He said: “I needed to change trains at Victoria and with half an hour to kill, decided I’d stroll around the corner to bow my head for a few moments in remembrance of a woman I’ve always admired.

“I was returning south having spent the evening and morning working with colleagues across dnata Travel Group and sharing our sadness at the Queen’s passing with our team mates, industry partners and customers, and our admiration for her achievements. We’ll never know her like again. 

“Having had my own brush with mortality earlier this year, her passing had affected me more than I expected, and it’s been another reminder of the fragility and impermanence of life.

“The atmosphere as I approached the palace was respectful and hushed, and there was a real sense of being at a pivotal moment in this country’s history. What struck me was the mix of ages, ethnicities and nationalities that I saw. She may have been our Queen, but she really was also a Queen for the world. 

“As I stood taking it all in, speaking to Americans, Canadians and people from France and Germany who had gathered, it became apparent something was happening.

“Helicopters whirred above us, a military band took up position in front of the Palace and a ripple of anticipation ran through the crowd. Then, on the roof of the Palace, the Union Jack, which had been fluttering at half mast, was lowered and the Sovereign flag raised in its place.

“It could mean only one thing, I explained to my new international friends – that flag was only flown when the sovereign was present. We were witnessing the precise moment a new era was born.

“And suddenly, there he was – King Charles III, with his faithful (and now Queen Consort) Camilla by his side, taking their time to thank the well-wishers and sharing what a most private moment of grief for his mother with a public who adored her.”