DEVELOPING 'Numerous' officers shot in 'active situation' in Charlotte, North Carolina, police say
'Numerous law enforcement officers' have been shot in an “active situation” in Charlotte, North Carolina, police say.
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 CTV News 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.
'Numerous law enforcement officers' have been shot in an “active situation” in Charlotte, North Carolina, police say.
Toronto police say 12 people are facing a combined 102 charges in connection with an investigation into a major credit fraud scheme.
B.C. Premier David Eby has joined other politicians denouncing remarks at a demonstration in Vancouver where protesters chanted “long live Oct. 7,” praising that day's attacks by Hamas on Israel.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says international students will be able to work off-campus for up to 24 hours per week starting in September.
Members of Parliament are questioning why Canadian security officials did not inform them that they had been the target of Beijing-linked hackers, after learning from the FBI that the international parliamentary alliance they are a part of was in the crosshairs of the Chinese cyberattack in 2021.
Norovirus is spreading at a 'higher frequency' than expected in Canada, specifically, in Ontario and Alberta, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart, but better research methods have thrown cold water on that.
Tobacco manufacturers have until Tuesday to ensure every king-size cigarette produced for sale in Canada has a health warning printed directly on it.
The clock is ticking ahead of the deadline to file a 2023 income tax return. A personal finance expert explains why you should get them done -- even if you owe more than you can pay.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.