Britain's King Charles III, left, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, look at floral tributes left outside Buckingham Palace following Thursday's death of Queen Elizabeth II, in London, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. King Charles III, who spent much of his 73 years preparing for the role, planned to meet with the prime minister and address a nation grieving the only British monarch most of the world had known. He takes the throne in an era of uncertainty for both his country and the monarchy itself. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP) ORG XMIT: LBL138

Mourners gather outside Buckingham Palace to pay their respect the Queen in London, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Princess Elizabeth, center, age 11, appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the coronation of her father, King George VI, right, in London, May 12, 1937. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, has died. She was 96. Buckingham Palace made the announcement in a statement on Thursday Sept. 8, 2022. (AP Photo, File)

A crowd gathers in front of Buckingham Palace on Sept. 9, 2022, the day after the queen’s death.

Britain's King Charles III, left, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, look at floral tributes left outside Buckingham Palace following Thursday's death of Queen Elizabeth II, in London, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. King Charles III, who spent much of his 73 years preparing for the role, planned to meet with the prime minister and address a nation grieving the only British monarch most of the world had known. He takes the throne in an era of uncertainty for both his country and the monarchy itself. (Yui Mok/Pool Photo via AP) ORG XMIT: LBL138

Princess Elizabeth, center, age 11, appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the coronation of her father, King George VI, right, in London, May 12, 1937. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, has died. She was 96. Buckingham Palace made the announcement in a statement on Thursday Sept. 8, 2022. (AP Photo, File)

A crowd gathers in front of Buckingham Palace on Sept. 9, 2022, the day after the queen’s death.

My daughter and I were heading to the exit after watching a musical in London when someone looked up from their iPhone with the stunning news. The queen had died. We stopped in our tracks. Could it really be true?

It was, of course, and Luciana and I immediately began walking from the West End of London, past Trafalgar Square and up The Mall toward Buckingham Palace.

We had taken the same route 24 hours earlier, for our first gander at the palace after arriving to the city. Then, we had the gravel path mostly to ourselves. Now, as dusk fell, streams of people joined us.

I’ve never been a big royalist. But I knew enough to realize that Queen Elizabeth II’s death clearly marked the end of an era. I wanted to grab my piece of history.

So Buckingham Palace seemed to be calling. By the time I squeezed through the packed crowds immediately in front of Queen Elizabeth’s home, bouquets of flowers leaned up against the wrought-iron fence.

Mourners gather outside Buckingham Palace to pay their respect the Queen in London, Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

I returned the next day, having heard that Charles, formerly the Prince of Wales and now the king, would address the crowd at 11 a.m. I found a good vantage point, standing on the Victoria Memorial, the monument to the 19th century monarch that occupies the roundabout directly in front of the palace.

But 11 a.m. came and went without a sign of Charles. "Oh, well," I thought, "there goes any chance to see the new king."

The next day, as planned, Luciana and I traveled by train from London to Edinburgh. Just before leaving, we learned that the funeral cortege of the queen, who died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, would make an appearance in Edinburgh.

Luciana and I found that police barricades restricted movement around the old city. It reminded me of being in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Only here, police were keeping order for activities related to the queen’s funeral arrangements. The old castle, at one end of the cobbled street known as the Royal Mile, was closed.

The following morning, Luciana and I walked in the old medieval section of the city, charmed by its cobblestone streets, ancient churches and inviting pubs. We visited the Greyfriars cemetery so Luciana could see the gravesite of Tom Riddle from Harry Potter. In the meantime, the queen’s funeral cortege was making its way from Balmoral.

At 2:45 p.m., Luciana and I positioned ourselves on the Royal Mile for the cortege. We had a good view, only two deep behind the barricade. When the hearse arrived 90 minutes later, the back windows showed the coffin draped in the yellow Royal Standard of Scotland, topped by a wreath of white flowers.

Applause from the crowd swelled in volume as the cortege passed. It was a nice sign of respect for a woman who devoted her life to serving her kingdom.

The queen would lie in state overnight at the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the far end of the Royal Mile.

Crowds gather around Royal Mile in Edinburgh as the funeral cortege of Queen Elizabeth and the royal family head to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

The funeral cortege of Queen Elizabeth passed crowds on Sunday on the way to lie in state at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. King Charles and the royal family rode past crowds on Monday as they headed back to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Read more about witnessing a historic moment in Great Britain on nola.com.

The next day, Luciana and I organized our activities around a royal procession that would accompany the queen’s coffin from Holyroodhouse to St. Giles Cathedral, a half-mile away on the Royal Mile.

I had been disappointed not to see the new king in London. But we would have another chance in Edinburgh because he, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward would join their brother in walking behind the hearse.

An hour before the royal procession would begin, however, the crowds were so large that police blocked Luciana and me from getting to the Royal Mile. We found another opening nearby and walked up the hill.

But we were now about 10 rows behind the barricade and standing just where the hill began to slope downward. We could barely see the heads of police officers standing on the street.

A woman standing just in front of us clicked on the BBC telecast on her iPhone, so we saw the funeral cortege and the four royals walk through the gates of Holyroodhouse.

Several minutes later, I spied two mounted police officers pass by, but that was it. We were too far away to see Charles and his siblings moments later. Damn! I might never see the king!

But Luciana told me that Charles would be driving back down the Royal Mile after a church service at St. Giles. By now, the crowds had dispersed.

And indeed, 90 minutes later, we saw King Charles III offer a wave in the back seat of his Rolls Royce. Camilla, the Queen Consort, turned our way and smiled.

It was only an instant, but it counted.

Luciana and I left to take high tea at a nearby hotel. It seemed like the proper royal thing to do.

Email Tyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate.com.

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