We must hold on to the unity shown during Britain’s national mourning

Editorial: During this time, economic and political issues have been pushed into the background, but they are still there

Looking at the images of the queue over recent days and nights, the pull of such emotion is easy to see (Reuters)

Westminster Abbey will be the venue – a place that has borne witness to some of the most important events in the life of Queen Elizabeth, including her wedding and her coronation.

Tomorrow’s state funeral will mark the poignant climax of a historic era: the passing of a monarch who has been a constant presence for most of the British people. Whatever our views of the monarchy as an institution, we can all recognise the significance of the events of the past week and a half.

Beyond the recognition of the Queen’s 70 years of public service, at the centre of all the pageantry is a family that has lost a loved one – an experience we will all endure at some point in our lives.

The thousands who have stood for hours on end to pay their final respects to the late monarch illustrate this strength of feeling. Yes, some came to honour what the Queen represents, but many were also drawn to pay tribute to Elizabeth II as a person. Interviews with those who were happy to join that line as it snaked its way across London – a line that by 6.30 on Monday morning will have faded away – highlight the sense that her civility is regarded as a quality we should all seek to emulate.

Looking at the images of the queue over recent days and nights, the pull of such emotion is easy to see. It has inspired people to travel from all over the country, and from thousands of miles beyond, and those who have joined the line have been quick to speak of the friendly nature of their fellow mourners.

It might be easy for some to scoff at the thought of waiting for hours in the cold, but the distance the queue has spanned over the past few days is indicative of the need of many to mark, collectively, the end of an era.

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We are in a phase in which time seems to have gained some temporary new powers. For some, it will have stopped completely during the period of mourning; for others, less so – and each to their own. But this phase will come to an end on Monday.

A one-minute silence was held on Sunday evening, which people were encouraged to mark in their individual way – whether at home, with friends or neighbours, or at community events. Another two-minute silence will be held at the end of tomorrow’s state funeral. Each allows a moment for contemplation of what has gone before, but the second will mark the end, at least symbolically, of this period of national spectacle. The country has changed, and yet it has not.

Thenceforth, we will begin to return to normality. The death of the Queen has meant that economic and political issues have been pushed into the background, but they are still there. The sense of unity that many have felt during the past 10 days, however performative it may have been, will be needed as the broader issues the country faces come back into focus.