SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) - As people across South Florida reacted to the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing, some went to a British pub in Sunrise to remember the long-serving monarch and talk about her legacy.
The King’s Head British Pub on North University Drive saw a steady stream of patrons going in and out after news of the long-serving monarch’s death broke on Thursday.
“It’s like the passing of our mom, really. You know, she’s always been in our lives and just about anybody else you can imagine,” said mourner Josh Fischburg.
Always there, always stalwart, always reassuring in a world of war and pandemic and upheaval. For so many from the United Kingdom now living in Florida, although the queen was 96 years old, they weren’t quite ready for this moment.
“When it actually happens, like any death, it hits you, like anyone dying, family,” said mourner Paul Finlayson. “She’d, like, become part of the family.”
“People of my generation, who were born, grown up knowing that we have a monarch — she’s on our money, she’s on our stamps — she’s just like a constant, integral part of our lives,” said mourner Paula Finlayson.
7News cameras captured photos of the queen throughout The King’s Head, some with cheeky imitation inscriptions.
It’s a spot where those in mourning felt right at home, Thursday night.
“She’s just a strong lady. She’s gone through everything,” said mourner Linda Wise. “When we got the news late tonight, it was like total disbelief.”
Wise owns the British market next to The King’s Head.
“She’s been with me through all my life, from being born. She’s always been there and with a lot of Brits,” she said.
And with Americans and Canadians as well, who watched her live through changes in the world and changes in her own family.
“She had a lot, and she carried it gracefully,” said mourner Pam Berns.
“It really is, I think, a celebration, if anything, of everything she accomplished over seven decades, that she was our queen, our monarch,” said Fischburg.
And in tribute, these people, brought together by how much this monarch meant to them, raised their pints to the woman who was always there.
Those who spoke with 7News said they have high hopes for Charles III and his reign, though they concede it simply will not be the same.
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