Cinemas, pubs, legions and churches across the country opened their doors to bring people together for the Queen’s funeral today.
But for six pupils at Gordonstoun School, the setting was far more intimate.
Huddled around a laptop sat on a desk covered in scribbled names of former house captains, the girls sat in a dormitory – once the bedroom of the new king.
Despite appearing like a standard dorm with touches of personal items hanging on the walls, the bedroom has attracted national media attention in the last 10 days.
The door to the room points to its legacy with the name and title of the current House Captain printed proudly.
It has housed many leaders over the years, including King Charles III.
Only well-worn furniture points to the past
Attending in his senior years of school, the then prince was at the Elgin school for five years.
The decision marked a significant departure from the Royal norm and he was the first Prince of Wales to be educated at school rather than tutored privately.
He held many titles and roles over the years at the school, one of which was house captain which entitled him to the biggest room in Windmills.
Since King Charles’s time at the school, the room has changed greatly. When the all boys school started enrolling girls in 1973, Windmill Lodge was changed to a girls house.
Being newly built at the time, the only original furniture left from the King’s days at school in the room is a chest of drawers and a well-worn writing desk.
Etched with the names of leaders who resided in the bedroom over the years, Amelia Rose-Bristow , the current house captain, said she is well aware of the legacy left.
Looking at the desk and also the mirror decorated with names, she said: “You can look back at all the other house captains.
“I’ve had two older brothers that have been here so I see quite a lot of their friends on the names written on as well, which is quite cool to think that when they were here all their names were on it as well.
“I think it’s quite it’s quite fun to be able to be head of the house to look after people and have that role.
Everyone was in shock when the Queen died
“It’s weird because beforehand it was known as the house captain’s room.
“I think now because of the Queen passing away, it is very much now King Charles’s. It’s a very weird feeling to think that King Charles used to be in here with his old desk, which is what we’re watching the funeral on.”
The house captain said she was in shock when she found out about the death of the Queen.
She added: “It was quite upsetting and I was in shock. I think everyone was just to think that she had passed because obviously the message was getting sent around that she had died.
“And it was all a bit like no, this isn’t real.”
Her friends Zoe Richards and Clarissa Gutsche sitting on the sofa said it had felt like “a bad dream”.
Zoe said: “I was holding my best friend’s hand because we just weren’t really sure what was going on. Because the Queen has always been in our lives and now suddenly she’s gone.”
Can have more faith in Charles as King because of values instilled
When being asked about how they feel about having a Gordonstoun graduate as King, assistant house captain Henrietta Boyle said she felt strangely comforted.
“I’m looking forward to it, because I think he’s such an environmentalist,” she said. “And in these times, we need someone like that. And I think all his controversies – in inverted commas – will bubble away again.
“But actually, it’s made me feel in a way quite relieved. Because we know sort of know what values have been instilled in him and things like that.
“In many ways we can have more faith in what he’s doing because we have gone through the same thing.
“And I think the school introduces good leadership and people because you do so many things where you need to take control at some point.”
“I think it’s very exciting,” added Amelia.
“I mean, I’m just quite privileged to say I go to the same school. I think that it’s quite amazing. Not many people get to say that.”
Conversation