A group of 10 ‘ordinary Aussies’ were hand-picked to join almost 2000 others to secure an exclusive invite to the funeral service at Westminster Abbey while thousands of other Australian expats in the UK were paying respects in their own way.

For many Aussies who now call the UK home, it was a national moment of significance akin to the 2012 Olympic Games; something you had to ensure you were there for, as part of the collective.

Alongside the 10 hand-picked to attend, NewsLocal spoke to some of Australians over in the UK who took part in one of the most important and significant moments in British history.

10 Australian invitees

Danny Abdallah, thefather of three of the children killed in the Oatlands tragedy, was selected as one of 10 “ordinary Australians” to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and revealed he received a phone call from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese asking him to attend the historic moment.

“I was leaving Church on Sunday and Mr Albanese called me directly and said ‘Danny, what are your plans next week?’ He asked me if I’d like to join him (for the funeral),” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“I was just like ‘Wow’, I didn’t know what to say, I was lost for words.”

Mr Abdallah and his wife Leila forgave the drugged driver who ploughed into his children Antony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna, 8, along with their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11.

Victoria-Cross recipient Ben Roberts Smith is on the trip, and horse trainer Chris Waller has also been invited, although won’t be attending due to illness.

Mr Waller was perhaps closer to the Queen than anyone else in Australia and his special connection with the monarch has been recognised.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Mr Waller shed light on his special connection with the late ruler.

“I spoke to her occasionally, not too often … she was a warm person, and all the stories I’ve heard from other people’s experiences were exactly like mine, she makes you feel very comfortable,” Mr Waller said.

“She’s very curious. She just loved horses, loved animals, and showed a keen interest in the Commonwealth.”

The remaining seven also boasts extraordinary CVs and lives. They include: current Australian of the Year and retired tennis star Dylan Alcott; Aboriginal elder, artist and Ngan‘gityemerri language group activist Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann; and Queensland’s Local Hero 2022, Saba Abraham, an Eritrean refugee who played a vital role in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The remaining invitees include: special needs dentist Dr Trudy Lin; the 2022 Local Hero of the Year, Shanna Wan; Valmai Dempsey, one of the ACT’s longest-serving volunteers; Kim Smith, a local Tasmanian hero; and Helen Milroy, the 2021 WA Australian of the Year.

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Alison Hayward, of Adelaide, moved to Scotland in February. She joined the crowds of wellwishers in Edinburgh near Holyrood Palace to watch Queen Elizabeth’s body come in from Balmoral.

“I went to see the Queen’s cortege come in from Balmoral and the atmosphere was one of respect for the Queen and a real coming together of all people,” she said.

“There were tourists and locals all mixing together and chatting — I felt privileged to be part of something so historic.

“I didn’t expect to feel emotional but when the polite clapping as she passed became a loud applause I unexpectedly felt part of a united respect and felt very emotional about it all.”

Ms Hayward said the Queen’s procession from Holyrood to St Giles, before heading to the airport, was “more formal and sombre”.

“Everyone was silent,” she said.

Ms Hayward said her family felt they had to pay their respects during such a significant moment.

“My 17 year old daughter also wants to be part of something so historic,” she said.

“The country has not gone through this for 70 years and I think it is so significant as the world has changed a drastic amount in the time of Queen Elizabeth and no one really knows the future of the monarchy.

“She was a woman that devoted her life to service and changed successfully with the times.”

Ms Hayward said she is now unsure how the monarchy will survive without the Queen but said in the UK there was a “united feeling of affection” for the late monarch.

Lucy Morley, originally from Melbourne, moved to London in 2020. She strolled through London’s Green Park the day after Queen Elizabeth’s death and travelled to the palace for the funeral. She said she would regret if she hadn’t come to pay her respects.

“I attended with my nephew, a fellow Aussie, and went to Hyde Park where most of the public went,” she said.

“In some ways I would have probably enjoy it more watching from home, but it was important being able to be part of it.

“After all, I’m in London and I knew I would deeply regret if I hadn’t made the effort to show respect and share in the collective grief.”

Ms Morley said it was the biggest moment in British history.

“So much has changed in the 70 years she reigned, and always she was there, never changing,” she said.

“I understand it's the biggest event the UK will ever hold and she was our Australian Queen as well.”

Ms Morley grew up in a monarchist family and said while she is mourning it was incredible to see the UK come together.

“Although I am very, very sad, it’s uplifting to see all the pomp and ceremony, theatre and pageantry, and adherence to tradition,” she said.

“I know many say it's all outdated, but I admire the UK for respecting and carrying on with it.

At the end of the day it's a huge event in history and I really wanted to be part of it and share the collective grief.”

Former Sydneysider turned Aussie ex-pat Louise McKimm will join the millions of Londoners flocking across the city to view the procession of the Queen’s coffin.

The 25-year-old, formerly of the Hills Shire, moved to the UK just last week, and said Monday’s Proceedings were significant because it was “the end of an era, (but) not necessarily a great one”.

Meanwhile, 23-year-old Jessica Lees, originally from Kingscliff on the NSW north coast, said she arrived around the time of the passing of the Queen.

“I will be looking to have a drink in the evening alongside UK locals,” she said.

