A double rainbow appeared above Buckingham Palace just before the world learned about the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch.
Members of the public gathered outside the gates of the palace after a heavy downpour as news spread of the Queen's worsening condition.
People, many holding umbrellas, congregated on stone steps outside the royal residence, with others standing beside the gates, waiting for news, as the rainbow appeared.
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The crowd grew into the thousands after the announcement of the Queen's death. Some were hugging and crying, others sang the national anthem.
“I can’t believe it. What can I say? She was an amazing monarch. She was our queen,” a tearful Michelle Kennedy told NBC News. “We will never see the likes of her again,” the 52-year-old mental health worker added.
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David Taylor, 57, said that it was "the end of an era," adding that the monarch had "been a rock for so many people."
“She’s been here for our entire lives,” he said. “It’s going to take some getting used to.”
