Last Man to See Queen Elizabeth Lying in State Says Moment Was One 'I'll Never Forget to My Dying Day'

The last man to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state at Westminster Hall ahead of her state funeral Monday says the moment was one he will "never forget."

Grant Murrell waited in line for hours overnight to see the late monarch — and told PEOPLE on Monday that it was well worth it.

"I'm too exhilarated to be exhausted," Murrell said, after exiting the public viewing. "This is something I'll never forget to my dying day. Walking all night is a small price to pay."

Queen Elizabeth's coffin was laid out for public viewing for a little more than four days inside Westminster Hall. The viewing was followed by a state funeral at Westminster Abbey, which saw some 2,000 leaders and royals from around the world gather to pay their respects to the Queen.

Murrell, a motivational speaker, described the Queen — whose coffin made a final procession through London before heading to her final resting place at St. George's Chapel within the walls of Windsor Castle — as "a guiding hand."

CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/POOL/AFP via Getty Queen Elizabeth lying in state

"She's been there all my life, a very steady pair of hands, a very steadying force in extremely turbulent times," Murrell told PEOPLE. "One thing that really strikes me is she had integrity. It's a rare thing nowadays and it will be her legacy."

He continued: "This is clearly a moment in time you'll never forget. All the pivotal times in my life have been associated with her and this is the culmination."

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Despite the hours of waiting and walking in order to spend a few precious moments with the Queen, Murrell told PEOPLE: "I couldn't not come."

"She's been a wonderful ambassador for Britain and the Commonwealth," he continued, adding that a new monarch will mean a new era for the British public.

"There'll be a change with Charles for better or for worse, but a change. The vast majority of people who are alive today have only ever known her as the queen," he said.

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"She's always kept her stature and posture and sense of majesty," he added of the late monarch. I'm very honored to be here. And seeing her up close it really makes it very personal."

As with every event following the Queen's death this past week, countless mourners lined the streets to pay their respects on Monday, with some waiting to see the Queen's coffin for up to 24 hours, according to some reports.

RELATED: Inside the Life and Death of Queen Elizabeth II: "She Will Be Missed by So Many"

And while the mood was one of sorrow, there were also moments of hope and happiness, while entire families paid their respects and recounted the grace and integrity displayed by the late monarch.

Auditor Nadine McLoughlin and her daughter Najhae told PEOPLE they "didn't plan" to get in line — but made the last-minute decision once they walked to witness the queue in person.

"We just went to look at the queue last night but when we got there the stewards were like, 'Join it now or never, we're closing it off!' " Nadine told PEOPLE. "So we looked at each other and thought 'Why not?' "

As Nadine explained, the two remained in the line overnight, stopping for just one hour to sit down.

"We did it for the Queen," she said.

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She continued: "She's such an amazing lady. Think how much she did in her lifetime ... this is the least we can do."

Business owner Andrew Lyme — who was among the final group of public mourners to pay their respects, described the line to participate in the public viewing as something of a "pilgrimage."

"I've never done anything like this before, who walks through the night?" Lyme, who waited with his wife and seven-year-old daughter, told PEOPLE. "It's like a pilgrimage but in years to come we can say we saw the crown sitting on the Queen's coffin."

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Mother-and-daughter duo Trish and Jessica Pool said they were among the lucky ones, having only had to wait in line for seven hours to see the Queen.

"It's a bit like a long-haul flight," Trish, 57 and Jessica, 27, recounted. "There were nice volunteers giving us tea and coffee along the way, and portaloos. All very civilized."

While they met several fellow Brits, the Pools said they didn't see or hear a single American.

"I'm not surprised," they added. "I think you'd have to be bonkers and British to do this. And she is our Queen, after all."