COVENTRIANS turned out in their droves to watch the screening of The Queen’s state funeral in University Square.
The rest of the normally vibrant city centre – usually bustling with workers and shoppers at this time on a Monday – was completely deserted as people followed proceedings in London and said their final thank yous and farewells to Britain’s longest serving monarch.
Many in the crowd watching the Westminster Abbey proceedings brought seats from home to watch the funeral while others sat on the steps or looked on from the Cathedral ruins.
The funeral was also broadcast inside Coventry Cathedral, and people could pay their respects to the Queen by writing in the books of condolence or lighting a candle.
The briefest ray of sunshine glistened through the clouds over Coventry just in time for an impeccably observed two-minute silence to remember The Queen.
In a remarkably touching moment, everyone in University Square then rose to their feet to sing the National Anthem.
One woman who travelled into Coventry for the day said she felt she was in the ‘right place to witness a beautiful tribute to the Queen’.
Around 20 City Hosts volunteered for the funeral screening, and team leader Andrew Boneham said he found the service to be ‘very moving’.
“Queen Elizabeth will be someone that people will remember and talk about for many years to come because of the values she represented and her faith.
“She’s helped us to get through some really difficult times and we are all so thankful.”
Dean of Coventry the Very Rev John Witcombe added: “The service was absolutely beautiful, the prayer readings and music were very appropriate.
“The service was the right balance of dignity, mourning and joy, for the hope of heaven.
“Over the last week, there has been a national wave of grief and loss but also thanksgiving to someone who meant so much to people.
“I think it’s been really important for people to gather here in the city centre and the Cathedral to pay their respects.
“People saw that the Queen was committed to everyone and had a real heart for those on the margins of society.
“You could tell in her face she was genuinely interested in the people she met and we know how sustained she was by her Christian faith, which means a lot to us.”
