I couldnsa国际传媒檛 see the lone piper. But it didnsa国际传媒檛 matter.

As the sounds of the Scottish lament, sa国际传媒淪leep, Dearie, Sleep,sa国际传媒� faded into the silence of Westminster Abbey, it finally struck me that Queen Elizabeth II was really gone.

The queen loved bagpipes so much that she had a piper play under her window for 15 minutes every morning, so those notes disappearing into the ether had a sense of finality, in a grand, show-stopping way.

was filled with those kinds of as to its longest-serving monarch with the nation is known for.

The black-clad mourners included the royal family, seven British prime ministers and hundreds of dignitaries from around the world, including U.S. President Joe Biden.

But it was the colors that caught my eye.

The dark clothing was just a backdrop for decorations of all kinds. Military medals gleamed from the chests of old soldiers, and civilians sported ribbons denoting civilian honors bestowed by the queen.

There were Knights of the Garter in blue velvet capes. Trumpeters with long silver instruments festooned with banners. Soldiers in gleaming plumed-helmets and the army veterans known as Chelsea Pensioners, resplendent in their traditional scarlet tunics.

sa国际传媒淚t was like something out of a fairy tale,sa国际传媒� said Bertram Leon, who was recently awarded a British Empire Medal for service to the St. Lucian community. sa国际传媒淵ou know, it was amazing, beautifully well done sa国际传媒� orchestrated, which is what you expected.sa国际传媒�

I witnessed the spectacle from a seat in the abbeysa国际传媒檚 north transept, my view obstructed by a great stone pillar. Thatsa国际传媒檚 partly why I couldnsa国际传媒檛 see the piper.

But so what? It didnsa国际传媒檛 matter. It was enough to be part of the crowd.

Watching the world leaders file in, I wished I had a scorecard with little photographs to figure out who was who. There were so many of them sa国际传媒� who could keep track?

Then came the royals, led by King Charles III in full military uniform, a sword on his hip.

But behind the pomp and circumstance, this was about honoring the late queen and her lifetime of service to Britain and the Commonwealth.

And it was the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who captured that better than any parade or procession.

Welby reminded the congregation of the queensa国际传媒檚 speech during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic sa国际传媒� when frightened Britons were stuck in their homes unable to see friends and family.

Elizabeth, a symbol of stability for 70 years, echoed the words of a World War II-era song by Vera Lynn sa国际传媒� and assured the nation that sa国际传媒淲e will meet again.sa国际传媒�

Welbysa国际传媒檚 words reminded me of the night I listened to that speech, and wondered what the future would hold. I was frightened too sa国际传媒� wasnsa国际传媒檛 everyone?

So somehow this immense state funeral service suddenly became very personal. Amid all the pomp and pageantry, we were all invited to think about that nightsa国际传媒� about what the queen meant to us in that awful, pandemic time.

So whatever it was, the words or the guardsmen or the choristers, I can tell you one thing: At the end of the service, the congregation stood and sang sa国际传媒淕od Save the Kingsa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� with such gusto that it almost felt as if the abbey walls were shaking. If nothing else, the nationsa国际传媒檚 long-time leader was leaving center stage.

I cansa国际传媒檛 say for sure, of course. But I think it will take this country some time to remember that the first line of the national anthem is no longer sa国际传媒淕od Save our gracious Queen.sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒�

sa国际传媒擠anica Kirka, The Associated Press