Simcoe County legions prepare to bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II

Legions across Simcoe County prepare to bid farewell to the life and legacy of the only monarch many have ever known.

"I was so sad to hear when she passed, but she was 96, and she did a great job," said Fern Taillefer.

Taillefer, Barrie's Royal Canadian Legion first vice-president, remembers Queen Elizabeth II fondly.

"I met the Queen several times when she came to Canada being in charge of ground security in Ottawa," he said.

A black veil now hangs above her portrait in the legion's hallway, with a poppy on the left as preparations are made for Sept. 19, coinciding with the day of the Queen's funeral.

"It will be a mini version of the Nov. 11 parade basically, but focusing on the Queen with one wreath being laid in memory of the Queen. That's what it's all about and a chance for everybody to come and say their goodbyes," Taillefer said.

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In 1961 the "royal" in the Royal Canadian Legion came to be with Her Majesty's consent.

Devoting her life to the service of her county, she is the only woman from the British royal family to have served in the armed forces.

"The Queen is our commander in chief," said Richard Purcell, president of Orillia's Royal Canadian Legion. "The Queen is a very important part of our set-up, so having a Remembrance Day honouring her is very important."

It's the testament to the love for a Queen whose passing marks the longest reign in commonwealth history.

At The Flag Store in Thornton, four days after her passing, flags are still flying off the shelf.

"We are close to the hundreds, so we've made sure that we've kept a healthy stock of union jacks," said manager Alisa Burke. "Some people have had interactions with the queen just visiting and travelling, and some people were just very loyal to the monarch."

With the succession of the King, the legion said its ties to the monarch would remain strong.

Next week ceremonies will be open to the public.

Barrie's ceremony will take place outside the legion, with the one in Orillia at Soldiers' Memorial Hospital.