QUEEN Elizabeth II's coffin will be flown to London tonight after thousands of mourners pay their respects in Edinburgh today.
Royal fans have been queuing down the Royal Mile since Monday evening to enter St Giles' Catherdral so that they could pay their respects to Her Majesty.
King Charles III and his three siblings accompanied the Queen's coffin during a procession through Edinburgh that ended at St Giles' Catherdral.
A military bagpiper played as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the royal standard, was carried from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh and placed in a hearse.
The King, dressed in army uniform, and Princes Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walked behind as the hearse made its way to St Giles' Cathedral.
The hearse was flanked by a bearer party of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and a detachment of The Kings Body Guard in Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers.
Elizabeth's coffin will remain at the cathedral until around 3pm on Tuesday so members of the public can pay their respect.
The Queen's coffin will make a poignant journey to Buckingham Palace this evening while the King will travel to Northern Ireland for the first time as monarch.
Members of the public are already queueing for the Queen's lying in state at Westminster Hall, which opens on Wednesday, and thousands are still placing floral tributes in Green Park.
Read our Royal Family live blog for the latest news & updates…
- Joseph Gamp
Hundreds gathering in County Down village for Charles' arrival
Hundreds of people are gathering in the village of Royal Hillsborough in Co Down ahead of the arrival of King Charles and the Queen Consort.
Large numbers are already lining the village's Main St near Hillsborough Castle, the official royal residence in Northern Ireland.
Spectators are being driven into the village on shuttle buses amid a massive security operation.
- Joseph Gamp
Sense of duty embodied by Queen being lost, warns May
The sense of duty embodied by the Queen may be slipping away in public life, Theresa May has said.
The former prime minister said the Queen was "the most remarkable person" and an "example of devotion to duty".
She told ITV's Lorraine: "I think maybe there is a slight loss of that sense of duty.
"It becomes, for a lot of people, more about them rather than about other people and how they should be… working for other people."
She added: "The late Queen Elizabeth was an example of devotion to duty par excellence."
The former prime minister added: "She was the most remarkable person I've ever met.
"The combination of qualities she had, I haven't come across in anybody else.
"I doubt we will see her like again."
- Joseph Gamp
In pictures: Funeral preparations begin opposite Westminster Abbey
Scaffolding and platforms have been erected opposite Westminster Abbey as part of preparations for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
Last week Britain's longest reigning monarch passed away at Balmoral Castle at the age of 96.
Millions are expected to flood the capital to pay their respects during Her Majesty's state funeral.
Scaffolding and platforms have been erected opposite Westminster Abbey
- Joseph Gamp
'Strength of the Royal Family is as a family'
Lord Archer said he hopes the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex can now "put the past behind them".
"The strength of the royal family is as a family," he told Sky News.
"It's good to see the four of them there, and I hope this will give them an opportunity to put the past behind them and move on and support their father.
"He will need support at every level, not just from Camilla but also from these four. He doesn't want to go to bed at night knowing that's a problem. He's got enough on his plate at the moment."
- Joseph Gamp
In pictures: Guardsmen hold funeral rehearsals in central London
The image below shows Guardsmen marching from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster during an early morning rehearsal of tomorrow's funeral procession.
Queen Elizabeth II's coffin will be transferred from Buckingham Palace by gun carriage in a ceremonial procession taking place on Wednesday 14th September.
Her Majesty died at her Scottish estate, Balmoral Castle, on September 8, at the age of
- Joseph Gamp
King Charles to travel to Northern Ireland today
After touching down in Belfast, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are to travel to Hillsborough Castle in Co Down, the royal residence in Northern Ireland, for several engagements.
They will hold a private audience with the new Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, as well as meeting representatives of political parties in the region.
The couple will then receive a message of condolence on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland from the speaker of the Stormont Assembly Alex Maskey.
They will then go to a reception at the castle, hosted by Mr Heaton-Harris, which some members of the public will also attend.
Charles and Camilla will then travel to St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast where they will attend a service of reflection for the life of the Queen.
The new monarch will also meet leaders from all the major faiths in Northern Ireland.
Before leaving, Charles and Camilla will undertake a walkabout at Writers' Square.
Although the square will be closed to the public, people are being invited to line the route to Hillsborough Castle and the route to the cathedral.
