Grieving Queen Elizabeth? Annoyed that other people are? A Philly expert explains celebrity grief and provides tips.

Thousands of people have flocked to the gates of Buckingham Palace in London to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II, as the United Kingdom enters a 10-day mourning period.

The display along the property’s gates resembles a wake — flowers and wreaths, candles, and somber crowds.

» READ MORE: Britain mourns Queen Elizabeth as Charles becomes king

It’s a familiar scene: A public figure or celebrity dies, and many feel a sense of grief.

Just two years ago, hundreds gathered outside the United States Supreme Court to pay their respects to longtime justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg after her death.

The deaths of artists like John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Prince, and Michael Jackson all led to similar outpourings of mass mourning. People came together to shed genuine tears over a person that they likely never met. More recently, social media has given mourners another outlet to express their sense of loss.

“With celebrities and public figures, we almost feel like we’re in a relationship with them,” said Darcy Walker Krause, the past executive director of Uplift Center for Grieving Children in Philadelphia. The relationship is one-sided, she acknowledges, but that doesn’t make it feel any less real. “We oftentimes feel like we know them, we know their families.”

When Kobe Bryant died, many people, especially in the Philadelphia region, mourned. Some may have known him from his high school days in Lower Merion, while most just cheered for him.

“People were really at a loss,” Krause recalls.

The death of a public figure can evoke different emotions, memories, and thoughts in people. Even though few people live a life similar to that of an NBA superstar, perhaps you were a similar age, shared hobbies, had similar-age children, or looked up to them as a role model.

Public figures often make cameos in our most cherished memories — the musician who played that first date concert, or the royal wedding we remember watching with a family member.

All of those aspects of the one-sided relationship many have with celebrities can trigger grief when they die.

» READ MORE: Philadelphia mourns Kobe Bryant’s death: ‘We lost another one of our own’

What’s different about the death of a public figure is that the grief is also public. Seeing so many other people grieving, and hearing other people talk about it, can exacerbate our own grief, Krause said.

Finding ways to engage with people who are sharing your experiences can be helpful, Krause said. That sharing can be over social media or at in-person events and vigils.

“Allow yourself to feel what you are feeling. It’s OK,” she said.

If the grief over the death of a celebrity becomes overwhelming and lingers, Krause recommends reaching out to a mental health professional. The deep feeling of grief could be because the death of a public figure awakened something else (such as grief over a loved one) and it is worth understanding what’s behind the intensity of the emotion.

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Seeing people grieve a celebrity they never knew can be aggravating for some, especially people who recently lost someone close.

If you find the discourse around grief over a public figure difficult or aggravating, Krause recommends taking a step back. That could mean a break from social media or giving a friend space for a few days.

Otherwise, there are ways to support a friend who is feeling a sense of loss in the aftermath of a celebrity death. Mainly, just listen — even if you don’t really get it.

“Try not to be judgmental,” she said. “Just be a sounding board.”