It started as a ripple and quickly became a wave. Hundreds of people, who were gathered outside Westminster Abbey, reacted to the sight of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin passing the place where she married Prince Philip in 1947.
For many, witnessing the final chapters of the queen’s story was an important chapter of their own family history as well as that of the nation.
Nusrat Mahmud made the trip from Bath, south-west England, with her husband, children and parents, including her mother Farida Khanam Saki, an MP in the Bangladeshi Parliament.
“It’s something for them to remember,” she said, pointing to her sons aged 6 and 9 months. “When they grow up, they can say we were part of this moment in British history.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Sullivan, from Essex, said he held a special link to the queen’s reign as it began the year he was born ―1952.
“There’s a solemn atmosphere here today,” he said, as he stood back from the crowds to have a breather. “It’s quite emotional.
"The queen did a marvellous job and I’m sure [King] Charles will also."
The queen's coffin had been transported along a slow march from Buckingham Palace to Westminster, where in the Great Hall it will now lay in state for four days. The royal family in uniform and formal dress, accompanied by the mass ranks of the leading military regiments, had followed the coffin along the route where the late monarch had performed her decades-long official duties.
For most of those in the crowd, Wednesday had started early as throngs of mourners jostled for front-row positions along The Mall.
While there was stiff competition for space, with many dedicated royalists having camped out overnight, there was also a sense of camaraderie and fellowship in the crowds. Strangers bonded over their shared love and celebration of the late monarch after her 70 years on the throne.
Young and old wrapped in warm coats, blankets and flags, sat on foldable chairs. They sipped warm drinks as they waited patiently to witness the queen’s final journey.
The Imperial State Crown and a wreath of flowers were on top of the queen’s coffin as it left the palace for the procession at 2.22pm. This was followed by King Charles III, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Princess Anne, the queen’s daughter, also joined the procession on foot, while other royal ladies ― including Queen Consort Camilla, the Princess of Wales, Prince Harry's wife Meghan and Sophie Wessex ― travelled the 1.9-kilometre route by car.
The lying-in-state period will begin at 5pm on Wednesday. It will continue around the clock until 6.30am on Monday, before the queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey at 11am.
With six hours to go before the historic procession started, the crowds along The Mall were already six deep.
“It’s unbelievable,” Derek Derdivanis, an American tourist holidaying in London, told The National as he observed the rows of people. "I admire them, I’m truly surprised that people will sit and wait just to get a glimpse, to be part of history.”
The 68-year-old flew in from California on Tuesday night and is en route to Scotland for a golfing holiday. His scheduled tour of Buckingham Palace was cancelled due to the queen’s death. However, Mr Derdivanis said he was glad he had the chance to witness history unfolding in London.
“It’s an expression of love that the people of England and around the world have for the queen. I love tradition, it’s awesome,” he said.
Chantelle Cahill, 38, woke her six children up at 5am to travel to The Mall and secure a good viewing position. Her youngsters were eagerly awaiting the procession with their home-made condolence cards and bunches of flowers.
The Londoner remembers watching Princess Diana’s funeral procession as a teenager in 1997. She was determined to ensure her four sons and two daughters, aged from 5 to 15, could witness Wednesday's historic event.
“It’s something that they will tell their children and grandchildren about,” she said. “For them to be a part of today is absolutely amazing. They are also seeing King Charles and the future king, William. I said: 'you’ll thank me for years to come'.
“We’ve got ponchos, we’ve got picnics, I’ve even got a bucket in case they need to wee.”
The queen's coffin arrived at the palace on Tuesday evening, having been transported from Scotland on a flight to RAF Northolt. The Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence travelled with the casket on the RAF Globemaster C-17 flight from Edinburgh. The coffin remained at the palace overnight, giving royal family members and royal household staff the opportunity to pay their respects.
Security was tight around the palace on Wednesday morning, with police conducting mounted and on-foot patrols. The thousands of bouquets of flowers and other tributes left at the palace walls after the queen's death last Thursday appeared to have been moved to nearby Green Park.
