Union flag flown at full mast and books of condolence to Queen in Sunderland to close

The Union flag returned to being flown full mast in Sunderland and books of condolence in the city paying tribute to the Queen were to close as a period of national morning comes to an end.
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After the death of the late Sovereign, books of condolence were located at City Hall, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, Washington Town Centre Library, The Hetton Centre and Houghton Library and Sunderland Minster to give residents a chance to pay their respects.

The books were to remain open until 5pm on Tuesday when they will be closed and taken away to be archived.

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Around 180 people have already signed the book of condolence at City Hall.

The Union flag returned to being flown at full mast at Port of Sunderland.The Union flag returned to being flown at full mast at Port of Sunderland.
The Union flag returned to being flown at full mast at Port of Sunderland.

The Mayor of Sunderland, Cllr Alison Smith led the city's tributes to her Majesty The Queen by signing the first book of condolence at City Hall.

She said: "Her Majesty touched the lives of so many people across the world and here in Sunderland. Her death is a tremendous loss, and she will be very much missed by so many people.

“I know lots of people have wanted to pay their own personal tributes to Her Majesty The Queen and we have seen lots of Sunderland residents leave messages in the books across the city.”

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Flowers were also left at the bandstand at Mowbray Park until 5pm on Tuesday. After the period of national mourning is over the flowers will be composted at Barley Mow nursery. Cards left with flowers will be archived.

The Mayor of Sunderland, Cllr Alison Smith, signing the Book of Condolence to Her Majesty The Queen at City Hall in SunderlandThe Mayor of Sunderland, Cllr Alison Smith, signing the Book of Condolence to Her Majesty The Queen at City Hall in Sunderland
The Mayor of Sunderland, Cllr Alison Smith, signing the Book of Condolence to Her Majesty The Queen at City Hall in Sunderland

Flags flying at half-mast at the Port of Sunderland were also raised back to full mast to mark the end of the official mourning period.

Around a quarter of a million people paid their respects in person to the Queen by viewing her coffin as it lay in state in London.

Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan gave the figure the morning after the nation’s longest-reigning monarch was buried at Windsor Castle.

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Ms Donelan said her department was still “crunching the numbers” as to how many people had queued for hours in London to process past the Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall, but that she believed it was around 250,000.

Floral tributes left in Mowbray Park.Floral tributes left in Mowbray Park.
Floral tributes left in Mowbray Park.

The royal family is observing another week of mourning for the Queen after a state funeral on Monday that was full of emotion and ceremony under the gaze of the world.

The King is since thought to have flown to Scotland with the Queen Consort to grieve privately.

Charles and Camilla were pictured in a vehicle which arrived at RAF Northolt on Tuesday morning, reportedly bound for Balmoral – the estate on which the King’s Scottish home of Birkhall is located.

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Meanwhile, Ms Donelan said that most British people would see the cost of the Queen’s funeral as “money well spent”, but added she could not put a figure on what the total might be.

No 10 has said costs for the funeral and mourning period will be published “in due course”.

Ms Donelan described the queue for Westminster Hall as “phenomenal”, as she paid tribute to the volunteers who helped manage and support the proceedings of recent days, including the lying-in-state.