Hertfordshire’s representative for the British monarchy says he was “privileged and honoured” to take a seat at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Lord-Lieutenant Robert Voss was seated on the front row and bowed his head as the Queen’s coffin passed him after receiving a personal invitation from the Royal Family to attend Westminster Abbey.
As many as half of the globe’s population are thought to have tuned in as the world said goodbye to Britain’s longest reigning monarch.
Read more: Watford educated Dean of Westminster lead Queen's funeral
Mr Voss said: “It has been an incredible honour to be a part of history at this emotional and most poignant of services.
“To have served Her Majesty was a great honour and to attend her funeral equally so. I was privileged to be seated in the front row and witnessed and felt the huge emotion as - with head bowed - Her Majesty’s coffin went past a mere foot or two in front of me.
“With head bowed I recalled what an amazing person Queen Elizabeth was and for so long.”
Mr Voss, who was appointed to his role by Her Majesty in 2017, says it was “emotional”, but to be a part of the world’s biggest event is a “memorable honour”.
Read more: Saying goodbye to Queen Elizabeth - and to the 20th Century
He continued: “Being so close, I also felt so much sympathy for King Charles and the entire Royal Family saying farewell to a mother, grandmother and great grandmother and all in the glare of some four billion people across the globe.
“But I was able to silently say a fond farewell from the people of Hertfordshire to the sovereign who had served us all so well, for so long.”
Paying tribute following her death at Balmoral Castle at the age of 96, Mr Voss said: “I had the honour and privilege to meet The Queen on several occasions and on each she made me laugh with her wicked sense of humour at the same time as her sharp mind focused on the most poignant issues of the day.
"Approximately 85% of the British population have only ever known one monarch in their lives and what a privilege it has been to be able to have called this great lady 'Our Queen'."
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