British-born American citizens living in Delaware Valley mourn death of Queen Elizabeth II
HADDONFIELD, N.J. (CBS) -- People around the world are mourning Queen Elizabeth II's death. That includes British-born American citizens living in the Delaware Valley.
Many expressed feeling shocked and heartbroken.
"This is the only sovereign I've ever had," Sybil Bailey, whose father is British, said.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II brought Bailey from Cherry Hill to tears.
"It's like you guys losing JFK, when that happened. I mean, I know she was old, but she was in such great health and so, I was just was shell-shocked," Bailey said.
Bailey bought a British flag to honor the queen's memory.
"I just can't imagine England without Queen Elizabeth," Bailey said.
People across the Delaware Valley are heartbroken by the queen's death, especially those who were born in England, like Ian Whitfield. He owns the restaurant, The British Chip Shop on Kings Highway in Haddonfield, New Jersey.
"I'm very sad. You know, I think as a British person, we for the longest time, we believed maybe she was going to live forever and carry on being the queen forever, but all things must come to an end. It's just, I didn't expect it to happen yet. I was kind of hoping she was going to make it to 100," Whitfield said.
Queen Elizabeth II was a beacon of stability for the UK during good times and bad, from World War II and Brexit, to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sarah Mattimoe, who lives between London and Haddonfield, went for a walk as she dealt with her emotions.
"I'm devastated. I love the queen. Absolutely loved the queen, as most of us do," Mattimoe said. "She's just been there for everything. She's always there. You know, she's like a grandmother to the country."
For the first time in 70 years, the United Kingdom will now have a king instead of a queen.
"In England, you say now, 'the queen is dead, God save the king.' I hope Charles rules with the dignity and grace of his mother," Bailey said.
Eyewitness News also stopped by a bar and restaurant on Front Street with deep ties to England to gauge reaction from patrons on the queen's death.
"When I heard the news, I was very saddened," Geoffrey Ford said. "I remember exactly where I was and I know exactly for the rest of my life where I was, I was on the corner of Queen Street."
Those who spoke with Eyewitness News all shared feelings of closeness to the queen, someone none of them ever met but were all touched by.
"I just felt, I don't want to say devastation because I didn't know her, but it was definitely an immediate sadness," Briana Patton said.
"Feeling of kind of overwhelming sadness, you know, almost like I lost a family member," Gary Coleman said.
Why did this larger-than-life figure who lived overseas connect so much with them?
"I just really admire the strength she exuded through her reign," Patton said.
"I think she was admired by all different generations all through England," Coleman said.
What does her death symbolize?
"I do think it is an unfortunate event for women around the world," Patton said. "I think the loss of seeing Angela Merkel as well as the chancellor of Germany and now we lost Queen Elizabeth II, I just think not having well known, strong women in leadership positions is going, I don't want to say detrimental but not helpful for young women around the world to see a woman in a leading role."
And her legacy?
"I think she was like a motherly figure to a lot of people," Coleman said. "She was just very loving and caring and cherished her family, her corgis and horses and all that."
"Personally, I think she will be remembered for the commonwealth," Ford said. "I think that was her big project during her reign. Seeing the end of the empire into the commonwealth of nations and really bringing the United Kingdom into the world community."
The queen's death comes one year and five months since the death of her husband, Prince Philip.
