In death, as in life, Queen Elizabeth drew massive crowds when she made one final journey among the Dundee public who so adored her.
Sunday’s route was not only packed with people, but with memories, too.
Elizabeth II’s first visit to Dundee as Queen took place in 1955 when jute was still king and she remained a constant as our own city underwent radical change.
Thousands lined the banks of the Tay when Britannia glided in to King George V wharf and brought a young Queen and husband Prince Philip to Dundee.
The Queen, wearing a blue headscarf and warm camel coat, stood with Prince Philip on the boat deck just below the bridge and waved their reply to the cheers and the welcoming sirens of the ships.
The traditional red carpet was laid between the gangway and the royal car which was a maroon-coloured Rolls-Royce.
The Queen and Prince Philip were piped ashore and were presented to the official reception party which was headed by Lord Provost William Hughes, the Lady Provost and Scottish Secretary James Stuart.
The royal car turned from Commercial Street into Murraygate on its way to visit Keiller’s factory where they saw Spanish oranges being made into marmalade.
The party continued to Lochee and over 25,000 schoolchildren braved the rain to line the route along the Kingsway.
The children got their reward when the Queen passed and gave them a beaming smile on the way to Camperdown Works.
It’s never the gala occasions which command the Queen’s full attention, but the more intimate meetings with her compatriots which truly fascinate her.
Her official tasks are carried out dutifully, without fuss or grumbling.
The royal couple went down to speak to the workers including 58-year-old Margaret Cooper whose family had strong connections to Camperdown Works.
The royal couple moved on to Dundee Royal Infirmary afterwards to open the new radio diagnostic department with a pair of embossed silver scissors.
Over 7,000 people waited in Dudhope Park to see the visitors and from Macalpine Road to Mains Loan – two miles – there was an unbroken line of schoolchildren with flags and cheers as the royal party passed.
Shortly before 12.45pm the royal couple arrived to cheers from the crowd to have lunch in the City Chambers.
The couple left afterwards along Riverside Drive before a final visit to Queen’s College which would go on to become the University of Dundee.
The Queen and Prince Philip were walking to their car when the students laid down their gowns on the wet road between the door of the college and the car.
The Queen continued to show an interest in Dundee’s industry when she returned to the city in 1969, taking in Douglasfield Works and the NCR Gourdie factory.
In 1977, celebrating 25 years of service, the Queen and Prince Philip visited Dundee and Perth as part of her silver jubilee engagements.
She put a smile on people’s faces during what was a massively troubled year in 1977 with sky-high inflation, strikes, IRA bombings and social unrest.
The Queen and Prince Philip arrived at Camperdown Park at 2.45pm to watch a display of youth activities following a morning visit to Perth.
Over 1,000 people turned out to catch a glimpse and excitement got the better of some of the crowd who trampled down rope barriers to get closer to them.
The Queen and Duke’s arrival was greeted by loud cheers and flag-waving before she moved across the lawn at Camperdown Park to plant a beech tree.
A visit to Dundee’s Employment Rehabilitation Centre in Staffa Place followed, where they left to loud cheers from hundreds of people who were lining the departure route.
They travelled back to the City Square but not before Prince Philip stopped at the Windmill Bar in Hilltown to acknowledge the cheers of the regulars!
Several thousand people were already in the City Square to welcome the royal couple and every available vantage point had been occupied for several hours.
The proceedings were running 20 minutes behind schedule but they still found time to conduct a walk-about and chat to the delighted masses in the throng.
Then they took their seats in the Caird Hall to watch a performance from pupils from the Tayside Senior Choir and Tayside Schools Symphony Orchestra.
The City Square was packed with thousands of well-wishers.
Dinner in the City Chambers followed where the royal couple enjoyed themselves so much that they didn’t leave until 11.20pm – an hour longer than scheduled!
As they walked along the red carpet out of the chambers, the 115 invited guests gave a rousing version of the song: “Will Ye No’ Come Back Again?”
“I have enjoyed my visit to Dundee tremendously,” she said.
In 1987 the Queen received an enthusiastic welcome in Dundee.
During her visit she opened WL Gore, went on board the Discovery and greeted the crowds who came out to meet her in City Square.
The 1990s saw the Queen make two trips to the City of Discovery, the first in 1991 to visit Expo 800 and the second to open the University of Abertay in 1998.
In 2007, the Queen wore a striking red coat and hat when accompanied by Prince Philip during the official re-opening of Baxter Park after its £5 million refurbishment.
She returned in 2016 and officially opened Slessor Gardens, visited Dundee University’s £10m Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science, and the Michelin tyre factory’s training school and workshop.
Dedicated, stoical, composed, pragmatic, private and with an unshakeable Christian faith, she was one of the most famous figures on the planet.
The late Queen thoroughly enjoyed her visits to Tayside over the decades and she was always greeted by large crowds wherever she went in the region.
In life, as in death.
Conversation