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Elderly veteran salutes Queen Elizabeth II from home as he watches coffin procession on TV
‘What a gentleman’
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Your support makes all the difference.A woman has shared the sweet way her grandfather, a navy veteran, paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II following the monarch’s death last week.
In a recent video posted to TikTok, a woman named Caroline Roberts filmed her grandfather while he was watching the Queen’s coffin procession on TV.
As the camera switched between him and the television, which showed the Queen’s coffin being brought to Buckingham Palace, the veteran could be seen standing up and holding onto his walker as placed his hand near his head in a salute to the late monarch.
As of 16 September, Roberts’ video has more than 7.4m views, with many users praising her grandfather for his gesture and service.
“Bless him. We owe the older generation of this country a massive thank you, manners, respect, honesty, loyalty. All cost nothing,” one person wrote.
“This is what we need in the world. He’s struggling to stand but still does it, what a true man to the country,” another added.
A third person said: “What a gentleman…Please tell him we thank him for his service. This is amazing.”
Some viewers went on to share how they believed the Queen would react to Roberts’ video, with one viewer writing: “Bless him! Her Majesty would have been thankful for his service.”
The Independent has contacted Roberts for comment.
The palace announced on 8 September that the Queen had “died peacefully” at her Balmoral estate after 70 years on the throne.
Following her death, a procession saw the Queen’s coffin moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where mourners can pay their respects during the royal mourning period before her funeral on 19 September.
During the procession, Prince William and Prince Harry walked behind their grandmother’s coffin while accompanied by the monarch’s children, King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
Westminster Hall will be open for 24 hours a day until the late monarch’s funeral on Monday 19 September so thousands of members of the public can attend the Queen’s lying in state.
However, members of the public who wish to pass by her coffin are expected to wait in long queues, with wait times up to at least 22 hours. The coffin has been placed on a raised platform covered by the Royal Standard, with the orb and sceptre placed on top.
The Queen’s funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday, with 2,000 people, including President Joe Biden, expected to attend.
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