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It was the hottest day on record in September, yet thousands of Hong Kongers flocked to the British consulate under a sweltering sun and waited for up to four hours in a long queue that stretched more than 500 meters into a public park to sign the condolence book for Queen Elizabeth II. The next day, thousands turned up again, prompting the consulate to extend opening hours to 7pm for the whole week.
Many came to pay tribute to the ‘boss lady’ – an affectionate nickname for the Queen, who was Hong Kong’s colonial head of state for 45 years – while also appreciating the opportunity to meet like-minded Hongkongers and share their memories of the city under British rule during the long wait.
Rallies and protests – once common in a thriving civil liberties center – have long since disappeared from Hong Kong’s streets after Beijing introduced a sweeping national security law two years ago in response to anti-government protests in 2019.
The Queen’s death has sparked for some a deep sense of grief, going beyond a fond remembrance to mourning an era they look back on as a golden age in Hong Kong, when it grew from a poor city to an international metropolis that was proud of its economic success and robust civil liberties.
“This is a rare opportunity for real Hongkongers to come together in solidarity and talk. I don’t suppose there will be any other opportunities again. Since 2019, we haven’t been able to do this,” said a social worker in her 30s, who declined to disclose his name.
“We talked about her visit to Hong Kong – she was graceful but down-to-earth,” she said, referring to the Queen’s visit in 1975, when she was pictured talking to vendors at a market and visiting a public housing estate.
“But mostly we talked about how the British brought the rule of law, free economy, the education system, universal health care, public housing, social and political reforms. We believe that was their greatest contribution to Hong Kong.”
Some in the queue were wary of the police presence, but felt a measure of protection by being outside the British consulate. Others avoided being seen grieving in public, anxious that the authorities would keep an eye on them. The Beijing-backed newspaper Ta Kung Pao accused the Hong Kong mourners of “colonial nostalgia” and said it was proof that work on “decolonization” should be stepped up. It also blasted “anti-Chinese media” for selling “political propaganda” through the queen’s passing.
Li, a 73-year-old pensioner in the queue, stayed up all night after the Queen’s death was announced as it was past 1am in Hong Kong. He recalled his feelings after escaping from China to Hong Kong in 1964: “I saw her picture in government offices and thought, ‘I am lucky enough to have come to Hong Kong. Now I can do anything freely, I could study and choose my own job without political judgments. I have to work hard and live a decent life.”
The caption of a cartoon circulated online entitled “Goodbye Boss” said: “She didn’t demand that we learn the British national anthem or the history of her country. She didn’t demand patriotism or praise for her, yet she lives in our hearts forever.”
Amid a sea of floral tributes, photographs of the Queen and several Paddington teddy bears, one message read: “You will be remembered for your elegance and legacy: a once free and civilized Hong Kong.”
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