Jessica Stevens, 25, is a teaching assistant and lives in Kent with her partner Aiden O’Neill, 28, an electrician.
“Picking up the keys to our first home together last month, my boyfriend Aiden and I couldn’t help but reflect on the unusual circumstances in which we met, and how close we came to never falling in love.
Two years on from the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II, I can still remember the sadness I felt hearing she’d passed away.
I had no idea that out of that deeply emotional time in history, I’d find The One.
I’m a royalist, as are all my family. We loved the Queen and so, when it was announced that the public would be able to see her coffin lying in state, my mum Janine and her twin sister Louise, 50, decided they wanted to pay their respects.
They invited me to join them, but as I’m a teaching assistant and couldn’t take time off, I reluctantly told them to go without me.
Mum said I’d regret it, and I knew she was right. It’s hard to explain, but I was hit by this powerful feeling that for some reason I didn’t understand yet, I was meant to be there.
The atmosphere was respectful, emotional, and calm, with people from all over the world sharing their feelings about the Queen’s death… but it was about to become even more memorable.
So we decided to queue through the night, in the hope I’d get to the front and see the coffin before I had to go to work, but I knew there was a chance I’d need to leave ahead of getting inside Westminster Hall.
Mum, my aunt Louise, and I caught the train from Ashford, Kent, to London’s St Pancras station late in the afternoon on September 15, and joined the end of the Queue.
The atmosphere was respectful, emotional, and calm, with people from all over the world sharing their feelings about the Queen’s death. It felt like we were a part of something special – but it was about to become even more memorable.
We’d come well-prepared with snacks and warm clothes, but Mum noticed the two guys in front of us had no bags or coats.
She offered them a KitKat, and that was how it all began.
They told us their names were Aiden and Harry, and that they lived in Somerset but were working in London and staying in a hotel, so had decided to come and pay their respects.
They were great company and I was immediately attracted to Aiden.
When we emerged into the early dawn feeling emotional, there was nothing to do but say goodbye to the boys.
He seemed kind and funny, and he was good-looking. It must have been very obvious I liked him, because when my aunt and I left the queue briefly to get some drinks, she asked me if I fancied him – and I said yes.
She knew I’d be too shy to get his number, so she added him and Harry on Facebook.
Around 4 am, we reached the front of the Queue and filed past the Queen’s coffin.
For those few moments, I forgot all about Aiden as I silently thanked the Queen for her years of service.
When we emerged into the early dawn feeling emotional, there was nothing to do but say goodbye to the boys.
I had to catch a train back to Kent, and Aiden had to return to his hotel to get ready for work.
Walking away, I felt frustrated that I’d met this great guy and now we had to go our separate ways.
However, I knew that, thanks to my aunt, there was a social media connection and, sure enough, the next morning Aiden sent me a friend request on Facebook.
I was thrilled. We began chatting over messages, then phone calls, and soon we were FaceTiming several times a day.
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We had our first date – a meal in Kent – three weeks after we met, and we quickly fell in love.
I’d had relationships before, but I knew early on we had something special, and that he was the reason I’d felt compelled to join the Queue.
With me living in Kent and Aiden in Somerset, we could only see each other at weekends and in school holidays, but it was always worth the effort.
Since then, we’ve been on holiday to Paris and Canada together, but our most memorable trip was back in London to be part of King Charles’ Coronation celebrations in May 2023.
We went with my family and managed to get a spot with a view of the balcony to see the King and Queen Camilla waving to the crowds.
It was an incredible day and, not for the first time, I couldn’t believe that it was my love of the royals that led me to Aiden.
We’ve just bought our first home in Kent and it’s wonderful to be together all the time.
I love to share the story of how we met, and am so grateful to my mum and aunt for insisting I joined the Queue.
Without them, I wouldn’t have met the man I hope to spend my life with.”
