Sauk Valley traveler experiences Scotland’s grief after Queen Elizabeth’s death

Most people would say visiting Scotland is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But my trip ran into a once-in-a-century complications – the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Having planned to visit the northernmost part of the United Kingdom, I was scheduled to fly out on Sept. 11, and experience a mix of guided tours and self-driven exploration.

Then Sept. 8 took place, and with it, the end of Her Majesty’s 70-year reign. Family and friends asked about how the queen’s passing would affect my trip, and I had to tell them, “We’ll see.”

My trip and flights still took place, and upon arriving at Heathrow Airport I picked up a copy of London’s Sunday Times, which was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth’s life.

I was then en route to Edinburgh, which is Scotland’s capital. After arriving, my first guided tour, through parts of the Highlands and to Loch Ness, went off as planned.

However, signs of mourning were obvious as I walked from my hotel to the bus terminal along the Royal Mile, a stretch of streets which lead up to Edinburgh Castle. I went past St. Giles Cathedral, where Her Majesty’s body laid in rest in the city.

Even at 7:30 a.m., mourners, media, and law enforcement officers were finding places on either side of metal fencing.

By the time I returned about 8 p.m. that Monday night, there were thousands of mourners lined up. Trying to see if I could get a view, I sought the end of the still-growing line, which snaked through paths defined by the fencing set up earlier.

Speaking to a police officer, I learned I’d need a wristband to even get into the cathedral, and the wristbands were available in a neighborhood called The Meadows. Once I arrived there, I couldn’t even find the start of the line for wristbands, so I returned to my hotel.

The crowds only grew overnight, and my travel agent emailed me that two guided tours set for the 13th and 14th had been cancelled. However,I had options.

One reason I picked Scotland to visit was to meet a friend who lives in Edinburgh, a historian who knows the city well. While many sites were closed — Holyroodhouse, the royal family’s residence while in Edinburgh among them — we still saw many locations, with my friend providing commentary.

Some sites, like the National Museum of Scotland and the famous Canongate Kirk (a church), were still open.

Streets were quite full on the 13th, with people trying to get in line for St. Giles, doing remaining tourist activities or just going about their lives. Law enforcement officers were visible everywhere, guiding mourners as they lined up (or queued, to use the British term). The weather was sunny, counter weighted by the sight of police snipers on rooftops along the route of the Queen’s coffin from Holyroodhouse to St. Giles.

Her Majesty’s coffin was taken to London on the 13th, and Edinburgh maintenance workers could be seen the next day taking down fencing. Street performers were able to return to the Royal Mile, but Edinburgh Castle and other locations remained closed, so we took a bus tour of Edinburgh.

As my trip continued northward, the Queen’s passing was a topic when I talked with Scots whom I met along the way north. They were curious to hear what I’d experienced in Edinburgh.

The Queen’s passing next affected my trip on Monday, Sept. 19, the day of her state funeral. The 19th was a national “bank holiday,” with Her Majesty’s funeral televised all day on the British Broadcasting Company. Many businesses — including gas stations, the mail, restaurants, and more — were closed, as were schools and universities.

I settled in to watch the ceremonies, with coverage including commentary from BBC anchors and interviews with a variety of people, as the United Kingdom watched their longest-reigning monarch be laid to rest.

By the time I headed up to Scotland’s wild far north on Sept. 20, the country had sprung back into action, changed but resilient – and leaving me with memories of a time of transition.

Phil Hartman is an obituary writer and longtime employee of Shaw Media based in Dixon.