Mass-goers carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth of England as the hearse arrives in Edinburgh.
London:
Thousands of mourners gathered on the route for Queen Elizabeth II’s final journey on Sunday as her coffin arrived in Edinburgh from her Scottish refuge, where she died.
Huge crowds filled the streets of the Scottish capital as the hearse carrying Britain’s longest-serving monarch completed the first leg of a somber adventure that will culminate with a home funeral her country in London on September 19.
The kilogram soldiers made headlines when the seven-car convoy arrived at Holyroodhouse after a six-hour drive from the queen’s Balmoral residence, where she died on Thursday, aged 96.
Some wise men along the way threw flowers or clapped their hands, while others shed tears as the convoy including the queen’s only daughter, Princess Anne, passed.
“It’s history, history is made. We lived a long time with the queen – 70 years,” said former soldier Stuart Mackay.
“It’s the only Monarch we know and I think it’s my duty to be here to wave her goodbye.”
The queen’s coffin will rest in the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarch’s official residence in Scotland, for a day before being moved to St Giles’ church for a public pay tribute.
Her son Charles III – officially proclaimed monarch on Saturday – will travel to Edinburgh on Monday to offer prayers and place prayers over her coffin along with other members of the family Royal.
The queen’s body will be taken to London a day later for a four-day burial, which is expected to attract at least a million people, before a funeral will be watched around the world and attended to. attended by many heads of state.
‘Deep moment’
The symbolism of the queen’s final journey will be heavy for Scotland – a country closely linked to the royal family, but also home to a strong independence movement intent on severing ties. centuries of alliance with Great Britain.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote on Twitter that it was a “heartbreaking and poignant moment” to see the queen leave her cherished Balmoral shelter for the last time.
Charles – also proclaimed monarch in Scotland in a flashy ceremony on Sunday – and other royals will join on Monday to move her coffin along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to St. Giles.
The next day, the coffin will be flown by a Royal Air Force jet to Northolt Airport near London, and taken to Buckingham Palace. Then, on Wednesday, it will be moved to Westminster Hall to be located in the state.
King Charles will also visit Northern Ireland and Wales in a show of national unity. The new monarch will be attended by British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was newly appointed by the late queen on Tuesday.
Charles has seen his popularity recover since the death of his ex-wife Diana, Princess of Wales, in a car crash in 1997, but he ascended the throne at a time of deep anxiety in UK about the rising cost of living and the international instability caused by the war in Ukraine.
William and Harry together
While Charles’ accession pushed Britain into what the press called a new “Carolean” era, Britain and the royal family were still coming to terms with the end of the Elizabethan era.
Prince William broke his silence with an emotional tribute to his beloved “Grannie” on Saturday.
“She was by my side in my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life,” said William, who is now Prince of Wales. .
But the queen’s death also brought about an unexpected union between William, 40, and brother Harry, 37, as they and their wives went to speak to the wise outside Windsor Castle.
The sight of the two couples, who have barely seen each other since 2020, together – even as they parted to speak and shake hands from different sides of the cheering crowd – could spark news. rumors of a reconciliation.
Pictures of the four were splashed in the newspapers of Sunday.
“Reuniting for the Granny”, reads the Sunday Mirror headline, while the Telegraph runs with “Sad Reunion” and the Sun with “All 4”.
The Sunday Times focused on the apparent spoilage, with the headline: “Warring Windsors Awkward Armistice in Honor of the Queen”.
‘Inspiring example’
Charles announced at the Official Accession Council at St James’s Palace on Saturday that he will “try to follow the inspiring example I have been set forth” by his mother during his “life of service”. hers.
Thousands of people have gathered outside Buckingham Palace and other royal residences in recent days to lay flowers and messages of condolence, or simply to experience formative history.
But officials expect more people to pay their respects while the queen lies in state, before the televised funeral service at Westminster Abbey opposite.
The funeral for the queen – who ascended to the throne only 25 years old in 1952 – will be attended by national leaders including US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and possibly Emperor Naruhito.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is not expected to attend, said he was willing to “expand friendly exchanges and win-win cooperation” as he congratulated Charles on his enthronement.
Charles was officially crowned king in Australia and New Zealand – former British colonies that had been independent for decades but remained monarchies – in parallel ceremonies on Sunday.
He held his first reception on Sunday for representatives of the Commonwealth, the 14 former colonies he ruled outside of Britain.
With republican movements gaining ground from Australia to Antigua, one of the 73-year-old’s biggest challenges will be how to sustain the worldwide family that his late mother has. he was the beloved Queen Elizabeth II.
The queen’s record of 70 years on the throne has been a constant throughout a tumultuous period for England, from a world in need after war and the loss of empire, to recent upheaval. like Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic.
Charles’ coronation, an elaborate ceremony steeped in tradition and history, will take place in the same historic area around Westminster Abbey, as it has for centuries, on a set date. .
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a collaborative feed.)
