'She was amazing': Alberta man travels to the U.K. to pay his respects to the Queen

LONDON -

For one Alberta man, sending well-wishes from Canada was not enough following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

When Calgary resident Tad Milmine heard the news of her death, he instantly booked a plane ticket to London so he could say his goodbyes in person.

"As soon as I heard the news, it was immediately to the WestJet website, immediately booking the next available flight which was the day after -- the overnight flight," he explained to CTV National News on Wednesday.

While Milmine says he doesn't typically "do things spur of the moment," he said booking the flight was a "no brainer." He said he was not going to miss this final milestone of the Queen's reign.

"I didn't look at my bank account to see if I could afford it, I didn't call my boss to say, 'May I go away?' I just did it because I had to," Milmine said.

• Royal Dispatch newsletter: Sign up for exclusive insights on the monarchy

Milmine has made a name for himself as an anti-bullying advocate, having received several high-profile awards in the name of the late monarch and even giving talks to U.K. students on behalf of London Metropolitan Police.

"I've shared that connection to the Queen as far as few awards that have come on her behalf, but also the fact that she's been my Queen since for as long as I've been around," he said.

While it is difficult for him to describe why he had to say goodbye to the Queen in person, Milmine said she felt like family to him.

"I lost all my grandparents at a very, very young age. So it was like the Queen was the substitute. She was my grandmother and I know that even that, there's going to be people saying, 'Well, that doesn't make sense,' and I understand that. But again, this isn't for them. It's for me," Milmine said.

Speaking ahead of the Queen's coffin procession, Milmine said he is hopeful the Queen's memory and reign will live on, with stories being passed down to younger generations. He said the Queen's over 70 years of service "should be an inspiration to all."

"We're always going to remember her and not just because history is going to tell us but because of the person she wants, and I think we've got a great loss that has happened and it's such an honour to be here today," he said.

Even for those who aren't fans of the monarchy, Milmine said he hopes Canadians take time during the mourning period to reflect on the Queen's long life.

"I think this is a time to push pause and appreciate what she did, and I think there are no words to put into what she's done for us as a country and the Commonwealth," he said.

To see her coffin pass by during the procession was "overwhelming," Milmine said.

"I wasn't expecting… to be overcome with emotion like that for her," he said, wiping tears from his eyes.

"My heart is fulfilled, while it's also broken," he added.

As he bids farewell to one sovereign, Milmine hopes the monarchy is "in good hands moving forward."

"The bar is pretty high. She was amazing, absolutely amazing," he said.