A Greater Manchester headteacher has told of his immense pride and honour at paying tribute to the life of Her Majesty the Queen at her state funeral on Monday.
Glyn Potts gave a fascinating and detailed account of what happened before the service for Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on Monday - and how he could see the 'personal grief' of the Royal Family as they took their seats inside. Glyn is head at Newman Catholic College, a secondary school in Chadderton, Oldham, and a deputy lieutenant of Greater Manchester.
He was made an MBE this year in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to education and the Army Cadet Force - an honour that led to his invite to the funeral. The 43-year-old was in the force from the age of 18 and was a Lieutenant Colonel in the North West region. Glyn said he was 'privileged' to have attended, calling the funeral an 'historic, sombre and special' occasion.
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Sat by himself alongside invited mourners in the nave at Westminster Abbey, he recalled the moment he heard the booming bass drums of the procession's bands outside fall silent. It was then, he said, that he realised the enormity of what was about to happen.
Glyn told the Manchester Evening News he was 'blown away' to be told out of the blue that he would be invited.
"I got a phone call from the Cabinet Office saying that because I was awarded an MBE, there would be an invite to attend Her Majesty's funeral," he said. "It blew me away.
"We were waiting for details for a while then, on the Saturday afternoon, we got the invite. It was quite a detailed account of what we had to do and all about where we had to go."
Glyn travelled to London with his wife, but the invite didn't include a plus one and he attended the funeral service alone. He spoke of 'rings' of security spanning out from Westminster Abbey across London.
"We had to arrive at 8.20am," Glyn said. "From about 10am, all the dignitaries and heads of state came in. I got there at about 8.15am. You go through security check points and there were airport-style screens being used with police officers from both Lancashire and Greater Manchester Police, which was nice.
"It was incredibly well organised - at no point did you feel lost. Every minutiae of detail was catered for. Once we got through the security ring there were police officers every 20 metres or so.
"You approach Westminster Abbey from the side - it just kind of comes up on you. We came in through the East Door and I just stood there.
"People were there to help you and I was in the nave at the western end of the Abbey. You sat at the next available seat and the colour of your invitation indicated where in the Abbey you sat. I was sat on the right hand side about four people back from the front. It was still incredibly close to everyone.
"You go in there, and it was sombre. It was a family grieving - a country grieving. The pressure of grief, you feel it in the atmosphere.
"But it was an historic moment. It enormous and very special. The Abbey is incredibly beautiful and the orders of service were works of art."
Sat inside, Glyn didn't see the procession accompanying Her Majesty's coffin to Westminster Abbey. He told of hearing the thud of the bass drums of the marching bands get louder and louder then stop - before silence.
"As the heads of state came in then the royal family, you realise the enormity of the occasion," said Glyn.
"You could really see their personal grief. To hear the music at first, it was hauntingly beautiful - the hairs on the back of your neck came up. I could hear the bang of the bass drum and things coming closer from outside. Then there was a silence and you are aware that the next thing that's coming through is Her Majesty's coffin.
"You suddenly do get that strong sense of her example. It is incredibly moving - it was hard not to be moved by the sight. It was massively special."
Glyn said those invited were told to remain in their seats as the Royal Family, heads of state and dignitaries filed out of the Abbey. "We saw President Biden leave and the Royal Family processed out with the coffin." he said.
"We were just sat there waiting to be told what to do then people started to process out of the North Door. I was just swept along with that really. I was on my own and in the middle of London and you just go back out through the rings of security.
"It was incredibly special. I got back on the train and went back to my wife. I have still not really computed what I have done. Every member of the royal family was present and what a beautiful service it was.
"I will watch it all again because there was lots that I missed."
Glyn, who has now returned home to Greater Manchester and gave his school a special assembly in the aftermath, said he was 'hugely privileged' to have been invited and attended to represent the school and the Cadets.
"It is something that I hope my little boy will say 'dad did that' in the years to come," added Glyn. "I hope the Royal Family know how much it meant to all the people that were present. We were all taken aback by the invitation."
Some 2,000 people attended the funeral, which brought a national 10-day mourning period to a close. Guests included heads of state, former prime ministers and members of foreign royal families.
Almost 200 people who were recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours earlier this year also attended, including those who made extraordinary contributions to the response to the Covid-19 pandemic and those who have volunteered in their local communities.
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