It was a chance to say a final, emotional farewell to The Queen - and for the tens of thousands of mourners packing on to the streets of London on Monday it was a poignant pilgrimage they felt they simply had to make. Many had camped overnight to get the best spots along The Mall, and many knew the tears would be rolling throughout most of the day.
An estimated four billion people tuned in to watch the grand ceremony of the State Funeral on live feeds across the globe on Monday. But for the thousands heading to the capital, it was hugely significant to be right there, right on the front line, as The Queen made her final journey before their eyes.
They threw flowers as her coffin weaved its slow procession down The Mall, and they waved their Union Jacks with fervour. They dabbed away the tears and stood on tip toes to get a better view, while the more adventurous leapt onto bollards and railings.
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All to be a part of UK history in the making. And to get a glimpse of The Queen's coffin, and see King Charles and the Royal Family take their slow, purposeful march behind the monarch.
I was among the thousands who had packed onto trains from Manchester, Crewe, Stoke, Birmingham and indeed from all across the UK at the weekend with the hope of getting a plum place on The Mall to see the historic State Funeral unfold on Monday. I had seen that many had been camping to get the best spots as early as Saturday night, but decided to take my chances with a 6am start on Monday.
I joined huge queues of people - young and old - flooding into Green Park next to Buckingham Palace. Already by 6.30am word had spread that certain entrances and tube stations had closed, and so this became the main entry point for many of us keen to get in but I was surprised by how swift my entry was.
It seems I might have been among the lucky ones, though - as others in the crowd were saying that by 8am that gate had too now closed. Once inside people were keen to stake their places as near to the main road as possible but those right at the front were the dedicated folk who had pitched up, wrapped up, and slept in situ.
Those more agile were content with a precarious balancing act on the bollards and railings, or even atop giant water fountains put in place. I half expected to see people climb the trees lining the grand palatial route.
It was clear from chatting to people in the crowds just how much The Queen meant to them. Enough for them to make long and often expensive journeys so that they could say they were there on Monday, September 19, for that final royal farewell.
For Richard Calladine from Doncaster, it was an emotional and important day, having already spent Wednesday queuing to see The Queen lying-in-state at Westminster Hall. He said: "I served in the military for over 25 years and in the prison service for the past four years. It's something that's part of me, I need to say a fond farewell to her.
"When she passed away on the Thursday I broke down crying for a good 36 hours to be honest. It was quite emotional for me, it was a big part of my life. So when I came down on Wednesday, I had to come down and see her lying-in-state with my own eyes to be honest.
"It was emotional to be there and see that. But to be here today, it had to be done. This is like the last part of my duty to say goodbye to her."
Richard was not alone in those tears. All around me people were overwhelmed with emotion and said that they felt that they needed to be a part of this occasion.
Sisters Alex Winton, 59, and Cindy Webster, 58, had taken the long drive down from Perth in Scotland to be at the State Funeral with family and friends. Dressed in patriotic Union Jack fashions, they said they felt it their duty to be there.
Alex, wiping away tears, said: "She's been my Queen for all of my life and she's the most special person I know. The Queen has been there forever for us so it felt right to come and say goodbye." Cindy added: "We just wanted to say goodbye and thank you."
Yvonne Thomas, 65, from East London, has felt so moved by the events of the past week she said she had been "walking up and down The Mall all week". Having waited 12 hours to see The Queen at the lying-in-state ceremony at Westminster Hall, it was only natural that she would be here to cheer on her final journey.
Yyvonne beamed: "I just love the pageantry, I love the Queen from as long ago as I can remember so I had to be here today, I had to be here all week.
"It's just so sad that she suddenly went, but I'm also glad that she didn't suffer, she went the best way and I'm just glad that she's back with Phillip. We have to be grateful for all the things she has done around the world, she has given her life to the Monarchy.
"She is a good example for the rest of the world to live by."
Among those who slept overnight on The Mall were Sue McGranaghan from Salford, who journeyed to the capital on Sunday night with husband Jimmy and son Nathan. Sue, like so many in the crowds, had made the effort because she "wanted to be part of a historical day following a wonderful 70-year reign".
Sue, 55, said afterwards: "Sleeping on The Mall was worth every minute. It's hard to put into words, but listening to the bands play felt very solemn and sad but at the same time just incredible to see.
"When the Navy came pulling the Queen's coffin I felt honoured to be able to witness it and see her family walking behind her. It's something I will never forget to have been part of history."
Sue was rewarded for her overnight effort with a prime viewing spot at the front of The Mall. But for many, the reality was to be watching most of the extraordinary pomp and ceremony of the funeral procession through the lens of a mobile phone camera stuffed on to a selfie stick.
Having spent the build up weaving in and out to chat to people, that was certainly to be my experience at the back of the 10-20 man deep crowds outside St James' Palace.
Harking back to a bygone age earlier in the day though, a hush was to descend across The Mall as the clock struck 11am - with a live radio broadcast from the State Funeral aired down The Mall. Mobiles with a decent signal at this stage were in short supply with such huge numbers of people packing into one space.
So it was down to those whose phones had kept a better signal to be able to show live feeds on their tiny screens to family and new-found friends to peer down at the images while the loud radio broadcast boomed out.
One woman even set her phone up on a ladder so people around could watch, as she clutched a Union Jack for comfort, wiping tears from her eyes. You could have heard a pin drop along The Mall such was the reverent silence held during the funeral.
Well, save for the occasional yelp from small children who took to entertaining themselves by kicking up the autumnal leaves piled high all along The Mall.
While there were no seats here unless you'd thought to pack your own, there were plenty of other facilities set up for those making this extraordinary pilgrimage to the capital. Coffee vans were dotted all along The Mall, and there were large stacks of portaloos, although mourners were in for at least a 20 minute queue for both.
Once the funeral procession was complete, there was some confusion about which way people would all be let out, but again I appear to have struck lucky by heading up the steps by the Duke of York column. For those who didn't hear the announcements about longer closures along Whitehall, there was to be a more frustrating wait to be back out on the streets.
But this was a day where endurance was to be a key part of the whole process. And the reward? Being right at the very heart of one of the most significant days in the nation's history.
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