London, Apr 10, 2021 (AFP) -Among the uproar, a cannon blast resounds and a deathly silence prevails. It is followed by the applause of hundreds of people, gathered this Saturday at the Tower of London to pay tribute to Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, who died the day before.
Despite the cold and the typical London drizzle, crowds of inhabitants of the capital have gathered on the esplanade of the famous castle located in the heart of the City, ignoring the warnings of the authorities, who want to avoid concentrations of people because of the covid-19 pandemic.
Heather Utteridge has come to show her “respect for the one who was a superman,” she explains to AFP, considering that some of her compatriots “do not realize” all the achievements made by Prince Philip and the Queen, because “they act discreetly “.
Precisely in line with this discretion, the Duke of Edinburgh, who did not like protocol too much and wanted to modernize the institution, stated that he did not want state funerals to be organized for him.
While awaiting a private farewell ceremony, the artillery salvoes sounded this Saturday at 12.00 (11.00 GMT) across the country, from Edinburgh Castle to the British enclave of Gibraltar, passing through the decks of the Royal ships. Navy, in which Felipe served during World War II.
In the Tower of London, the curious looked towards the bank of the Thames, where three gleaming cannons were installed, guarded by the military and by several “Yeomen”, the emblematic guards dressed in red and yellow.
At noon, under the order of the military, the first cannon shot of a 41 salvo was fired (one every minute). At that moment, the uproar of the crowd disappeared for a few minutes, giving way to silence.
“For me it was important to be here, said like that it sounds a bit strange, but we wanted to be here to experience this unique event”, explains Alexander Beaten, accompanied by his girlfriend. “We are two young men in their thirties and we have met nothing but the queen and her husband,” says the young man, for whom the royal couple “represents British identity and culture.”
“We can disagree with the government, disagree with many things that happen in the country, but the Queen and Prince Felipe are a constant,” he says.
His girlfriend, Emma Preston, 27, agrees: “They have always been a constant, I wanted to take a minute to think about the impact they have had on my life.”
For her, the popularity of the duke, known for his frankness and humor (but also for his jokes tinged with racism or sexism), is partly explained by his “funny” and humorous side. “It was a good counterweight to the queen, who always has to show herself as the respectful person, as the boss.”
After the ceremony and the applause, Heather Utteridge regrets that the tribute lasted too little, hoping that something more important will be organized “when the coronavirus calms down.” Alexander, on the other hand, hopes that this event without “great pomp (…) corresponds to what the prince would have wanted.”
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AFP
