From Scouts in London to tributes at Sandringham: How West Norfolk paid tribute to the Queen

People across West Norfolk continued to pay their respects to the Queen during the period of national mourning over the last week.

While some were travelling to London to help visitors, others paid tribute to the country's longest-reigning monarch in the borough.

Ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in London yesterday, two Scouts from Lynn were supporting the lying-in-state process at Westminster Palace.

Abi Karreman, 23, and Lucy Hearle, 19, were two of more than 100 Scouts from across the UK helping the thousands of people paying their respects to the monarch in the capital.

Abi said: “I am a Queen’s Scout and this is one of the greatest honours of my life.

"To step forward and live up to my Scout promise to do my duty to the Queen is a very proud moment. Her Majesty was such an amazing role model.”

Meanwhile Lucy, who has been in Scouting since the age of five, said: “It’s such an honour and privilege to have been selected to represent the Scouts at such a solemn occasion.

"As part of my Scout promise, I promised that I would do my duty to the Queen and I believe that supporting the lying-in-state process is part of that duty.”

Lucy's father Robert Hearle said her family were "extremely proud of her" and added that she had recently taken up the role of district youth commissioner for The Scout Association.

"What an honour it is to help with a moment in history," he added.

And closer to home Cub Scout Alfie Spall, 10, visited Sandringham with his parents Sarah and James on Wednesday dressed in his uniform to pay his respects to the Queen.

Alfie, of West Walton, is a Cub in the 13th Walpole Troop, and as Queen Elizabeth II was the Scout movement's patron, they felt it fitting he should go in his uniform and represent them on the occasion.

They laid a floral tribute with a card they had written giving their thanks to Her Majesty's "remarkable and most dignified 70-year reign".

"The whole experience was very special. The flowers were a sea of colour and their fragrance filled the air," Sarah said.

"The tributes were lovely to read and had me tearing up on many occasions.

"The floral display was amazing so many flowers, cards, pictures and items which had all been lovingly chosen, written, drawn and then left with care and appreciation for Her Majesty.

"It was just so heart-warming to see just how much The Queen meant to everyone, young and old and something I am so pleased we were able to do.

"I feel we are very privileged to have this wonderful Royal Estate on our doorstep and have always enjoyed our visits here but it will also now hold this special, cherished memory which will last a lifetime."

Alfie and his family were not the only people to experience a special moment at Sandringham last week, as the first Jubilee baby born at Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital earlier this year met the Prince and Princess of Wales there.

Louie James Alfred Thomas was born on Thursday, June 2, 2022 and was named after William and Kate's youngest son.

And in a full-circle moment, the three-month-old was dressed in a Paddington bear jumper as he and his family met the Prince and Princess near the Norwich Gates on Thursday.

Louie's mum Gemma Schultz said: "It was breathtaking, it felt like we had a bit of a connection to them because of the Jubilee.

"They were such nice genuine people, they were holding it together really well with losing the Queen so recently."

William and Kate both spotted Louie in the crowd and came over to make a fuss of him.

"They both touched Louie, it's nice after Covid that they will touch people," said Gemma.

William and Kate, the new Prince and Princess of Wales, parents to three young children, including youngest Prince Louis, both asked Gemma how her own Louie had been sleeping.

Gemma said: "I couldn't really complain by that point because he's been sleeping really well!

"It's definitely a day to remember for ourselves and show Louie when he is older as Prince William and Princess Kate will be King and Queen in his lifetime."

Meanwhile, thousands of floral tributes have continued to be laid at Sandringham over the last week.

A small number were also left on the iron gates at Lynn Railway Station, which the Queen used in previous years when exiting the station after arriving for her winter break at Sandringham.

While Sandringham was closed yesterday, it was expected that visitors could start leaving tributes again from today.

Officials from the Royal Estate said the main floral tributes would be removed in the days following the funeral, and then periodically removed daily thereafter.

"Tributes will be monitored throughout and if floral tributes have deteriorated, they will be removed and taken for processing to prepare them for composting," they said.

"Labels and cards will be separated from flowers and stored for members of the Royal Family to read.

"Once floral tributes are removed, they will be taken for processing to remove any remaining packaging, cards and labels and to separate plant material for composting.

"This organic composted material will be used within the Royal Gardens on shrubberies and landscaping projects across the Royal Parkland."