• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home » Photos » Photo Essay: London Mourning
Photos

Photo Essay: London Mourning

Matthew Klint Posted onSeptember 19, 2022November 13, 2023 10 Comments

The entire United Kingdom and many of the Commonwealth realms are in a state of mourning over the death of Queen Elizabeth II. During my trip to London last week I had the chance to walk through the city in the quiet of the morning and present the following photo essay.

London In Mourning, A Photo Essay

Throughout the country, black signs memorializing the passing of the Queen are present. I first encountered one just minutes after stepping off my aircraft at London Heathrow.

a large screen with a picture of a queen and a group of people

After exiting Westminister Hall and stepping out onto Whitehall, with Big Ben towering overhead, I walked by Westminster Abbey, where the funeral for her majesty is currently being held.

a clock tower in front of a large building with Big Ben in the background

a group of people standing in front of a large building

flags on poles in front of a building

a fence with flags on it and a street light
Campers were already out on Saturday ahead of today’s funeral

a building with a large ornate structure

a large building with a large window

a statue of a man in a coat

a building with a clock tower and a clock tower

a large building with a gated entrance at night

Then I continued up to Trafalgar Square and down the Mall toward Buckingham Palace. At 5:30 am, I had the whole place to myself.

a monument in a city

a building with flags on the top

a city street with a tall tower and trees

a flag on a pole

a bouquet of white roses with a sign on a black fence

a row of tents on a street
More campers…

a garden with flags and flowers

flowers on a door

a white card with blue writing on it next to a dried rose

a large building with lights on it

a sign on a sidewalk

a large white building with columns and lights at night

a black post on a sidewalk

a statue in a city

a large building with a gate and lights

a building with lights on it at night

a large building with lights on

a close up of a gate

a black and gold gate with a gold crest

a flag on a fence

a street with a fence and a building with a city in the background

But what struck me most was then walking over to Green Park, where a makeshift memorial for the Queen was set up. Tens of thousands of bouquets were laid, many with handwritten notes and pictures honoring the Queen. It was quite moving to see how much so many British people, and presumably those from around the world, felt about the Queen.

a sign on a pole

a flag and flowers on a fence

a piece of paper with writing on it

a flag with a maple leaf and flowers

a road with trees on either side of it

a path with trees and a fence
From a distance, it looked like a landfill…

a field of flowers and trees

a large pile of flowers

a field of flowers and trees

a memorial with a picture of a queen on it

a group of flowers and cards

a picture of a woman in a frame surrounded by flowers

a pile of flowers with notes and cards

a tree with flowers and notes on it

a drawing of a man on a piece of paper

a picture of a woman in a picture frame surrounded by flowers

flowers on the ground

a piece of paper with pictures of women's faces and flowers

a sign with a group of people on it

a picture of a woman with a crown on a pile of flowers

a pile of flowers and cards

a group of people sitting on a path with flowers and trees

a tree with flowers around it

a glass window with flowers on the ground

a flag and flowers on grass

a white square sign with a word on it surrounded by flowers

a memorial with flowers and a picture of a man

a flower bed in a park

Life will slowly return to normal as the period of mourning ends. I realize many do not hold warm feelings for the Queen, but the historical outpouring of love for this sovereign was on display across the city and quite moving.

a group of banners outside of a building

a sign on a wall

a sign with text on it

people walking in a large airport terminal

a newspaper on a table

Get Daily Updates

Join our mailing list for a daily summary of posts! We never sell your info.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Previous Article Airfares All Over The Place In Coming Months
Next Article Review: Hyatt Regency Barcelona

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • Hong Kong Photo Essay

    Photo Essay: Resilient Hong Kong

    June 3, 2025
  • Marrakesh Photo Essay

    Photo Essay: Marrakesh After Dark

    April 16, 2025
  • Copenhagen After Dark Photo Essay

    Photo Essay: Copenhagen After Dark

    February 28, 2025

10 Comments

  1. Jerry Reply
    September 19, 2022 at 6:55 am

    I’m at the BA First Lounge in T5 right now. It’s eerily quiet, yet packed. Definitely an interesting time to be in the Big Smoke.

  2. James Feder Reply
    September 19, 2022 at 7:44 am

    As a native Brit living in NYC, I’m saddened I’m unable to be in my home country to mourn the loss her majesty.

    Your picture essay has brought tears to my eyes and I’m very grateful you took the time and expense to go to London and share these images.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 19, 2022 at 8:13 am

      Many thanks for your kind words, James.

      • derek Reply
        September 19, 2022 at 2:04 pm

        I believe there’s a pandemic still raging on but I also feel it has improved enough for Matthew to go and report to his worldwide audience. I, myself, used to do lots of business travel, which has ground to a halt. I speculate that travel may be minimally acceptable to me personally by next spring. That might be when a winter surge subsides and also while I retain some BA.5 (omicron) immunity from the bivalent vaccine.

        I am surprised that over 99.99% of people in the Queen’s vigil were not wearing masks. In the funeral, I can see that world leaders probably have frequent testing but not in the vigil. In the funeral and service in Windsor, people are singing, exhaling potential virus particles. Terrible. The vast majority are not immunized with the bivalent BA.5 vaccine because it is not yet available in the UK.

        There is a reasonable possibility that the Queen died of a long Covid complication of pulmonary embolism.

      • timothy ames Reply
        September 19, 2022 at 2:15 pm

        I also express my appreciation for the journey and pictures. As a Canadian and British citizen the Queens passing is significant and while I would like to have also been there I and grateful that so many others have shown their respects to her for the long service that she promised and fulfilled.

  3. Phil Reply
    September 19, 2022 at 7:45 am

    If you can, venture outside of Zone 1 (not Stratford like on a previous trip) and see the more residential areas of London. See what life is like elsewhere.

    It gives a great counterbalance to the photos you’ve taken and the general “feel” of the city as a whole.

  4. Vladimir Reply
    September 19, 2022 at 10:15 am

    Beautiful

  5. Daniel Reply
    September 19, 2022 at 11:44 am

    Thank you so very much for doing this

  6. Vinod Reply
    September 19, 2022 at 12:07 pm

    Thank you for taking these pictures, Matthew,

    Absolutely wonderful!

  7. Bill n DC Reply
    September 28, 2022 at 5:25 pm

    Late to these. Very nice. Thanks. Must have been surreal that morning without crowds and quiet.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for May

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 100,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • a row of monitors on an airplane
    Dreamliner To Rome: Alaska Airlines Confirms First Europe Route June 4, 2025
  • Hong Kong Photo Essay
    Photo Essay: Resilient Hong Kong June 3, 2025
  • Capital One Venture X Lounge Access Changes
    Capital One Venture X Lounge Access Changes (Mostly Negative) June 3, 2025
  • Personal Air Vent
    Fact: You Have Full Control Over Your Air Vent, Just Like Your Seat Recline June 3, 2025

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Aegean Airlines Feast
    A Feast Fit For A King On Aegean Airlines May 23, 2025
  • United American O’Hare gate dispute
    United Airlines To American Airlines: Fly More, Sue Less May 6, 2025
  • American Airlines 737-800 First Class Pathetic
    American Airlines 737-800 First Class: Pathetic May 6, 2025
  • Israel Flight Cancellations
    Major Carriers Extend Flight Cancellations To Israel: Here’s The List May 14, 2025

Archives

June 2025
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30  
« May    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss
Privacy Policy © Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.