EDINBURGH, Scotland — King Charles III and his three siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward marched behind their mother’s coffin in a solemn procession along the Royal Mile in the historic heart of the Scottish capital of Edinburgh.
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin arrived at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh for a memorial service
A hearse containing the coffin headed a procession Monday through the Scottish capital’s Old Town. Thousands of people lined the street known as the Royal Mile, which links Edinburgh Castle with the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
St Giles’ Cathedral, founded in the 1130s, is holding a service of thanksgiving. Afterward, members of the public will be allowed inside to file past the coffin. Some have been waiting since around dawn.
The coffin will remain at the cathedral until Tuesday so members of the public can pay their respect.
The new king and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, arrived in Scotland earlier Monday ahead of the procession.
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King Charles III received condolences, addressed Parliament
Before touching down in Edinburgh, the royal couple visited Parliament at Westminster Hall in London to receive condolences from the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
“Deep as our grief is, we know yours is deeper,” House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said.
The king said symbols of his “darling late mother” were all around the Palace of Westminster, such as a fountain in New Palace Yard, sundial in Old Palace Yard and a “magnificent” stained glass window that commemorated the queen’s Silver Jubilee.
Charles III told the House of Commons he is “deeply grateful for the Addresses of Condolence by the House of Lords and the House of Commons, which so touchingly encompass what our late sovereign, my beloved mother the queen, meant to us all. As Shakespeare says of the earlier Queen Elizabeth, she was ‘a pattern to all princes living.'”
“As I stand before you today, I cannot help but feel the weight of history which surrounds us and which reminds us of the vital Parliamentary traditions to which members of both Houses dedicate yourselves, with such personal commitment for the betterment of us all,” he continued.
Speaking of the queen’s journey back to London, Charles III said, “The great bell of Big Ben – one of the most powerful symbols of our nation throughout the world and housed within the Elizabeth Tower also named for my mother’s Diamond Jubilee – will mark the passage of the late queen’s progress from Buckingham Palace to this Parliament on Wednesday.”
Queen’s coffin to be taken in procession through Edinburgh
The queen’s coffin will be taken in a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles’ Cathedral with the king and royal family members following on foot. There, the Crown of Scotland will be placed onto the coffin. This is a different crown to the one she was crowned in, says Sky News royal commentator Alastair Bruce.
The coffin will remain there for 24 hours before being flown to London on Tuesday. The queen’s coffin will then be moved from Buckingham Palace on Wednesday to the Houses of Parliament to lie in state until a state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19.
On Tuesday, the king and Camilla will also visit Northern Ireland where they will meet politicians and faith leaders and attend a service of remembrance at St. Anne’s Cathedral.
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Prince Harry pays tribute to his ‘Granny’
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, paid tribute to the queen – his “Granny” – and her “everlasting legacy,” making his first full public statement since her death last week at 96.
In his statement, Harry commended the queen, sharing, “we are all reminded of the guiding compass she was to so many in her commitment to service and duty.”
Harry’s words became deeply personal. “Thank you for your sound advice,” he wrote. “Thank you for your infectious smile. We, too, smile knowing that you and grandpa are reunited now, and both together in peace.”
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UK government releases advisory on how public should act when paying respect to Queen Elizabeth II
On Monday, the U.K. government announced that members of the public will be able to pay their respects to the queen at lying-in-state at Westminster in London starting Wednesday evening.
The public can watch the procession take place in person at the ceremonial viewing areas along the processional route, or at a screening site in Hyde Park, a news release said. Guests are warned not to arrive intoxicated, wear appropriate clothing, make no political statements and are prohibited from taking any photos within Westminster Hall.
The queen’s coffin will remain closed on a raised platform in Westminster Hall and will be draped in the Royal Standard with the Orb and Sceptre placed on top. Each corner of the platform will be guarded around the clock.
Large crowds and long queue hours, possibly overnight, are to be expected for those wanting to pay their respects to the queen. To those attending the Lying-in-State, the U.K. government warns they will go through airport-style security.
Contributing: Scott Gleeson, Pamela Avila, Naledi Ushe, Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY; The Associated Press
