Queen Elizabeth’s funeral: We are deeply touched, says King Charles

King Charles said he had been ‘deeply touched’ by messages of condolence he had received.

King Charles talks with members of the public waiting in the queue to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth on Saturday. Picture: AFP

As the nation and royal family prepared to bid last farewells to the Queen, the sovereign who reigned for longer than most people can remember, the King said he had been “deeply touched” by messages of condolence he had received.

In a message of thanks after a national minute’s silence on Sunday night (Monday AEST), King Charles said: “Over the last 10 days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolence and support we have received from this country and across the world.

“In London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough and Cardiff, we were moved beyond measure by everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to the lifelong service of my dear mother, the late Queen.

“As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my family and myself in this time of grief.”

Prime Minister Liz Truss led the country in observing a ­moment of remembrance outside 10 Downing Street with her husband, Hugh O’Leary.

On London Bridge during the minute’s silence, a small crowd of people in the queue to see the Queen’s lying in state stopped and bowed their heads. In Falkirk, 96 lanterns – one for each year of the Queen’s life – were lowered down to float in a pool at the foot of the Queen Elizabeth II Canal.

Minutes after the silence, the Archbishop of Canterbury broadcast his meditation for the Queen on BBC Radio 4, saying she had “embodied something not simply of our nation but of our humanity”.

Earlier, the King and Queen Consort had hosted world leaders and other official guests at Buckingham Palace in one of the largest receptions of its kind. Camilla ­delivered a televised tribute to the Queen, saying: “It must have been so difficult for her being a solitary woman, and there weren’t women prime ministers or women presidents – she was the only one, so I think she carved her own role.”

Before the reception, the Princess of Wales met Olena Zelenska, wife of the Ukraine President.

President Joe Biden of the US visited Westminster Hall with his wife, Jill, to pay his respects. At Lancaster House he said the Queen reminded him of his own mother. “She had that look like, ‘Are you OK? Anything I can do for you? What do you need?’ And also, ‘Make sure you do what you’re supposed to do’.”

Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Andrzej Duda, President of ­Poland, were among those who came to pay their respects. President Emanuel Macron of France and his wife, Brigitte, arrived in Westminster Hall on foot.

The Duke of York hailed his mother’s “knowledge and wisdom”, adding: “I will miss your ­insights, advice and humour.”

More than two million people descended on the capital for Monday’s funeral. Transport for London said it was braced for its “biggest ever challenge”.

About 10,000 police officers were on duty in London and Windsor, the biggest security ­operation in British history.

The Metropolitan Police were on alert for terrorism, crowd crushes and protests. There were marksmen on rooftops, uniformed and plain-clothes officers in the crowds, the biggest close-protection security operation ever, and barriers to stop vehicles being ­driven into crowds.

The Times