Montrealers come together to honour the Queen
Posted September 19, 2022 12:24 pm.
Last Updated September 19, 2022 6:30 pm.
Many rose early on Monday to watch Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral – including a group of Montrealers on the West Island.
Allisun Dalzell welcomed others to her Beaconsfield home, decorated in British and Royal memorabilia – with photos, magazines, flags, a giant cutout of the Queen, a crown, and more. She has been preparing for days, filling the morning with the Queen’s favourite foods – put together using recipes from Buckingham Palace.
“We’re paying respects to an incredible woman and her legacy,” said Dalzell. “We’re saying goodbye really is what we’re doing.”
Dalzell is a Royal family super fan and was in London in June amid the Platinum Jubilee celebrations – marking the Queen’s 70 years of service. She brought home Forntum and Mason tea and jams, as well the Queen’s favourite – Sloe Gin from the palace. The monarch would have a little of it before lunch.
“The Queen is just, she’s an icon,” said Dalzell.
Her guests had to mail in a postcard, with a Queen Elizabeth II stamp – explaining why it was important for them to be there.
“I think she’s such a marvelous example of how we should lead our lives,” said Debbie Bellas, royal watcher. “She made a promise at a very, very young age and she stood to her promise throughout all these years.”
“Having been brought up in a British home, the Queen was just always a pillar of strength and we admired her from across the pond for all these years,” added Jennifer Collard. “I even named my son Spencer from Diana Spencer.”
Queen Elizabeth II died on Sept. 8 at her holiday home of Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands at the age of 96, setting off 10 days of national mourning in the United Kingdom.
“As the queen would say, none of us has a monopoly on wisdom,” said Deborah Kastner. “But for me, the Queen was ever present in our upbringing, and her passing will create a void that will be very hard to replace.”
“She had an incredible incredible legacy with the work that she did,” said Dalzell. “She’s really a beautiful person.”
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