Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin begins its final journey [ Live]
The Queen’s oak coffin will make a six-hour journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh, Scotland, on Sunday and will lie at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British monarch in the Scottish capital. The coffin is scheduled to arrive in London on Tuesday. The state funeral for the Queen will take place at Westminster Abbey, London, on September 19, the Royal Family announced. Earlier on Saturday, King Charles III was officially proclaimed as the new monarch.
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin
The Queen’s daughter, the Princess Royal, is travelling in the second car of the cortege on the 175-mile journey, accompanied by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
The coffin is set to arrive in Edinburgh at about 16:00 BST after a slow six-hour drive which will see it go through Aberdeen and Dundee.
Earlier, six gamekeepers from her Balmoral estate placed the Queen’s oak coffin into a hearse before she left Balmoral for the final time.
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The wreath on top of the coffin features some of the Queen’s favourite flowers, all cut from the estate – white heather, dahlias and sweet peas, phlox and pine fir.
When the cortege reached Ballater, Aberdeenshire – the closest village to Balmoral – flowers were thrown in the road by mourners, some of whom had tied union flags to barriers.
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin journey Live
Once in Edinburgh, the Queen’s coffin will remain at Holyroodhouse – the monarch’s official residence in Scotland – overnight.
On Monday afternoon, the coffin will process to St Giles’ Cathedral, accompanied by the King and other members of the Royal Family. The coffin will remain under continuous vigil for 24 hours, with the public able to pay their respects.
A service will be held at the cathedral in the evening.
The following day, Princess Anne will accompany her mother’s coffin as it travels from Edinburgh Airport back to Buckingham Palace via RAF Northolt.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was a “sad and poignant moment” as the Queen left her “beloved Balmoral” for the last time.
She said: “Today, as she makes her journey to Edinburgh, Scotland will pay tribute to an extraordinary woman.”
On Saturday, the Queen’s younger children – Princess Anne, the Duke of York and Earl of Wessex – and their families viewed flowers at the gates of Balmoral Castle, with her granddaughter Princess Eugenie moved to tears.
