As the band of No7 Company Coldstream Guards struck up the first chords of the American national anthem, the mood outside Buckingham Palace this morning was as leaden as the sky.
Never before has the US anthem been played during the changing of the guard. Never before have Americans - or much of the rest of the world - known grief like this. Two blonde girls, one wearing a jacket decorated with the US flag, clung to each other and sobbed, rocking gently as the crowd hummed the tune.
One man, dark glasses hiding his red rimmed eyes, stood erect, his right hand over his heart, as he stared ahead at the palace. One young man had brought a US flag along for the occasion, and it fluttered in the chill autumn wind as he too stared at the band in silence.
The Queen, who ordered the anthem be played at the ceremony, was not present. She is at Balmoral but will return to London for tomorrow's special service to honour the dead at St Paul's Cathedral.
Instead, the Duke of York represented the Royal Family, standing grim-faced and wearing a dark suit under the palace's central archway. He was due to be in the US today, but his jet had turned around on Tuesday after the attacks on the World Trade Center. The ceremony was also attended by William Farish, the US Ambassador to Britain, and the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Luce.
Usually visiting Americans are thrilled to see a member of the Royal Family. Today, however, their thoughts were elsewhere. "I used to do a lot of business in the World Trade Center and know several people who still do," said tourist Bill Walstron, 65.
"I'm just wondering if all my friends there are alive. There are a few names being released but I gather it will be days or even weeks before I know for sure if they survived. It is horrific."
The US anthem was followed by a two-minute silence, ordered by the Queen. Before it began a mounted policewoman rode up to the crowds near the Victoria Memorial.
"Do you all know about the two minutes' silence?" she asked gently. "Yes, ma'am," replied the crowd.
As the silence began, one woman dabbed her eyes with a tissue and an elderly couple from Texas clutched each other's hands tightly.
" Why is everybody sad mummy?" asked a small child.
"Because a lot of people have gone to heaven darling," her mother whispered. "Just be quiet and think of them."
When the silence was over the crowd burst into applause. One American man made the sign of the Cross and murmured God bless America.
Palace officials said the "usual jolly tunes" had been replaced by more sombre music for the occasion. "I've never seen anything like this," said Pc Michael Bateman, 38, who usually patrols outside the palace for the changing of the guard.
"On Monday the crowds outside the palace were a bit sparse. But today there are many, many more, and it is not just Americans either. British people have come to pay their respects and I can understand why."
Sheila Whittaker, 67, had come to the palace from Ealing to honour the dead.
"I've just been to lay flowers at the US embassy," she said. "Now I am really glad to be here. I didn't know anyone who died but that is not the point. What happened in America on Tuesday affects us all and we all have to be strong together."
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Charles signs tribute book to victims(Evening Standard)
by Anthony France
At the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square ex-pats have turned a traffic island into a shrine with flowers, cards, poems, baseball hats and pictures of the World Trade Center.
Police had to move the growing mountain of messages, flowers and gifts to a marquee in an opposite park early today so they could be housed away from the main road. A book of condolences will also be opened to the public at the embassy today.
Last night Prince Charles became the first person to sign it during a special visit to the embassy to express his sympathy for the American people.
The Prince also met staff, many of whom know people affected by the tragedy. An embassy spokesman said: "It was a very simple, solemn occasion. He was joined by Ambassador William Farish and his wife. There was a signing ceremony and a formal handshake."
He earlier expressed his huge sympathy for the American people, saying the tragedy reminded him of the IRA's murder of his uncle, Lord Mountbatten, 20 years ago. Ambassador Farish and his wife Sarah will attend a memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral tomorrow which the Queen will attend after breaking off from her holiday in Balmoral.
At the American Church in Tottenham Court Road last night, religious leaders from several faiths offered comfort to 270 worried Americans.
Many people were in tears during the service and sat silently in prayer, hugging each other or holding hands.
The congregation was told in prayer: "Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish. Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal." Rev Dr Stephen Rettenmayer, who led the service, spoke about the distress felt by two parishioners who thought they had lost a daughter in the World Trade Center and had made their way to church. He said: "They were grief stricken. After a few hours, they left the church but just as they got in a cab to go home the mobile phone rang and they heard she was alive. They were overjoyed but then thoughts turn back to the many thousands who had died.
"We have been inundated with offers of help from Londoners, who have offered to put people up in their homes. This is a world situation not just a problem for America."
Courtney Romack, a 20-year-old American living in London, said: "I had to come to church because it is the only community we Americans have in London. Americans had no reason until this to fear terrorists. We thought it was a Europe problem. We must all join together."
Among the messages left with a posy of flowers was one from Sonnie Butler, 13, which said: "I can't put into words the loss and devastation caused in one single day in America." Another read: "To all the people of America. God bless you all from two Londoners. It could have happened to us."
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