Visitors and locals in Savannah remember Queen Elizabeth II

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Even though, Americans aren’t influenced by the monarch, it’s the Queen herself that has the impact on Americans.

“I think a lot of us feel like we have known her for a long time for decades,” said Dr. Carol Herringer, the Georgia Southern University’s history department chair . Herringer has spent most of her professional career studying British history, which of course, includes the royal family, and the longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

“She was always popular, people really respected her sense of duty and her ability to withstand a lot of negativity,” Dr. Herringer said. Most notably, the Queen was a point of stability for people all around the world.

“I’ve watched all the shows, the documentaries, the crown, and all that stuff and I think it is because we don’t have that here,” said Connie Teachworth, from Michigan. Even while on vacation in Savannah, the friends from Michigan were paying attention to the news of the Queen. “We both loved the queen so, our mothers loved the queen and I intend to watch the funeral and all the ceremony,” said Sue Atkinson.

Also in town when the news broke was, Matt Venton visiting from England. “It was really sad, she is like the mother of our country so that is one thing that brings us all together, most of the people alive today, they’ve only been under one monarch, the Queen, so I guess this is the first change in the monarchy that most of us alive back home have seen,” Venton said.

And on Monday morning, he’ll be watching the Queen’s funeral here stateside. “It will be really emotional, probably bring up a lot of feelings you don’t usually think of but it will be an emotional thing to watch,” he said.

An emotional day not just for the British but for people here at home. “Oh, yes, I have been following the royal family for many years now…I’ll have to set the alarm for that we don’t usually get up that early,” said Barbara Kaempf from Savannah.

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