“We’re never going to see another monarch reign for as long as Elizabeth did, so her death is an incredibly significant moment in the history of the Commonwealth,” Ms Lees said. “When I arrived in Liverpool, the first thing I noticed was despite the reputation it has for being quite working class and anti-Royal, every shop front has tributes to her.

“Liverpudlians hate the monarchy, and yet, they are committed to venerating her.

“Interestingly, being an international exchange student, I’ve noticed that the Americans tend to be predictably ambivalent while the Canadians were insistent on being as respectful as possible, even while anti-Royal local students thought it wasn’t necessary.’

The 23-year-old said there was “no rule book” about life under the new King Charles for Britons.

Aussie ex-pat Natalie Bosnic told The Cairns Post she has seen hundreds of thousands of Londoners pay tribute with shopfront vigils, waiting 20 hours to pass by the Queen’s coffin and row upon row of flowers outside Buckingham Palace.

“Day-to-day life is still much the same but whenever you go into a shop they will have a commemoration or a note on the door or on an electric screen,” she said.

Nicola Demetriadi, born in QLD but brought up in Sydney’s northern beaches, moved to the UK over 25 years ago. She’s previously hosted royal wedding parties and was compelled to share in the collective grief in London for the funeral.

“Two visits (to London) to pay my respects, leave flowers and witness the funeral cortège, and my love for my adopted country has been consolidated,” she said.

“Heading into a bleak winter with war in Ukraine and energy prices pushing families into poverty, I feared for the morale of the country when I heard we’d lost our Queen, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

“In death and mourning we have come together to pay our respects to a woman who gave her life in service for the Commonwealth.”

Ms Demetriadi, who was at The Mall near Buckingham Palace to witness the start of the funeral proceedings with friends, said “the grief is palpable, but so is the unity”.

“Leaving flowers outside the palace a week ago I happened to turn and look back,” she said.

“The sight of thousands of people of all faiths, ages and cultures, walking in the same direction laden down with flowers, is something I will never forget.

Ms Demetriadi described applause for a man picking up rubbish at The Mall, which turned into a big cheer, illustrating the morale and unity of the public at the Queen’s final farewell.

“Today there is a similar togetherness, our last chance to say goodbye in what’s been an amazing week,” she said.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, we can’t imagine our lives without you, but we will be fine.”

Leah Godden — originally hailing from Melbourne — has been living in the UK for the past three years and said she watched the Queen’s funeral on television.

“It’s a significant one given the length of her reign and power in both the UK and Australia,” Ms Godden said. “We will never have a queen again in my lifetime, and although I’m not a royalist it’s a huge event in history.”

Lauren Mirceski, previously of Wollongong, may have just moved to the UK in July, but the 26-year-old will stop to pay tribute to the Queen during Monday’s funeral proceedings.

Ms Mirceski moved to the UK for a new job and intends on living in London indefinitely.

“The Queen’s death has been a huge deal in the UK,” she said.

“The streets were really crowded around Buckingham Palace.

“I know a lot of people will be lining the streets for the funeral — but I will be watching it on TV at home.”

The death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8 forced the fast-paced restaurant industry in London to hit the brakes.

Mona Ibrahim, a media relations specialist with the Seagrass hospitality group who has worked in London for the past four months, has witnessed the deep sorrow and respect the British had for the monarch.

“I’ve got two restaurants and both of them had their reservations cancelled,’’ the Sydneysider said.

“Some were completely cancelled, some were postponed for two weeks after the funeral and then a lot of people still decided to come.

“I know a lot of restaurants made a decision, when the Queen is being buried, that they’re going to close the restaurants.

“I’m feeling the impact the Queen’s death had more in London than I probably would in Australia because I’m surrounded by this energy and this community of people where you feel the energy of a loss.

“People are grieving and realising that somebody who is an iconic figure in their lives and has been with them since they were born is all of a sudden gone.’’

Ms Ibraham has witnessed the influx of the world’s media descending on the city, including her hotel in London where many reporters and production crews are occupying rooms.

As tourists also swarm the city to see history unfolding, traffic delays and blocks are common.

“People’s businesses were affected, businesses were affected, train stations were affected, traffic was affected and a lot of people wouldn’t respond to emails because they took one or two days to just really feel the loss,’’ she said.

“A lot of people did go to see the car passing on Piccadilly … a lot of people are going to be at home watching the funeral or trying to attend the funeral, trying to see it in the streets.

“You really feel moved that you’re here while this is happening and you get to see what’s happening. I think I’m feeling the loss of the Queen a lot more in London than I would have felt in Sydney because my friends are local and I’m really, really identifying and empathetic and quite considerate of what they’re going through because loss is loss.’’

The impact of the Queen’s death is also evident when “God Save the Queen’’ is declared instead the King.

“It’s all those little moments you realise there’s been a massive shift in London,’’ Ms Ibrahim said.

Steve Balderston, formerly of the Central Coast and Alice Springs, said he stopped to watch the funeral from his home in West London.

The 33-year-old, who has lived in London for the past six years, said while he wasn’t personally “enthused by royalty ... on a day like today, in the country where she lived whilst reigning it seems to take on a different meaning or a different feel if you like”.

“Loads of people young and old have now experienced something that’s never happened in their lives before,” Mr Balderston said. “The death of the Queen, she was always there without taking sides, I think that’s how I’ll remember her.”