LONDON -- Duncan Rasor, who served as a royal guard to Queen Elizabeth II in 1999, says the grandeur surrounding the late monarch's funeral and commemorative events leading up to it are necessary for the United Kingdom to move forward.
"The pageantry, which I think many people may see as frivolous, but actually I think it is also a very important part of our nation and … a part of our healing," Rasor told Â鶹´«Ã½ on Wednesday.
"The Queen, as the monarch, represents the traditions and heritage of the nation," he added.
Speaking in London ahead of the coffin procession to Westminster Hall, Rasor said he served as a captain in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, a regiment in the British Army now part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
"Her Majesty -- her late Majesty -- was the colonel-in-chief of the Argylls," he said.
Rasor explained that every year when the Royal Family would go to Balmoral Castle in Scotland, a guard would be provided by one of the Scottish regiments.
"In 1999, the Argylls were selected and I was one of the four officers that went on to be part of her guard," he said.
"I was there in the event that anything went wrong, we would have jumped in. And then obviously to provide some ceremonial support for anything that’s going on up there at the time," he added.
Rasor said it was "an extraordinary privilege" to spend time with the Royal Family during this period.
The Royal Family's annual summer getaway to Balmoral was used as "down time" for the Queen and other members to enjoy some rest and recuperation.
But despite the fact that the Royal Family was supposed to be relaxing, Rasor said he was struck by how the Queen was "constantly working."
"Everything that she, that I saw her doing for me was effectively work. So she was an incredibly hard working individual -- always on, as it were," he said. "And that was what I took away from the time I got to spend with her."
Rasor said he came in person to watch the coffin procession out of civil and individual duty.
"Both as an ex-Argyll, I want to pay my respects to our colonel-in-chief, and personally, because of the time that I was able to spend with her and the respect that I have for her," he said.
He said there's a lot of emotions in the U.K. leading up to the state funeral.
"There's a lot of people sharing stories, there's a lot of people kind of celebrating the life of Her Majesty," Rasor said, adding that there is also a sombre tone in the air.
Rasor said the Queen's servitude and experience isn't something that can be replicated, but hopes King Charles III's reign will offer stability to a nation that has faced recent uncertainty with Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and issues around cost of living.
"The Queen as an individual was someone with more experience than we would ever be able to replace," he said. "And I think particularly at this time, as King Charles is stepping in, that's more important than ever. He's providing continuity."
The Queen's lying in state continues until Monday morning, when the coffin will be moved to Westminster Abbey for a state funeral following 10 days of national mourning for Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
