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Having waited successful enactment for hours to presumption Queen Elizabeth II lying successful authorities astatine Westminster Hall, her last 2 mourners recalled however the acquisition brought them unneurotic successful an unexpected way.
Queen Elizabeth II's Coffin Begins Its Final Journey
Grief has a mode of bringing radical together.
Such is the lawsuit for Sima Mansouri and Chrissy Heerey, who were the last 2 mourners to presumption Queen Elizabeth II lying successful authorities astatine Westminster Hall earlier her ceremonial connected Sept. 19 (you tin ticker here). After waiting successful enactment for hours together, the erstwhile strangers told NBC News however the affectional acquisition helped them signifier an unexpected bond.
"I deliberation the radical that you've met, that's a moment," said Heerey, who was the last mourner to presumption the Queen. "It's a relationship that volition past forever."
Mansouri added, "That's right. We shared this together, and that's what makes it special. And I deliberation that we'll beryllium friends forever, and the Queen brought america together."
Before her passing connected Sept. 8, the Queen touched galore people's lives crossed the satellite passim her 70-year-long reign, including Mansouri, who told NBC News that she's "adored her since I was a small girl."
Born successful Iran, Mansouri has lived successful London for 25 years since moving from the U.S. "I telephone this spot home, and she made maine consciousness similar I was astatine location present and safe, ever have," the 55-year-old noted. "I ever looked up to her."
Being the past mourner to presumption the Queen astatine astir 6:30 a.m. section time (a.k.a. 1:30 a.m. ET) was a peculiar infinitesimal for High Wycombe autochthonal Heerey, particularly arsenic a subordinate of the Royal Air Force. "To beryllium capable to bash that connected behalf of the Royal Air Force and a pistillate and to an astonishing that volition ne'er beryllium replaced," she said, "it was an honor." It was her second time visiting the Queen's coffin.
It's nary astonishment Mansouri and Heerey formed a accelerated friendship, arsenic lines to presumption the monarch sometimes reached a hold clip of 24 hours. Among those who enactment successful the time was David Beckham, who himself waited for more than 12 hours to wage his respects.
Following her ceremonial astatine Westminster Abbey, the Queen volition beryllium laid to remainder astatine St. George's Chapel astatine Windsor Castle alongside her husband, Prince Phillip, her sister Princess Margaret and parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
(E! and NBC are some portion of the NBCUniversal family.)
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