Travel Agent’s London Correspondent Emily Goldfischer has recorded the sights and sounds of London as the new King Charles arrives in London, following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
The mood is somber in London, flags are at half mast, digital posters of the Queen adorn all the bus stations and many other images of her have been posted around London. It is quite moving to witness the public outpouring of grief, thousands of people are flocking to Buckingham Palace to leave notes and flowers in tribute; bells rang out at Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral and Windsor at noon, followed by gun salutes.
of Queen Elizabeth II (Photo by Emily Goldfischer)
The Queen was a great supporter of the travel industry and a curious, intrepid traveler herself. In fact, she was the most traveled English monarch in history (as reported by Globetrender), having visited 117 countries despite not owning a passport. The Queen had tremendous respect for service and was the Patron of The Gold Service Scholarship, an award to inspire, educate and nurture the U.K.’s finest "Front of House Talent," which was launched in 2012.
Her Majesty had patronized various hospitality establishments over the years for events, but The Goring in Belgravia is the only hotel to hold a "Royal Warrant." The hotel issued a statement: "The directors and staff of the Goring express their great sadness at the news of the death of Her Majesty the Queen. Our beloved monarch will be sorely missed by her family, the nation, and the Commonwealth.
Visitors currently in the U.K. will no doubt feel the respect and appreciation of Queen Elizabeth II, whose 70-year reign was marked by her strong sense of duty and her determination to dedicate her life to her throne and to her people. As the BBC noted, “She became for many the one constant point in a rapidly changing world as British influence declined, society changed beyond recognition and the role of the monarchy itself came into question.”
CNN TV reporter Anna Stewart captured the following video as news broke about the passing of Queen Elizabeth II:
Beyond many Platinum Jubilee-themed tours in 2022, celebrating the 70 years Queen Elizabeth II sat on the throne, Royal residences have always been a popular visit for travelers. According to Statista, Windsor Castle and Frogmore House were the most popular Royal Estate locations in the United Kingdom in 2021 and 2022. The site recorded roughly 426,000 paid visitors between April 2021 and March 2022.
image (Photo by Emily Goldfischer)
Before the pandemic, tourism associated with the British Royal Family was growing steadily. Income from ticket admissions to the Royal Estate, also according to Statista, amounted to roughly 50 million British pounds in 2019/2020, in addition to around 20 million British pounds in retail sales. The Royal Estate refers to British royal residences including palaces, castles and houses owned or occupied by the British Monarchy. Only a selection of the estates is open to the public and give access to the Royal Collection (works of art held by the King in right of the Crown and in trust for his successors and for the nation).
There is an official 10-day period of National Mourning until the State Funeral. Several businesses, as reported by the Daily Mail, have closed today in respect: Selfridge's, Liberty's and many of the tourist sights. Theaters will operate with a minute of silence for reflection, but sports fixtures have been postponed for this weekend.
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