LONDON –
For a man from Alberta, sending well wishes from Canada was not enough after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
When Calgary resident Tad Milmine heard the news of her death, he immediately booked a plane ticket to London so he could say goodbye in person.
“As soon as I heard the news, I immediately went to the WestJet website, immediately booking the next available flight which was the next day, the overnight flight,” he explained to CTV National News on Wednesday.
While Milmine says she doesn’t normally “do things spontaneously,” she said booking the flight was a “no-brainer.” She said that she would not miss this final milestone of the Queen’s reign.
“I didn’t look at my bank account to see if I could pay it, I didn’t call my boss to say, ‘Can I go?’ I just did it because I had to,” Milmine said.
Milmine has made a name for himself as an advocate against bullying, having received several high-profile awards on behalf of the late monarch and even giving talks to UK students on behalf of the London Metropolitan Police.
“I have shared that connection with the Queen in terms of some awards that have come in her name, but also the fact that she has been my Queen for as long as I have existed,” he said.
While it’s hard for him to describe why he had to say goodbye to the Queen in person, Milmine said it felt like family to him.
“I lost all my grandparents at a very, very young age. So it was like the Queen was the surrogate. She was my grandmother and I know that even that, there are going to be people who say, ‘Well, that doesn’t make sense,’ and I get it. But again, this isn’t for them. It’s for me,” Milmine said.
Speaking before the Queen’s coffin procession, Milmine said she is hopeful the Queen’s memory and reign will live on, with stories being passed down to younger generations. She said the queen’s more than 70 years of service “should be an inspiration to everyone”.
“We will always remember her and not only because history will tell us, but because of the person that she loves, and I think we have a great loss that has happened and it is a great honor to be here today.” ” he said.
Even for those who aren’t fans of the monarchy, Milmine said he hopes Canadians take time during the mourning period to reflect on the Queen’s long life.
“I think this is a time to pause and appreciate what he did, and I think there are no words to express what he has done for us as a country and the Commonwealth,” he said.
Seeing his coffin pass during the procession was “overwhelming,” Milmine said.
“I didn’t expect…to be overwhelmed with emotion like that for her,” he said, wiping tears from his eyes.
“My heart is satisfied, while it is also broken,” he added.
As he bids farewell to a sovereign, Milmine hopes that the monarchy is “in good hands going forward.”
“The bar is set pretty high. She was amazing, absolutely amazing,” he said.