The royal couple will travel along Main Street and Lisburn Street in Hillsborough before heading to Belfast along Wellington Place, Donegall Square North, Chichester Street and Victoria Street.
- Joseph Gamp
Queen's coffin to travel to Buckingham Palace tonight (2/2)
At 6pm, the Queen will depart Scotland for the last time.
Her coffin will be flown from Edinburgh Airport to London on an RAF Globemaster C-17 flight, accompanied by her daughter the Princess Royal.
The King will be joined by Camilla as he receives his mother's coffin at Buckingham Palace, where she spent so many of her decades as sovereign.
The Prince and Princess of Wales will also be at the Palace.
A guard of honour formed of three officers and 96 soldiers from The King's Guard will be mounted in the Quadrangle.
Military commands, usually shouted, will be given as quietly as possible in honour of the solemn occasion.
The coffin will be carried by a bearer party to the Bow Room where a sovereign's piper will play a lament.
It will remain in the Bow Room overnight before a procession on Wednesday to Westminster Hall for the start of the lying in state.
- Joseph Gamp
Queen's coffin to travel to Buckingham Palace tonight
The Queen's coffin will make a poignant journey to Buckingham Palace on Tuesday while the King will travel to Northern Ireland for the first time as monarch.
Thousands of members of the public moved solemnly past the oak coffin through the night as it stood on public view for 24 hours at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Charles, on his Operation Spring Tide tour around the UK with the Queen Consort, will leave Scotland and head to Belfast before returning to London in the evening.
Members of the public are already queueing for the Queen's lying in state at Westminster Hall, which opens on Wednesday, and thousands are still placing floral tributes in Green Park.
Mourners have been asked by Royal Parks not leave marmalade sandwiches – a nod to the Queen's comedy sketch with Paddington Bear – for fear of a negative effect on wildlife.
- Joseph Gamp
Aircraft carrying Queen to London used for Ukraine aid missions
Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, head of the Royal Air Force, said the aircraft which will carry the Queen's coffin to London has been used for aid missions in Ukraine and was also used last year to help evacuate people from Afghanistan.
"It's a C-17 Globemaster, which is our strategic airlifter but on this very sad occasion it will be carrying Her Majesty's coffin down from Edinburgh to RAF Northolt," he told Sky News.
"As you can imagine, there's a lot of planning goes into a unique task like this, and we've worked closely with the Palace to deliver it to their wishes, and it's a day that we all clearly hoped would never come.
He added: "It's a heavily used aircraft – it carried the majority of the 15,000 people that we evacuated from Kabul last summer.
"And since then, it's been involved in airlifting humanitarian aid and lethal aid nodes to support Ukraine."
- Louis Allwood
Man arrested after heckling Prince Andrew
A man has been arrested after heckling Prince Andrew during the procession to St Giles' Church.
The man could be seen shouting as the royal's name as the Queen's coffin was driven past.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A 22-year old man was arrested in connection with a breach of the peace on the Royal Mile around 2.50pm on Monday, 12 September 2022.”
- Louis Allwood
The Queen has 'gone home', Catherdral told
A service held to remember the "long and happy reign" of Elizabeth II was told simply that the Queen has "gone home".
The Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, spoke about her "extraordinary life" at a service attended by the King and other members of the royal family.
Charles III was in St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh for a service of thanksgiving, held four days after the death of the Queen.
Rev Greenshields told the congregation that over those days "tributes to her Majesty have poured in" but it was now "beginning to sink in that she is gone from us – 'gone home' to express her own words".
He said the service was taking place to "express our thanks to God, for her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's extraordinary life".
The Rev Greenshields added: "We are united in sorrow at the death of our Monarch, but we are also so aware that His Majesty King Charles and all his family are not just grieving the loss of their Queen, but their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother."
He told the packed congregation how the Queen "began her reign, like King Solomon by asking for wisdom, something she demonstrated in large measure".
- Louis Allwood
Minute's silence on Sunday
At 8pm members of the public will pause to remember the late monarch and reflect on the incredible legacy she left behind.
Downing Street said the nation was invited to join the “shared moment of national reflection” at home, on their doorstep with neighbours, or at community events.
And those living abroad are urged to join too and “come together” with others mourning all over the world.
- Louis Allwood
Pictured: Mourners in tears as they leave St Giles’ Cathedral
- Louis Allwood
How long will Royal Archers stand at the Queen's vigil for?
