km from London is flooded by tourists mainly in the summer, when its streets and bars are full. One of the great attractions is the castle in particular, the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II.

The site has been the scene of major events for the royal family in recent years, such as the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, in 2018, and the funeral of Prince Philip’s husband, in 2021. But nothing compares to what will happen. The future takes place on Monday (19), when the Queen’s body arrives from the state funeral in Westminster Abbey, London, for burial at King George VI Memorial Chapel, inside the castle, in procession.

A huge logistical and security scheme has already been put in place years ago. The area where the procession will pass is surrounded by bars, and chemical toilets have been installed. There are plenty of policemen and ambulances on standby. This process consists of police officers on horses, drones and sniffer dogs.

Anyone planning to go to Windsor and not planning in advance may not have a place to spend the night. Most of the hotels were sold out even after the Queen’s funeral.

With the increase in sales due to hundreds of thousands of visitors, souvenir stores have already adapted. In one, a bag with the words “Rest in Peace” and a picture of Elizabeth sells for six pounds ($36).

“We’re not doing this for profit,” one seller told Folha. “Tourists come here and ask us about the products about it. We did it so that people remember this moment.”

The Two Brewers pub adjacent to Windsor Castle will not open on the day of the burial due to the national holiday decreed by King Charles III. “We will close our doors out of respect and until we can pay our respects, so employees stay with their families,” Director Stuart O’Brien explains.

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He says he has seen the sovereign pass by the tavern several times and that the traffic has increased a lot in recent days. While visiting Fulha, all the tables were occupied, but the whole house did not change his mind. “We are so close to where everything is going to happen that we had no doubts that we should close the doors.”

A few meters from the tavern, tourists and locals were leaving flowers on the balustrade of the castle. A team, part of the funeral organization, helped clear the public’s skepticism and asked them to remove the plastic surrounding the bouquets to make it easier to compost when the flowers wither. It’s also a safety issue, as the flowers are x-rayed every night and taken to the castle’s inner garden.

Until Friday, it was still possible to arrive and leave the area with some calm. However, passenger numbers are expected to soar on Monday that the company responsible for the train operators has asked the public not to attempt the London-Windsor route and to choose only one of the signatories to accompany the Queen’s farewell ceremonies. ..

Gillian and James Henderson lived in Windsor for 35 years and saw Elizabeth II often – she often drove her own car, although she did not have a driver’s license.

“It was such an honor for us, you made Windsor special,” Gillian says. “It would be sad to say goodbye to the Queen. She came on weekends, and I don’t think King Charles is coming.” “She worked so hard and was so dedicated, she was a beautiful woman. I want to believe that she and Prince Philip will be united now.” Elizabeth will be buried next to her husband, in a ceremony reserved only for the royal family.

Sitting on a bench in a downtown plaza, Henderson watched the movement of visitors. “In the 82 years of my life, I’ve never seen Windsor so plump, not even at Harry and Meghan’s wedding,” James says. On Monday, they will be close to the castle, but to avoid crowds and possible riots, they decide that the best place for their last farewell to the Queen is at home, on TV.