Windsor Castle: People travel hundreds of miles to say farewell to the Queen

Blanche Zagger brought flowers to lay at the Cambridge Gates outside the castle

People have travelled hundreds of miles to say a final farewell to Queen Elizabeth II at her final resting place as Windsor Castle reopened to the public.

Blanche Zagger, whose husband had booked the trip to celebrate her 45th birthday, was visiting from Ware, Hertfordshire.

"It's just wonderful to be able to come as I couldn't make it for the actual funeral because I was ill," she told the BBC.

"I'm sure she's smiling down on us somewhere and it must mean a lot to the family as well."

The home of the UK's longest-serving monarch had been closed since her death on 8 September.

Crowds gathered before dawn to visit St George's Chapel where the former monarch was buried with her husband, Prince Philip, and alongside her mother, father and sister.

Mina Yamashta and her husband made the detour to Windsor

Three-thousand tickets were sold in advance that allows access to St George's Chapel, within which the ledger stone can be viewed in the George VI Memorial Chapel.

Mina Yamashta, 60, from Portland, Oregon, in the US, wanted to visit the Queen during her trip to the UK with her husband.

"She was very special to me because my mother loved her and respected her. In Japan, women were second citizens and the Queen really gave them hope," she said.

"My mother passed away this year… and when the Queen passed away, I was sad again because I felt like I lost a grandma."

She said she brought her mother's ring with her so she could have a piece of her there when they went to pay their respects.

Ms Yamashta brought her mother's ring with her for when they paid their respects

At the scene

Caitlin Powell, BBC South Online

The atmosphere among people queuing to enter was emotionally charged.

Whether they were part of an organised tour group or had travelled specifically to see the ledger, everyone I spoke to said they would find the visit to the chapel emotional.

People of all ages had waited outside the visitor entrance before first light, despite bookings having an allotted time, and smiled at each other as they were ushered through.

It seemed the trip here would be a sense of closure following the death of the Queen and many said: "This is it now."

Daniel Hopkinson Dunderdale was one of the first people to visit Windsor Castle after its reopening

Daniel Hopkinson Dunderdale, 32 from Lincoln South, travelled to London and Sandringham before coming to Windsor to pay his respects.

When asked why he wanted to visit Windsor Castle the day it opened, he said: "It feels more sincere to do it sooner rather than later.

"It is quite emotional because this is her home… this is where she wanted to reside."

Unable to see the Queen while she was lying in state, Elaine and Neil Wilkinson travelled down for the first day

Elaine and Neil Wilkinson, 57 and 61, had travelled down specially from Preston.

"We felt it was right as we didn't get a chance to see her lying in state and we only watched the funeral on TV," Mr Wilkinson said.

He added: "The Queen was always there, she gave dedicated service and she was a great woman."

"I just burst into tears straight away which was quite a surprise," Mrs Wilkinson added.

Grace Gothard, from south London, and Anne Daley, who got the 05:07 train from Cardiff, were at the head of the queue

Anne Daley and Grace Gothard, both in their 60s, were first to visit the ledger in the chapel earlier.

"It smells like a church, candles were burning, and lovely flowers with beautiful, autumnal berry wreaths," Ms Daley told the BBC.

"We've been to Lambeth, we spent three days camping out and we felt it was important we come and see the last resting place… that is it now."