Queen Elizabeth death: New Zealanders prepare to say farewell

By Rosie Gordon of RNZ

As preparations for the Queen's funeral are finalised in London, New Zealanders are making their own farewells.

Up and down the country, royalists are getting ready to tune in to watch or listen to the funeral from 10pm NZ time.

Staunch royalist Angela Thompson and her husband Bill own what is believed to be New Zealand's largest collection of royal memorabilia, which famously adorned their cafe.

Thompson grew up in England, and while she has lived in Te Aroha for some years, the Queen's death has made her feel very far from home.

"It's been awful, to be perfectly honest," she said, her voice shaking. "I needed to be at home, I needed to be there, and I wasn't, and I'm not, so it's very, very hard."

Flags of New Zealand fly at half-mast on the Auckland Harbour Bridge as New Zealand mourns death of Queen Elizabeth II. Photo / Michael Craig

Instead, she will be among those watching the Queen's funeral from home with television specials starting this evening ahead of the service.

"I need to see it. I need to say my farewells," she said. "I can't be there but I can be there in spirit."

In Christchurch, Lisbeth Clement has been a royal fan since she was a young girl and has collected memorabilia all her life.

"Well, I've got the teaspoons, the thimbles, the cups, the plates, books."

Today, she'll meet with her friend who is also a collector to admire their royal treasures, before tuning into the funeral.

"I plan to sit and watch it the whole way through because I just thought she was just such a wonderful person, and I feel that well, I can't be over there, I just need to be watching it and be involved."

Further south in Dunedin, 90-year-old Betty Rawlings will be watching too.

Sixty-nine years ago, as a young member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, she saw the young Queen in person when she presented her colours to the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Betty Rawlings, centre, with members of The Victoria League in Otago. Photo / Linda Robertson, File

"What struck me was her beautiful complexion," Rawlings said.

She plans to pay tribute tonight.

"I shall be wearing black and sitting on my own watching the television, in my small way being a part of it."

However, if a random sampling of people on the street elsewhere in the country is anything to go by, not everyone will be watching.

"No, I don't think I'm going to watch it, but I do have compassion for her family and I hope they're okay," one woman said.

"Yes, I think I probably will, it's history and it's interesting," another said.

"No, I don't intend to," and "I don't think it's really relevant to us in New Zealand," others said.

In Rotorua, Coral Warner, 81, remembers the death and funeral of King George.

After tonight, the Rotorua woman will have the service for Queen Elizabeth II to remember also.

"I'll be pulling an all-nighter for as long as it goes. I'll watch it all, from go to whoa."

Warner will be among the projected billions of people worldwide watching the funeral procession for the Queen, beginning from 7.30pm (NZT). The service is expected to happen about 10pm (NZT).

Rotorua resident Coral Warner, 81, has been a staunch royalist since she was 6-years-old. Photo / Andrew Warner

- additional reporting Rotorua Daily Post.