Thousands of people made their way to Windsor today to line the Long Walk for the historic funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

People had arrived from across the UK and neighbouring counties to pay their respects before the late Queen was laid to rest in Windsor.

Many of the mourners had formed a bond with the monarch during her 70 years of service.

Midwife Beauty Nxumalo came from Slough as far up The Long Walk as possible, having arrived around 9am with a chair and umbrella.

She said: ”I loved this old lady, she was wonderful. It’s a very sad day.”

Bucks Free Press: Beauty Nxumalo (Newsquest)Beauty Nxumalo (Newsquest) (Image: Newsquest)

As a huge fan of the late Queen, she had visited Windsor Castle multiple times, the midwife, who hails from Swaziland, said.  

The Royal Green Jackets soldier Russ Finn left Land’s End in Cornwall at 1am for Windsor, and was about to meet journalist friends from Germany.

“I’m gutted, absolutely gutted. She was everything to us. She was our Colonel-in-Chief,” the former Infantry soldier said.

Bucks Free Press: Russ Finn (Newsquest)Russ Finn (Newsquest) (Image: Newsquest)

The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army between 1966 and 2007.  

Andrew Clegg, from Leatherhead in Surrey, woke up around 7am to get here for 9 with his family. He donned a Union Jack scarf to mark the historical occasion of the funeral of Britain’s longest serving monarch. Since Mr Clegg couldn’t go to the queue leading to Westminster Hall coming to Windsor to pay his respect to the late Queen was crucial today.

Bucks Free Press: Andrew Clegg (Newsquest)Andrew Clegg (Newsquest) (Image: Newsquest)

David Goddard from Guildford, Surrey, described the funeral as “significant day” and “very moving”, with “brilliant pageantry”.

He said: “Obviously many people have been affected by it all, and looking at the crowds here, many people want to be here for the final part of it all.”

The decorated former soldier showed the medals hanging on his jacket: “I was very kindly given an MBE by the Queen about 20 years ago.

“The Falkland Islands medal – I served at HMS Glasgow during the Falklands War.

Bucks Free Press: David Goddard (Newsquest) David Goddard (Newsquest) (Image: Newsquest)

“And this one is from Australia, I served on exchange in Australia.  And finally, the Golden Jubilee medal, when I was still in uniform at the time,” he said, pointing at each medal.   

Woman, who introduced herself as Alini originally from Brazil, had come to bid goodbye with her husband and children.

“I feel really sad, she was an amazing woman. I’ve in this country for 20 years, and she’s always been there. It’s also a little bit sad how the Queen didn’t have her own life, but she dedicated it serving the country and its people," she said. 

Bucks Free Press: Alini (Newsquest)Alini (Newsquest) (Image: Newsquest)

“I have prayed for her,” she said, while tending to her young son, who was on verge of tears after he dropped his little Union Jack flag.

“I wanted to come and pray here. As a Brazilian I pray a lot.”

Samuel and Kenez had come from Reading to see the Queen’s funeral progression.

It’s the first time Kenez has been somewhere close to her, and wanted to travel here today because "it’s a historical moment," he said. 

Bucks Free Press: Kenez (left) and Samuel (Newsquest)Kenez (left) and Samuel (Newsquest) (Image: Newsquest)