Ballater crowds go quiet as Queen leaves for final time

The death of a Queen is an event most people across the United Kingdom, and the world, will have never experienced up close and personal.

And while many feel the royal family has little to do with their everyday lives, it's clear the death of the head of the monarchy has stirred up a national collective grief for a woman who brought a sense of stability to generations.

We watched the cortege pass through the village of Ballater - the township where Queen Elizabeth II would pop down to buy her own meat at the butcher, and where King Charles III hikes nearby trails.

We arrived early, and so too did hundreds - not just from the village, but the surrounding hamlets too.

"It made it feel real," said one woman as she watched the hearse pass by.

The procession took six hours - for a journey that would normally take just two and a half - allowing the thousands of mourners to gather along winding country roads and broad open highways to watch the coffin pass by.

It was an extraordinary scene. While waiting, the mood was jovial and warm, light hearted even. But as soon as the first policeman rode by slowly, a hush would fall across the line, and heads would bow.

"I think the thing that really struck me above all, was how the crowds out here on the street went completely silent," a man named Henry told us.

"A mark of respect and love for the Queen. It's a very emotional day for all of us."

It's fair to say not everyone agrees - a handful of boos were heard at the Proclamation service for King Charles held in Edinburgh in the afternoon.

But the signs of disrespect are few and far between. On BBC Scotland, the radio announcers have spent days analysing what the future of the monarchy means for their country - and it's clear, nobody quite knows. While many still view the monarchy with some unease, this is not the time to debate its role in Scotland's future. Those are discussions for another day. Today, it was all about farewelling the Queen.