British Airways passengers learn of Queen Elizabeth II's death mid-flight to Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's the end of an era. Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday, ending the British monarch's unmatched 70-year reign on the throne. She was 96.
Eyewitness News caught up with travelers who touched down at Philadelphia International Airport from London Thursday afternoon.
A British Airways flight coming from London landed in Philadelphia after the news of Queen Elizabeth II's death.
Passengers say they found out about the news after the pilot made an announcement.
A mother and daughter from the UK said before they had boarded their flight, they had heard that the queen was sick.
The next update came while they were on the plane. That's when the pilot stopped all the entertainment on the flight and made an announcement telling everyone that the queen had died.
They said they both felt the mood inside of the plane shift.
"All my lifetime she had been the queen," Susan Dowdall said. "That's been it. So now to think that Charles is now king. To come away having a queen and go back to England now with a king."
"She has been the continuity across so many governments, so many prime ministers," Dowdall's daughter said. "She had been kind of the guiding hand there."
Eyewitness News also spoke to a husband and wife that are both Americans but now live in the UK.
Toward the end of the announcement, they said they heard the pilot say, "God save the queen, and now God save the king."
Most of the passengers say they're devastated but will be watching to see what's next for the monarchy.
