HER courage and humour always shone like a beacon when her country needed her most.Today at 11.30am the nation repaid the debt it owed to the Queen Mother by paying homage to the woman who was the very personification of dignity, grace and, above all, humanity.

HER courage and humour always shone like a beacon when her country needed her most.

Today at 11.30am the nation repaid the debt it owed to the Queen Mother by paying homage to the woman who was the very personification of dignity, grace and, above all, humanity.

As her funeral began in Westminster Abbey the tears flowed and the emotions of millions were encapsulated in a poem by an unknown author which prefaced The Order of Service.

It read:

"You can shed tears that she is gone or you can smile because she has lived.

"You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.

"Your heart can be empty because you can't see her or you can be full of love you shared.

"You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

"You can remember her and only that she's gone or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

"You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.'