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It was quite an experience that we will never forget. We were in London for a wedding. We did not imagine that a trip for a wedding would put us in the midst of an international event that the world had never seen the likes of before.

While we were in London, the United Kingdom was getting ready to say goodbye to its beloved queen. We flew back on the Monday of the Queen’s funeral, but before the funeral we had a chance to roam the streets of majestic London, seeing and hearing and experiencing a nation in mourning, a nation grieving for the loss of a much-loved queen and at the same time nervously preparing itself to receive a new king. It was exciting to see history unfolding around us and witnessing firsthand history in the making.

At the start on our flight to London, a lady sat next to us who was traveling with 14 friends to London to attend the queen’s funeral. I asked her if she had any special connection to the queen or if she has family in the UK, but her answers were no to both questions. That first impression personalized for us the clear affinity that many Americans have for the UK in general and the queen and the royal family in particular.

My own personal interaction with the queen lasted approximately 10 seconds. About 15 years ago during a visit to London, we went to Buckingham Palace to watch the change of the guards. As we were standing by the palace’s fence, the doors of the palace opened and here comes the queen in her black Rolls Royce, waving to the crowd. She looked regal with her bright smile and elegant wave of her royal hand. That was the end of it but at least I can brag that I had seen the queen. I don’t think the queen remembered that encounter.

The most amazing thing we saw in London is the festive mood for a funeral. I could not have imagined uttering the words: Enjoy the funeral! People came from every corner of the UK and Europe, and many were from far places in the world such as Nepal and Tahiti. We saw the line of people waiting to see the queen’s coffin lying in state at Westminster Hall. People waited for more than 24 hours in London’s weather, which is not known to be so people friendly. No one grumbled, no one complained, people walked for hours in silence and respect and in a mix of sadness and excitement.

In preparation for the funeral, we saw people camping in the streets more than a day before the funeral. They brought small tents with their food, drinks, blankets, warm clothes. Some even brought their pets. I even asked one of the people camping underneath a bright blue tent, about where do they go to the bathrooms, he told me they would go to some of the official buildings along the city streets where they were welcomed to use the facilities.

Across the political spectrum there was a huge praise for the queen. Most of the people waiting for the funeral for days had not met the queen but they knew her. She was theirs and she was the constant in a changing world. She put herself above the fray. She handled herself with elegance, commitment, and dedication to the throne and to her country.

As we were standing by Westminster Abbey, we saw Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, and we also saw “the Beast” – President Biden’s famous car – as he was driven to meet King Charles III for a reception at Buckingham Palace.

Representatives from more than 200 countries gathered in London to pay respect for the monarch who governed for more than 70 years. And for a day or so, it seemed that the world came together to say goodbye to a public servant who served her country and her people with integrity, and grace and a lot of class.

You could see the deep respect that everyone who came to see the coffin or to witness the funeral showed. If we can bring together the world for an occasion like that, why don’t we do it without the death of a world leader. The United Nations failed as an institution to pull the world together. Leaders come every year in September to New York not to show their unity but to claim their differences. Leaders use the UN podium to broadcast their grievances, real and imagined, and to insult their enemies.

So, if the UN has failed to perform what it was created to do, then we must find another way of getting the world together again. The problem is that most of the meetings are between people of like mind and purpose such as NATO or G7. The challenge is to bring people of different mindsets and political inclinations together. I know these are very optimistic hopes since it is very challenging to just get the Republican and Democratic leaders to agree on anything. But we should continue to try.

The queen served her country well. She also served the world well in her life, but I dare to say that she served the world even more in her death. And for that, the whole world owes the queen a debt of gratitude.

Thank you, Your Majesty, and goodbye. RIP!

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