Crowds gathered in the rain outside Buckingham Palace on Friday to mourn Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II amid shock that a reign lasting seven decades had finally drawn to a close.
![‘A mother figure to us all’: Shock and sorrow as crowds grieve for Queen](https://s.france24.com/media/display/8dc896ac-3079-11ed-b1f6-005056bfb2b6/w:1024/p:16x9/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-09-09%20at%208.35.14%20PM.jpeg)
Crowds gathered in the rain outside Buckingham Palace on Friday to mourn Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II amid shock that a reign lasting seven decades had finally drawn to a close.