The Royal Family has plenty of rules to follow. But, sometime rules are made to be broken. Queen Elizabeth II recognized that after 9/11. As the dust settled from the the Twin Tower, Her Majesty broke protocol to play the National Anthem during the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace as sign of solidarity with Americans on September 13.
9/13/2001 Queen Elizabeth orders "Star Spangled Banner" played at the Changing of the Guard. Respect after 9/11. That was considerate.
— Yvette Grimes (@yvettegr) September 13, 2009
The United States was suddenly under attack that fateful Tuesday morning. Thousands of innocent lives were lost as they simply went about their day. Some were aboard hijacked flights while others were just starting their workday in their office.
Then there were the first responders who ran into burning buildings to save lives, never to return. Lives turned upside down and everyday people become heroes that fateful day.
Related: On 9/11, This Small Town Suddenly Welcomed 7500 Stranded Visitors
It’s a day Americans will never forget.
Coldstone Guard Plays National Anthem At Buckingham Palace
On September 11th, we all paused. We all grieved. We all recognized it could have been us and we realized that it also could happen to us or someone we love. Americans united with each other and our allies joined us.
Queen Elizabeth ensured that we knew Great Britain was right there alongside us. Imagine being an American in London on 9/11, isolated from your people and not knowing when you could get home. International travel was on pause.
Some Americans gathered at Buckingham Palace to hear our National Anthem being played by this historically British Guard.
On 9/13/01, Queen Elizabeth 11 broke
protocol and allowed her troops to play
the US. national anthem, for the first time
ever, during the Changing of the Guard
ceremony as a tribute to 9/11 victims and
the Americans in England who were unable
to return home.— Fact Point (@FactPoint) June 21, 2018
It was comforting. It was emotional. And it was a sign of strength from our ally and friend, Queen Elizabeth.
This powerful signal of support is incredibly emotional. People cried outside Buckingham Palace as the Coldstream Guard played “The Star Spangled Banner” on September 13, 2001. The anthem was followed by two minutes of silence.
Peter Jennings reported about it on the news that night. Even he choked up as you can see in the video below. Grab your tissues because this will take you back in time.
The Queen’s Visit To Ground Zero
Queen Elizabeth visited Ground Zero on July 6, 2010. Her Majesty met with family members of the fallen that day and laid a wreath in respect.
In remembering those who list their lives on 9/11, we flashback to when Queen Elizabeth visited ground zero to pay her respects to those who died and laid a wreath.
? The New York Times, Daily Mail pic.twitter.com/mjyk8zILoh
— The Crown Chronicles (@crownchronicles) September 11, 2020
Debbie Palmer’s husband was a FDNY battalion fire chief who lost his life on 9/11. She spent a few minutes with the Queen and the Monarch told Palmer it was the worst thing she could imagine. Remember that the Queen lived through the Blitz in World War II. She said the terrorist attacks as being worse.
‘She said “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything in my life as bad as that,” Palmer reports. “And I said “Let’s hope we never do again”.”
During this crucial time in history, Queen Elizabeth demonstrated that she is a strong friend and ally to the United States.
In the wake of 9/11, Americans stood united. It’s time we remember the solidarity of our union and those who stood with us in the aftermath.
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