Mr Ackerman said that cab drivers had come to the Palace to show our respect for the monarch. We now know the Queen's passed, the only woman we've ever known, our constant in both our lives and we're showing our respect.

Yes, London's iconic black cab drivers performed an incredibly moving and historic tribute following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022. In a display of profound respect, dozens of taxi drivers spontaneously drove their vehicles to The Mall, the grand ceremonial road leading to Buckingham Palace, and lined them up in a silent, orderly procession. This "guard of honor" was a rare spectacle, as the drivers turned off their engines and stood in quiet contemplation under the rain to honor the only monarch most had known in their lifetimes. This gesture echoed a similar tribute performed for the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 2021. For the London "cabbies," who view themselves as the lifeblood of the city's streets, the Queen was a symbol of constancy and national identity. The image of the black cabs glowing under the streetlights on The Mall became a viral symbol of the nation's grief, representing a working-class salute to a sovereign who had dedicated her life to service and who many drivers affectionately referred to as "one of our own."