Royal Archers will stand with their heads bowed for two minutes at a time.
They will then rotate and have 40 minutes off before returning to the vigil.
Each shift will last for 6 hours.
- Louis Allwood
Sainsbury's and Argos will shut all stores
Sainsbury's and Argos will shut all its UK stores to customers on the day of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.
The supermarket giant confirmed in a statement it will close its doors on Monday, September 19.
A spokesman said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
"In honour of Her Majesty and so our colleagues can pay their respects, all Sainsbury’s supermarkets and Argos stores will be closed on Monday, 19th September. "
This will also include groceries online and Argos fast track delivery.
Sainsbury's said its convenience stores and petrol filling stations will be open from 5pm-10pm to allow our customers to pick up essential items.
Select stores in central London will also be open to serve those attending the funeral in person.
- Louis Allwood
'Her Majesty has been our constant' – Nicola Sturgeon
"For people across our country, this is a time of profound sorrow," she says.
"Most of us simply do not remember life without the Queen.
"In an ever changing and often turbulent world, Her Majesty has been our constant, she has been the anchor of our nation."
- Louis Allwood
Pictured: King Charles met with Nicola Sturgeon
The upcoming assembly will raise the motion of condolence to the King and the nation at the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
- Louis Allwood
Chelsea's game will go ahead
Chelsea's Champions League game will go ahead on Wednesday night.
"The decision comes after discussion with the Metropolitan Police and UEFA following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Kick-off remains at 8pm," a club statement read.
"We will update supporters on Sunday's fixture with Liverpool as soon as we possibly can."
- Louis Allwood
Andrew did not wear uniform today but will for Queen's funeral
Despite not wearing a uniform for today's procession, the duke did display eight medals with his suit.
His medals included a South Atlantic Medal, Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals and Royal Navy Long Service Medals with bars.
He also wore a Canadian Forces Decoration with bar and a New Zealand Commemoration medal.
A palace source said today: "As a non-working member of the Royal Family, the Duke of York will not wear uniform except as a special mark of respect for Her Majesty the Queen at the final vigil in Westminster Hall."
- Louis Allwood
Commuters may want to 'change their working patterns accordingly'
Transport chiefs have warned that London will experience "unprecedented travel demand" and public transport users are being advised the city will be "exceptionally busy".
Tube stations might even have to close to stop overcrowding.
Today a spokesperson for Liz Truss said commuters may want to "change their working patterns accordingly".
But they added that “not everyone will have that ability”.
- Louis Allwood
House painted Jubilee wall black for the Queen
A family who painted a massive Union Jack flag on their home for the Diamond Jubilee have coloured it black to pay their respects to the Queen.
The Tate family painted their house in the patriotic colours of red, white and blue to win the best decorated house for a Jubilee street party ten years ago.
- Louis Allwood
ITV schedule shake up for Queen's funeral
In what will be the largest outside broadcast in ITV's history, the event will be shown live and uninterrupted on their main channel and simultaneously on all of its digital channels from 6am until midnight.
The coverage will start on Good Morning Britain which will preview the funeral, before moving into their special programming.
Moving into the evening, ITV will broadcast a documentary film chronicling the events of the past ten days from Her Majesty The Queen’s death to the state funeral.
There will be a special programme focussing on the day’s events at 9pm followed by an extended News at Ten.
- Louis Allwood
Prince Harry ‘banned’ from wearing uniform
Prince Harry has been BANNED from wearing his military uniform when he mourns the Queen – while his disgraced uncle Andrew will don his at Wednesday's lying in state vigil.
The shamed Duke of York will be permitted to wear his armed forces uniform "as a special mark of respect" for the Queen.
- Louis Allwood
Minute's silence on Sunday
At 8pm members of the public will pause to remember the late monarch and reflect on the incredible legacy she left behind.
Downing Street said the nation was invited to join the “shared moment of national reflection” at home, on their doorstep with neighbours, or at community events.
And those living abroad are urged to join too and “come together” with others mourning all over the world.
- Louis Allwood
Royal vigil ends
King Charles and his siblings have left St Giles' Cathedral this evening.
The vigil lasted for around 10 minutes and members of public were allowed to enter whilst the King was in attendance.
Credit: PA
Source: Read Full Article