While sympathetic Americans kept one eye on the telly on Thursday as news about Queen Elizabeth’s health grew more and more grim, a number of Brits living in Butler County are grieving the death of the only monarch they’ve ever known.

At about 1:30 p.m. EST, Buckingham Palace announced the queen, who reigned for 70 years, seven months and two days, had died at her beloved Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Leigh Baxter of Winfield Township is a native of Bury St. Edmund, Suffolk, which is northeast of London.

Baxter, a dual citizen, has lived in the U.S. since 1989 and earned her citizenship four years ago.

“We’ve been really fortunate to have her,” Baxter said of the late queen. “It’s just like everyone you love and you cherish, you never want to see an ending.”

Baxter had been receiving texts all afternoon from friends who were watching the news of the queen’s final decline in Scotland.

She couldn’t help but think about her family members and friends in Britain.

“I’m sure the entire country was holding the wheel with white knuckles, because we dread it, but we know that unfortunately, given the news we’d been receiving from the palace, that it’s not favorable and that day was coming,” Baxter said.

She thinks of the familiar 1947 broadcast of a young, novice princess pledging to soon serve her subjects and empire as queen for her entire life, “whether it be long or short.”

“There have been times when she could have moved in a different direction, but she swore an oath to serve as sovereign, and she certainly has,” Baxter said. “It’s just so sad, because she’s been such an amazing ambassador for our country.”

She looks forward with curiosity to the reign of the queen’s oldest son, now known as King Charles III.

“I’m sure he will have the same values that his mother had,” Baxter said. “I think a lot of people would rather see William (ascend the throne), but Charles will try to honor his mother and continue her legacy.”

Baxter admits she would likely shed a tear Thursday night over the loss of queen Elizabeth.

“She’s a rock star in my eyes,” she said.

Baxter’s best friend, British native Pamela Howryla of Ford City, Armstrong County, grew suspicious that the queen was in dire straits when her children and grandchildren were called to Balmoral.

“They were saying she’s resting, but then they were having her family come,” Howryla said. “It made it seem like it was inevitable, really.”

While the queen was not born into the role, the abdication of her uncle David, then King Edward VIII, thrust her father into the role of sovereign when she was 10 years old and rendered the young princess the heir apparent, Howryla said.

“She took on the job with full seriousness, and I think she’s been a great figurehead for Great Britain,” Howryla said. “I think she’s done a fabulous job.”

She said according to her relatives in England, BBC1, the country’s main news channel, has moved regular programming to a secondary channel to devote all their attention to the queen’s death.

Howryla recalled going to her grandmother’s house as a girl of 9 or 10 because the queen was to be driven through the town as part of a tour of Britain.

“I went there and saw her drive by, so I can say I’ve seen the queen in real life, even though it was a slow drive-by,” she said.

Howryla said although the monarch was 96, it’s still a shock that she’s gone.

“It’s sad. It is. She’s been the only queen that I’ve known. She became queen before I was born,” she said.

Cheryll Cranmer of Valencia was golfing with a group of friends on Thursday at the Royal Troon Golf Course, just a few hundred miles from Balmoral.

“We were notified that she had indeed passed while we were on the course,” Cranmer said.

Although she is a visitor, she was saddened at the news.

“She’s been in power for a long time,” Cranmer said. “She has lead with grace and elegance, and the service that she provided should be highlighted and honored and revered.”

She said the discussion among the caddies showed that the for some, the queen was well-respected, while others feel the large tax-funded family is a drain on the British economy.

“I think they’ll be looking for a little bit of change in the Monarchy, making it a little smaller, and from what we’ve read, King Charles is going to do that,” Cranmer said.

She has no doubt that vacationing in Scotland at the time of queen Elizabeth’s death will be an event she won’t forget.

“I know this is a mark in history,” Cranmer said. “I will remember exactly where I was at that time.”

Bob Pullar of Adams Township grew up a few hours’ drive from Balmoral. He has been in the U.S. for 17 years, although his Scottish accent gives him away.

He said the people of Scotland loved the British Royal Family, in large part because the Queen Mother grew up there.

“It’s going to be a bit of a change,” Pullar said of the queen’s death. “It’s a pity that her last few years were a little stressful.”

He feels the queen has been a steady force in Britain during her long reign.

“I think she was an excellent ambassador,” Pullar said. “She was always very even and a great statesperson for the country as a whole.”

He feels the death of her 99-year-old husband, Prince Philip, 17 months ago, likely affected the queen.

“I wasn’t surprised,” Pullar said of Thursday’s news. “I knew of her decline in activities since her husband died.”

He recalled attending the Highland Games in Scotland and seeing the royal family relaxing and laughing as they watched the competition in their tartan kilts. The queen recently missed the games due to “mobility issues.”

Pullar reckons all of Britain will pause within the next few days to honor the memory of their late queen.

“I’m sure she’ll be missed,” Pullar said.

Victoria Nicholas of Butler said her sister in England called early Thursday morning to report that the royal family had been summoned to Balmoral and things were not looking positive.

Nicholas was unable to watch television in the afternoon, but her phone began buzzing feverishly upon the announcement of the monarch’s death.

“She was a very gracious lady and her commitment to the British people was just so strong,” she said. “Lots of Americans held the queen in great esteem, also.”

Nicholas said whether she was visiting a nondescript small town in England or heads of state across the globe, everyone was happy to welcome Queen Elizabeth.

“It was her grace, I think,” she said.

Nicholas recalls sitting on her mother’s lap at 18 months old and watching the queen’s coronation ceremony in black and white.

Because the family owned the only TV in the neighborhood, the living room was crammed with people.

Regarding King Charles, Nicholas feels for him as he assumes his position.

“I think he’s going to have his work cut out for him because he’s got some big shoes to step into,” she said. “He might have a little trouble with the people who want to abolish the monarchy.”

Nicholas said while she no doubt allowed for the expected heraldry, the queen likely planned the funeral her way.

“There will be a lot of tears in the street,” she said of the upcoming sendoff. “I wouldn’t miss this last occasion to pay tribute to my queen.”