The Queen’s only daughter, Princess Anne, joins her on the final journey through Scotland

The Princess Royal accompanied the Queen’s coffin on its six hour journey from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh with grief etched deep in her face.

From left, Timothy Laurence, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, the Countess of Wessex and Prince Edward in Edinburgh on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

The Princess Royal accompanied the Queen’s coffin on its six-hour journey from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh with grief etched deep in her face.

At the Palace of Holyrood, Princess Anne was at the front of a reception party. She steeled herself and curtsied deeply as her mother’s coffin was carried in.

Looking devastated, the Queen’s only daughter and second child has begun the first of several days accompanying her late mother. On Sunday, with her steadfast husband, Timothy Laurence, Anne was in the car ­directly behind the hearse for the near 6½ -round trip to the Scottish capital.

And on Tuesday, when her mother’s body is taken to London, she will be on board the Royal Air Force plane with her.

For so long one of the hardest-working royals, Anne has carried out her royal duties over the ­decades without fanfare or fuss.

For the many thousands of people who watched the cortege slowly drive past, the sorrow of Anne looking out the partly drawn-down car window was something to which many grieving family members could relate.

Anne had been seen looking at tributes outside the palace gates on Saturday, including a whimsy marmalade sandwich in a nod to the Queen’s fun with Paddington Bear at her Platinum Jubilee, and comforting her tearful daughter Zara, with a strength of purpose.

But having to take the Queen from her beloved Scottish home appeared to have been one of the saddest moments since Thursday, when the Queen’s health deteri­orated rapidly.

Anne, along with Charles, had made it to their mother’s bedside for the final hours.

That King Charles had wanted his sister to look over their mother in her final farewell was no ­surprise: Anne, 72, was always close to the Queen, sharing a love of the outdoors and animals, particularly horses.

Anne was understood to have helped the Balmoral gamekeepers and staff select the white flowers – including the Queens favourite, sweet peas – for the wreath that was placed atop the coffin.

Louise Tait, communications secretary to the Queen in Scotland, said she was comforted to see the Princess Royal accompanying the late Queen.

“Seeing her (the Queen) alone does feel very heartbreaking,” Ms Tait said on Sky News, noting that Anne had spent much of her time in Scotland with the Queen.