Almost two weeks since Queen Elizabeth II passed away in her Balmoral castle located in Scotland, millions around the world paid their respects on Sept. 19 , as she was laid to rest.
An official ceremony was held in London that morning, as her majesty took her final resting place among royal family members in the St. George's Chapel in Windsor. Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96.
In Alberta, dozens of events were held on the day of the Queen’s funeral.
For Royal Canadian Legions across the country, ceremonies were hosted to bring together community members to pay their respects, said Danny Stevens, Lac La Biche Royal Canadian Legion McGrane Branch 28 President.
“It’s something for the community and anybody who wanted to show up. We wanted to give people a pathway to move forward,” he explained.
The local event drew service members, councillors and residents to the Monday procession, which also included speeches and refreshments.
“We had a good turnout. We had the peace officers, firefighters, RCMP officers, council and quite a few public members. It was raining a little bit, good old English weather I guess, but it went smoothly,” he said.
The event was guided by the Royal Legion Command and saw local service members pay tribute near the cenotaph. It was a moment that was particularly special for Steven’s, considering the Queen’s service during WWII.
“She did serve in WWII as a mechanic, it means a lot to us to remember that.”
Following the hour-long event, participants gathered from the cenotaph located just outside the local Legion hall before gathering inside for a toast commemorating her majesty and honouring her son, King Charles III, he said.
“It was an opportunity to have two toasts,” to commemorate the past and the new monarch moving forward, he said. “We hope the event gave people a bit of closure.”