Esther Ravenor, 55, a native of Kenya, said the queen held a special place in her heart due to her connection to her homeland. The late monarch was on holiday in the East African country in 1952 when she heard that her father King George VI had died, making her the new sovereign.
“We love the queen; as Kenyans, we celebrate her,” Ms Ravenor told The National as she unfurled a Kenyan flag. “She taught us kindness, respect and just to be there for each other.
“She was a queen of love. It’s like losing a mum for me. It’s a mix of emotions for me, coming from a migrant background.
“I had some issues with migration and fear of persecution. Later to be given British citizenship was an honour and I am really humbled to be here.”
A special memory ingrained in Ms Ravenor’s mind is her 2005 meeting with the queen at Moorfields Eye Hospital in Islington, London. Her daughter, Zee, and her classmates sang for the monarch.
“It was a proud moment for me,” she said. “I shook her hand. It was amazing. She said the kids were great. It was a special moment I will always remember.”
Royal fan Lewis, 23, travelled to London from Newcastle with his mother Chris, 58, on Tuesday evening. The pair had a few hours’ sleep overnight on foldable chairs, before waking up to a huge influx of fellow mourners.
Dressed in a suit for the sombre occasion, Lewis said he wanted to witness a “momentous moment” in British history. He said he was eager to honour the queen's memory and also show support for the royal family, who are grieving the loss of their matriarch.
“We got here at 8pm last night as people were leaving after seeing her coffin arrive at the palace,” he said. “There were other people on chairs and some people were in tents. There is camaraderie here, people are sharing umbrellas and chatting and they were giving out free hot drinks. It was not too cold but it was damp."
Valerie Garnerone, 53, flew in from the southern French city of Nice on Tuesday. She headed straight to The Mall, where she camped out overnight.
A long-time admirer of the queen, the Frenchwoman hailed the late British monarch for having a strong influence across the globe. “It’s my way to say my last goodbye,” she told The National. “She had a really incredible life and for me it was a priority to be here.”
Sharon Chlouk, in her 50s, arrived with her 17-year-old daughter Riya after taking a train from Brighton. She printed photos of the queen at home and brought them along to hold up as her coffin passed.
“I think it’s nice to have this memory of her,” she told The National as she held up the picture. “She was charming.”
“It’s interesting to see the celebration of her life,” her daughter added.
People queue to see the queen's coffin lying in state - in pictures
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
'Will%20of%20the%20People'
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'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
MATCH INFO
Norwich 0
Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')
Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
J%20Street%20Polling%20Results
%3Cp%3E97%25%20of%20Jewish-Americans%20are%20concerned%20about%20the%20rise%20in%20anti-Semitism%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E76%25%20of%20US%20Jewish%20voters%20believe%20Donald%20Trump%20and%20his%20allies%20in%20the%20Republican%20Party%20are%20responsible%20for%20a%20rise%20in%20anti-Semitism%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E74%25%20of%20American%20Jews%20agreed%20that%20%E2%80%9CTrump%20and%20the%20Maga%20movement%20are%20a%20threat%20to%20Jews%20in%20America%22%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
The%20Beekeeper
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'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal
Rating: 3.5/5
Dubai Women's Tour teams
Agolico BMC
Andy Schleck Cycles-Immo Losch
Aromitalia Basso Bikes Vaiano
Cogeas Mettler Look
Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
Hitec Products – Birk Sport
Kazakhstan National Team
Kuwait Cycling Team
Macogep Tornatech Girondins de Bordeaux
Minsk Cycling Club
Pannonia Regional Team (Fehérvár)
Team Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Team Ciclotel
UAE Women’s Team
Under 23 Kazakhstan Team
Wheel Divas Cycling Team
The biog
Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi
Favourite TV show: That 70s Show
Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving
Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can
Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home
Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The specs: 2018 Renault Megane
Price, base / as tested Dh52,900 / Dh59,200
Engine 1.6L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission Continuously variable transmission
Power 115hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 156Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.6L / 100km
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
