Queen's funeral: Historic Hull pub bids farewell to Her Majesty

Marise and Vernon Myers were among those watching the funeral at Ye Olde White Harte

Nestled in the heart of Hull's cobbled Old Town is Ye Olde White Harte, a pub steeped in royal history.

It was here, in the oak-panelled "plotting room" above the bar, on 23 April 1642, that the Governor of Hull, Sir John Hotham, held a meeting during which it was agreed to refuse King Charles I entry to the city.

It was, some say, the spark that ignited the English Civil War.

Now, 380 years on from that day that shaped the course of history, there is only warmth towards the monarchy in the pub.

Ye Olde White Harte in Hull's Old Town

People are gathered around a small television fixed to the wall.

In a corner, near one of the inglenook fireplaces, sit Vernon Myers, 56, and his wife Marise, 50, from Ossett in West Yorkshire.

The couple are catching a ferry later, and decided to call in to watch the funeral over a drink.

Mr Myers glances towards his wife and smiles, as the commentator tells viewers how the Royal Air Force had "played such an important role in bringing Her Majesty back to London" following her death in Scotland.

He tells us that he spent nine years in the RAF, as a survival equipment fitter.

"In 1986, I was lucky enough to have taken part in the Festival of Remembrance, at the Royal Albert Hall," he says.

Motioning towards the television and the military pallbearers, he adds: "Those lads will remember this day for the rest of their lives."

Mrs Myers says she feels "pride for what Her Majesty has done for this country".

Like many, she struggled at first to process the Queen's death.

"Even though, deep down, you knew this day was coming, you still thought that she would be there forever," says Mrs Myers.

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A few tables away, Graeme Read, 58, sups a pint. He has been coming here for 25 years.

"The Queen united not just the country but the Commonwealth," he says. "She's been good for the country. I feel sad at her passing."

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Ordering a pint of cider, John White, 65, says he feels a personal connection with King Charles III.

"It's a sad moment in history," he says. "But I think it has also brought people together. I came today out of respect. I've also lost my mam and I know how Charles will be feeling."

While many licensees had chosen to remain closed today, Mike Woollas, 53, who has run Ye Olde White Harte for the past 14 years with wife Kerrie, 52, says he decided to open up "out of respect to Her Majesty".

Landlord Mike Woollas says it 'felt right' to open for the funeral

"Given the history of the place, it felt right to open today," he says. "I am extremely proud to be licensee of this pub, one of the most historic in Hull."

Mr Woollas says a lot of former service personnel frequent the pub.

"Only yesterday we had a couple of former paratroopers in here, talking about the Queen and old times," he says.

For Jess Woollas, 31, the landlord's daughter, the Queen was an "icon for women".

"She was someone to look up to," she says. "The Queen was part of all of our lives."

A plaque commemorating the pub's rich history

On the television, the Dean of Westminster praises Her Majesty's "lifelong sense of duty" as her coffin is carried to the front of Westminster Abbey.

Ms Woollas's mind casts back to the last royal funeral, that of the Duke of Edinburgh, in 2021, during the height of the Covid pandemic, when the Queen was pictured sitting alone at St George's Chapel, Windsor.

"That picture of the Queen, alone, makes me emotional, even now," she says. "The Queen was such a strong woman. She did so much for us."