VIDEO VOX POP: From loyalist heartland of the Shankill to Australia the public have their say on the Queen, the King, and the monarchy’s future during Belfast visit

The convoy carrying King Charles III was greeted by a kind of Mexican wave of cheers and fluttering flags, as hordes of well-wishers lined the streets around Belfast City Hall to catch a glimpse of him.

Many spectators whom the News Letter spoke to had been waiting for at least a couple of hours for the arrival of the grieving monarch and his entourage.

And when the cavalcade of police and black 4x4s came into view, a chorus of shouts, whistles, and waves followed the vehicles, sweeping from west to east as the royal visitors made their way along the road towards St Anne’s.

“Yeah, it’s him!” cried seven-year-old Olivia as the Land Rovers approached, holding a miniature Ulster Banner and – like this reporter – standing on a utility box to try and peer above the heads of the crowd.

It all lasted a few seconds, and then King Charles and his queen consort Camilla – waving from within the vehicle – were gone.

Crash barriers, police, and private guards had begun lining the roads throughout the morning and early afternoon, and what had at first been a smattering of royal devotees had by 2.30pm become a massive public welcoming party, lining the pavement to a depth of several people along much of the route.

Estimating crowd size is notoriously hard, but it appeared the spectators numbered, at the very least, in the thousands.

Jim Irvine, 52 and father to little Olivia, told the News Letter why they had come.

“I’m from the loyalist heartland of the Shankill Road, and it’s probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me, having a new king,” he said.

“We’ve always known Queen Elizabeth II, haven’t we? “I just thought it was a touching tribute – and exciting to see the King. And I think Camilla was waving at me, wasn’t she?”

“No! At me!” protested Olivia.

Mr Irvine continued, saying the mood on the Shankill is “very sad” and that “the Protestant–Unionist–Loyalist community all feel the same about Her Majesty” – adding that Olivia had been among many shedding a tear at the news of her death.

Elsewhere in the crowd, three generations of the same family had gathered to witness the royal convoy: Ann McAlister (74), Diane McAteer (52) and Evan McAteer (18), a Carrickfergus group of grandmother, mum, and son.

Mrs McAlister said she recalled Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953, and her visit to Carrickfergus in 1961.

“I remember us coming down to see her, and it was pouring out of the heavens,” she said.

Upon hearing of her death last week, “I cried – I really cried, I was so sad” she said.

She added that Charles’ mother “taught him for all these years” and that she expects he will be “very good, and will do his best if they give him the chance... ones will say he’ll not be as good as his mother, but everyone has to get a chance”.

“He’s been a long time in waiting to do his job,” agreed daughter Mrs McAteer.

“He’s been well trained.”

And her soon-to-be student son said of the monarchy: “They set a great example of just how to act.

“Anything that went wrong in the world, you could look and see how the Queen dealt with it, setting a good example for how the whole country should act.

“She didn’t take sides on whatever matter, and tried to help everybody feel included.”

Retired company director Paul Eakin from Comber, 59, told the News Letter: “I think the changing of a monarch is a very momentous thing, and I wanted to show my support to the new King.”

As to what he expects the future shape of the Royal Family to be, he said: “I think it’ll adapt to changing times. I think it’ll get a little bit smaller. And I think they’ll look for areas they can be influential in such as the environment and so on.

“Whether they can maintain their constitutional position at the same strength, I’m not sure – but I wish them well.”

William James, a retired builder aged 63 from Newtownards, said that the Queen had been “everybody’s mother and grandmother”.

“It didn’t matter where in the world she went, her attitude was always the same: to respect everybody. There’ll never be another Elizabeth II.

“Charles was always my favourite royal after the Queen. I think Charles’ll do a good job.

“If you look at him now, his mum only died on Thursday – and look what he’s done since Thursday. The man hasn’t stopped! Does he even sleep? I think he’ll be a great, great monarch and I look forward to the future with Charles III.”

And Angela Haggan, 49 and from Newtownards, said of the day: “It will be a memory we’ll have forever. I couldn’t sit at home – I have to be here!

“I think he [Charles] will continue what his mother has achieved over the past 70 years. He’s known he was going to be heir to the throne from when he was born. He knows it’s his duty. And I think he’ll do a wonderful job.”

Newtownabbey man William McAteer (a 60-year-old former hardware firm boss) said of the late Queen: “It’s very sad. She certainly had a good, long innings.

“I hope she’ll rest in peace, and hopefully that Charles will carry on very much with the same manner of service his mother has given.

“I think under Charles III it’ll be very much business as usual.

“I think most people would be happy if it was very much the same as it has been – you could hardly improve upon it.”

He added that the former Prince “hasn’t put a foot wrong, in my eyes”.

Meanwhile Edith Kernaghan, aged 66 and from Comber, told the News Letter: “I thought it was very important to be here today to show support to King Charles – he’s just lost his mother, our Queen.

“It’s a big moment in history – a moment we will probably never see again in my lifetime.

“She has reigned for over 70 years – such a perfect reign and a perfect Queen. I just wanted to be here.

“King Charles has learned a lot. He’s been waiting a long time. So he knows the ropes, he knows what’s expected of him, and I think he’ll fit the bill very well.”

Standing alongside her, Liz Green of Newtownards, 67, said her reaction to the Sovereign’s death had been “total shock and total sadness – she was such a lovely, lovely lady, no matter what religion you are or whatever faith you have”.

She added that the late Queen had shown “so much of her love of God” and hoped that will “spread to a lot of other people”.