The Royal Town of Tunbridge Wells was eerily quiet when it woke on the morning after Her Majesty’s death.
The streets were sombre, with few people in the town centre, which seemed like an era away from the throngs celebrating the Platinum Jubilee in June.
An estimated 8,000 people had descended on Royal Tunbridge Wells for the Jubilee celebrations in June, but just three months later, the streets were almost empty on Friday morning.
Across Tunbridge Wells, church bells tolled at midday, but by noon on Friday (September 9), one single floral tribute had been laid outside the Town Hall.
The flag on the top of Tunbridge Wells Town Hall was one of many lowered to half-mast.
Numerous places including Hoopers department store on Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells railway station, as well as G Collins and Sons and the parish church of King Charles the Martyr also lowered their flags out of respect for The Queen.
Many shop windows marked the monarch’s death with pictures or statements, including Walsh Bros and Oxfam. The charity shop also assembled books about her and her reign in their window display.
