Hundreds of mourners who turned up to watch the Queen's funeral on a big screen in Edinburgh said the time for mourning was over - and the time for celebrating Her Majesty's life had begun.
The funeral was displayed in the beautiful setting of Holyrood Park, in the shadow of the Scottish Parliament and Arthur's Seat, on Monday morning. As people began to arrive shortly after 9am, the sun broke through the clouds as many pitched up with camping chairs and picnic blankets.
Despite the solemn occasion, there was almost a festival vibe in the capital, with ice cream vans and portaloos on site. But, as the funeral began at 11am, the crowd fell silent as mourners stayed glued to the screen.
Some sat on their own near the back, with tears in their eyes as they collected their thoughts and memories of the Queen while others were there with loved ones and children.
Susan Maxwell and her wife Karina brought the kids as they paid their respects in the capital.
Susan, 54, from Milngavie, said: "We are a big fan of the Royals. I've served in the Army and been in the police all my life - so she's been the boss. We thought it was important to come down and pay our respects and also let the kids see everything as well.
"It feels special to be here. It's really nice. I feel like the time for mourning is over and it's about celebrating her life now.
"It feels like a family member has passed away. My mum and dad were both big supporters of the Royal Family and she has just been an ever present part of our life.
"But it's brilliant to come out and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and to be with people that are feeling the same."
Karina, 42, from Edinburgh, added: "She's been a part of my life for 42 years - it does feel like she's a part of the family.
"It's exciting to be here, it's exciting for the kids as well - it's history. I don't feel like a complete royalist but I've been really emotional over the last few days. She's been a constant in life for everybody and for that to all change is just scary."
Monica Lagonia and Siegrune Muffoletto, both from Canada, had been holidaying in Scotland and they decided to use the opportunity to come down to Holyrood to watch the funeral.
Monica, 65, Kitchener in Ontario, said: "We just happened to be visiting and we just thought this would be a really nice gesture to come and pay our respects to the Queen.
"It's poignant. I feel privileged to be here. If I was still in Canada I would have definitely still got up at 5am to watch this - but I will always remember I was here.
"As a Canadian the Queen was our Commonwealth leader, but she was a wonderful woman, representing the UK - but Canada as well. I'm very proud of her."
Siegrune, 75, from Toronto added: "Our friends at home are thrilled we are here. It's a thrill to be here at this time.
"She was a figurehead for the Canadian government, but it was really unifying. It was a nice tie."
George Clark Robertson Squire was impressed with the event that Edinburgh City Council had been able to help put together at Holyrood Park.
The 54-year-old, who lives in Edinburgh, said: "The Queen was a wonderful lady. I live nearby and I didn't want to be alone in case I broke down at 11am.
"I wanted to be with company - and Elizabeth would be proud of what the council has put on here. She loved Scotland, particularly the parliament and Holyrood."
As the ceremony came to a close, the crowd of at least a thousand stood for God Save The King. Some had their arms held around their loved ones as they watched the funeral come to a close.
Gemma Coupar, 43, from Edinburgh, who sat with her friend Josie Murray in camping chairs wrapped in Union Jack bunting during the ceremony, said: "We wanted to come down here to pay our respects to the Queen and to share in the grief with so many other people who also feel really sad about the whole occasion.
"Normally everything happens down in England, so to have our opportunity to have had our moment to grieve and pay our respects in Scotland has been really important to me.
"Its lovely to see so many people out. We've got Holyrood in the background and it's a beautiful day to share that experience together."
Gemma sobbed as she added: "The Queen has been a steady constant in all our lives. She served her country so faithfully. Her sense of duty to her country has been exemplary - and I'm just so sad she's not here."
Josie, 39, from Kirkcaldy in Fife, added: "She was an exemplary leader and it's a privilege to be able to come and remember that with other people.
"It's so important, everybody here has come together for lots of different reasons. The Queen meant so many different things to so many different people and I think the one thing is to be united in our showing of respect in whatever she meant to all of us.
"We have so much more in common that we have apart and I think it's so important when we have someone who unified the nation, to be able to unify ourselves in watching her passing."
