A rainbow over a crestfallen crowd: Britain is in mourning

• United Kingdom Queen Elizabeth II of England dies at the age of 96

• Live Isabel II dies: follow the last hour

"Good night, Ma'am," wrote

as a farewell to

The announcement of the death of the monarch, at 96 years of age, surprised few people after a day of

about her health.

But Buckingham Palace's confirmation of the final twilight of the seven decades of modern Elizabethan rule tore at the hearts of many.

An

lit up the London sky while the traditional death certificate of the sovereign was hung from the palatial gate.

The intense range of colors extended to Windsor Castle, the abode of Elizabeth II since the coronavirus pandemic crisis, while the United Kingdom flag was lowered.

From then on, the national banner and the royal insignia were flown at half-staff from official residences and institutional headquarters as a sign of respect for the deceased.

Meanwhile, the public approached crestfallen to the Victoria Monument, in the Buckingham Palace rotunda.

They also approached the grounds of Windsor and the entrance to Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands.

The latter was the favorite home of Elizabeth II in the north of England, her usual summer refuge and the bed where yesterday she said goodbye to her four sons, sons-in-law and grandchildren of the first line, such as William, now heir to the Crown, and the wayward brother hers, Henry.

The Duchesses of Cambridge, Catherine, and of Sussex, Meghan, were absent from the family reunion and remained in the English rearguard.

Fate or, perhaps, her own will led Elizabeth II to choose Balmoral as her deathbed when she decided to receive the new prime minister,

there instead of the usual London palace.

The ceremony took place on Tuesday and the photograph of the

in her blue workroom, is the last memory of her life that she left to her subjects and to the whole world.

British and foreigners loitered for hours in front of the palatial residences.

The time was as explosive as the affliction that each other felt from the initial part of the royal house.

The courtiers had announced in the morning the "concern" of the doctors for the health of the monarchical matriarch, who was under the supervision of specialists.

The displacement to Balmoral of her closest relatives made the masses fear the worst, who gathered in a sense of silence.

By mid-afternoon, people

front of Buckingham.

The scenes were repeated in Windsor and in the Scottish castle despite the downpours that fell in England and the incessant rain in the Highlands.

"

... and has preserved calm and maintained a constant influence in our country. Many of us do not know an era when she was not here," said Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, echoing the sentiment of a large part of the public.

Official mourning was declared in the middle of the afternoon.

And the signs of respect jumped borders and spaces.

Arsenal and other football teams competing outside the UK last night observed a minute's silence before the start of their respective matches.

For its part, the equestrian federation sent an emotional farewell message to the head of state, who loved horse racing and was passionate about breeding future winners.

They were symbolic contributions to the feeling of regret and sadness that lasted all day.

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