North Texas man visits London to witness tributes to the queen

DALLAS — Kevin Sharpe isn’t a giant royal household buff.

But he loves Europe. And he loves historical past.

And the probability to witness historical past in London was one thing he made an “impulsive decision” to do.

“God bless American Airlines and advantage miles,” he mentioned from his London resort room.

He and his sister, who lives in Omaha, Nebraska, booked their flight when news broke that Queen Elizabeth II was gravely sick.

They left DFW on Tuesday and arrived in London on Wednesday.

“I’ve been introducing myself as the dignitary from Lake Highlands, Dallas, Texas,” he mentioned, laughing. “I don’t think anyone else from Lake Highlands is here. If they are, I apologize.”

He described an electrical power in London.

“The closer you get to Buckingham Palace, the quieter it is, the more solemn it is,” he mentioned.

Sharpe and his sister determined not to wait in the miles-long line to see the queen’s casket.

“We made a pact that we’re not standing in a line that is longer than the flight it took to get here,” he mentioned.

But they did stand underneath Big Ben when the procession escorting the casket to Westminster was going down.

The crowds had been so massive, they couldn’t see the pomp and circumstance.

But Sharpe mentioned what they did see and really feel was value it.

“Men in business suits climbing on top of statues to get a view of nothing. There were thousands of iPhones pointing up to nothing. But we were there. And that connection is something that is making this priceless,” he mentioned.

“When you stop people and ask them how they feel or what this means to you, they take a deep breath and they just tell these awesome personal stories.”

During earlier journeys to London, Sharpe mentioned he witnessed examples of custom and ritual that surrounds the monarchy — like the altering of the guard.

“But this was the moment they were practicing for,” he mentioned. “This moment in history will never happen again. We just thought, let’s do this.”

And he is aware of he’ll ceaselessly be proud he did.