Watford shoppers memories and tributes to the Queen

Following Her Majesty’s death yesterday some locals said they were reduced to tears as they tried to digest the “real sense of loss and the end of an era”.

Paul Connolly, 69, said: “God bless her, lovely lady.

“When I first heard, I was really quite shocked, I listened to most of the things on television last night and it was really quite upsetting.

“Actually, it brought a tear to my eye.”

Christie Ferguson, 36, said: “I’m really sad.

"She’s been such an icon for so many years for so many people in the UK and also around the world it’s really a real sense of loss and the end of an era.

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“She touched the hearts of so many generations.”

Pricing director Annabel Smith, 44, added: “It was a bit of a shock.

“Of course, I saw the pictures of her on Tuesday meeting the new prime minister, she didn’t look very well with her, but still it was a shock.

“My kids were particularly shocked, they had seen her once.

“She touched so many people really.”

Annabel Smith (Image: Fintan McGuinness)

NHS worker Alison Robins said: “She was the only queen I have ever known.

“I'm not a big royalist but she was lovely, a very kind woman.”

Some reflected on her reign and the mark it will leave on the country.

Retiree Thomas Berchten, 63, said: “She’s seen history go by, it’s as if we are waving goodbye to the 20th century.

“She was the link to all the developments, two world wars, and all the things that happened.

Sam Stone, Thomas Berchtan (Image: Fintan McGuinness)

Chartered surveyor Simon Stone, 68, added: “She always seemed fair and reasonable.

“In such as crazy world full of despots and dictators she always seemed able to see calm and sense right through all the world difficulties.

“I’ll miss her.”

Christie Ferguson, Paul Connolly, James Hawes (Image: Fintan McGuinness)

James Hawes, 89, said: “Of course, I’m old enough to have been in the army when King George died.

“It was very different then.

The Queen. Picture: PA (Image: PA)

“I also remember my father was lucky enough to get an award and we went to the palace for that, that was quite a memory."

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