Queen’s coffin arrives at Edinburgh’s Holyrood Palace, after leaving Balmoral
In a sombre reception, the Queen’s coffin has completed the first six-hour leg of its journey, with Princes Anne honouring her mum in a moving tribute.
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The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II has arrived at Holyrood Palace, with the monarch’s children – Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie Countess of Wessex receiving the casket.
Earlier in the day, Princess Anne travelled with the cortège that transported the Queen’s body from Balmoral to Edinburgh. As the coffin was carried into Holyrood Palace, the royal looked appeared stoic and sombre. As the coffin approached the palace’s entrance, the Princess Royal gave a deep curtsy in respect to her late mother.
Her brothers, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward also bowed the Queen’s coffin passed the group. Draped in the Royal Stands of Scotland, the casket will remain in the Throne Room overnight, before it is taken to the nearby St Giles Cathedral.
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Outside, thousands had waited along the Royal Mile for hours, as the cortege reached Holyrood.
Silence fell at 10am as the Queen left Balmoral for the final time in a black hearse with white flowers picked from the garden placed on top of her coffin.
She was first taken to the village of Ballater where crowds bowed their heads silently as the cortege containing a heartbroken Princess Anne passed.
Other tearful royal fans also threw flowers in the path of the procession as a final goodbye.
Tomorrow the King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will travel to Edinburgh, where Elizabeth II’s oak coffin arrived today after a six-hour journey through Scotland.
The black hearse carrying Her Majesty’s body left Balmoral at 10am, local time. White flowers picked from the garden were placed on top, with a wreath made of sweet peas (one of her favourite flowers), dahlias, phlox, white heather and pine fir.
Mourners lining the streets outside Balmoral were silent in a show of respect as the procession made its way past.
Princess Anne, her husband Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the minister of Crathie Kirk and a representative of the Lord Chamberlain’s office were in the convoy following the Queen.
It first visited the village of Ballater, where crowds again bowed their heads silently. The Queen spent her childhoods in the village while staying with her family at Balmoral.
The route also took the coffin to Aberdeen, where tributes were paid in the city’s Duthie Park, then Aberdeen, and ended in Edinburgh, where Scottish political leaders including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon were ready to observe its final journey to Holyroodhouse.
“A sad and poignant moment as Her Majesty leaves her beloved Balmoral for the final time. Today, as she makes her journey to Edinburgh, Scotland will pay tribute to an extraordinary woman,” Ms Sturgeon posted online as the hearse departed.
The Queen’s coffin will remain in Edinburgh overnight.
Queen's coffin greeted with guard of honour before being carried into Holyroodhouse https://t.co/cgcY2ybZnwpic.twitter.com/S2c4qOsnxj
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) September 11, 2022
Emotional King Charles arrives at palace
As mourners lined the streets to witness Queen Elizabeth coffin on its journey through Scotland today, photographers captured a watery-eyed King Charles arriving at Buckingham Palace for his second day of royal duties.
Crowds erupted in cheers as the King was driven down The Mall in London, followed by a car bearing his wife, Queen Consort Camilla.
King Charles’ schedule for the day included a meeting with Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations; a reception with Realm High Commissioners, and a meeting with the Dean of Windsor.
He waved on his way past the crowds and offered a smile, though there was a hint of sadness on his face.
Meanwhile his son William, the new Prince of Wales, issued a statement pledging to serve the Welsh people with “humility and great respect”.
The statement stressed Prince William and Princess Catherine’s “deep affection for Wales”, noted they made their first family home in Anglesey, “including during the earliest months of Prince George’s life”.
“The Prince and Princess will spend the months and years ahead deepening their relationship with communities across Wales. They want to do their part to support the aspirations of the Welsh people and to shine a spotlight on both the challenges and opportunities in front of them,” Kensington Palace said.
“The Prince and Princess look forward to celebrating Wales’ proud history and traditions, as well as a future that is full of promise. They will seek to live up to the proud contribution that members of the royal family have made in years past.”
The pair promised to visit Wales “very soon”.
King Charles to travel to Edinburgh
Once King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla arrive in Edinburgh tomorrow, they will travel with the coffin from Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral. There, the Queen will lie in state for 24 hours, allowing Scots to come to pay their respects.
Princess Anne will then accompany her late mother from Edinburgh Airport to RAF Northolt on Tuesday evening.
The coffin will be met by a Guard of Honour from the King’s Guard as it arrives at Buckingham Palace.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will watch as it is carried to the Bow Room where chaplains will keep watch.
On Wednesday, there will be a horse and carriage procession through the streets of London at 2.22pm to Westminster Hall.
One million mourners are expected to visit her coffin as the Queen lies in state for four full days.
Details on how to attend will be released in the coming days but it is expected to operate on a first come first served basis.
Soldiers will guard the coffin around the clock as the streams of mourners file past.
Members of the Royal Family are also expected to take turns standing guard in a tradition known as the Vigil of the Princes.
Prince Edward and Charles both stood watch over the Queen Mother’s coffin in 2002.
Her Majesty will then be laid to rest on Monday, September 19 at 11am.
The state funeral has officially been declared as a Bank Holiday with a two minute’s silence expected to beheld across the nation at midday.
The Queen’s final resting place will be the King George VI memorial chapel where her mother and father were buried along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.
Prince Philip’s coffin will move from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join his beloved wife of 73 years.
– with The Sun
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