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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
Entertainment
Rosaleen Fenton

Harry and Meghan to sit behind King as Queen's funeral seating plan confirmed

Final seating arrangements have been confirmed as guests begin to arrive at Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral on Monday morning.

Attendees at Westminster Abbey include world leaders, royalty and high-profile figures. Newly crowned King Charles III and Queen's Consort Camilla will be sitting in the grand Canada Club chairs, reports the Mirror.

Next to Camilla will be her husband's sister Princess Royal, then Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. Next will be the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, and then the Earl and Countess of Wessex will be sat in the front row of the south lantern.

READ MORE - What time the Queen's funeral starts and everything else you need to know

Across the aisle will be William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Next to them will be Peter Phillips and Zara and Mike Tindall.

Directly behind the King will be the Duke of Sussex Prince Harry with Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex sat behind Camilla. Meghan will be sitting next to Princess Beatrice.

US President Joe Biden will be 14 rows back on the south transept behind the Polish leader and in front of the Czech Republic. The First Lady will be next to Switzerland. Directly across the aisle from Mr Biden's place the seat was labelled the Republic of Korea.

On Saturday night, Prince Harry and Prince William joined together for the vigil of the grandchildren. They were joined by their cousins - Her Majesty's six other grandchildren - Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, 18-year-old Lady Louise Windsor, and James, Viscount Severn, aged 14, around the middle of the coffin.

In the front of the south transept, figures from the commonwealth counties will be sitting followed by other nations including the US. There were a number of countries not invited to send a representative to the Queen's funeral - including Russia, Belarus and Afghanistan.

The Queen's grandchildren approach her coffin. (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Invites were also not sent to Myanmar, Syria and Venezuela, while Iran, North Korea and Nicaragua will only be represented by ambassadors.

Vladimir Putin expressed his sorrow to the King following the monarch's death, but following the countries invasion of Ukraine, it was highly unlikely he be invited.

But, the Kremlin has responded furiously, dubbing it "profoundly immoral" and "blasphemous".

"We view this British attempt to use a national tragedy that has touched the hearts of millions of people around the world for geopolitical purposes to settle scores with our country during the days of mourning as profoundly immoral," Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

The Vatican previously announced that Pope Francis will not attend the Queen's funeral.

Thousands of mourners have lined Constitution Hill in central London in anticipation of the Queen’s funeral procession passing by.

Members of the public streamed out of nearby Green Park tube station early on Monday morning in a bid to secure a spot on the road close to Buckingham Palace.

By 9:15am, all public viewing areas for the Queen’s funeral procession were full, London’s City Hall said.

The royal family will walk in procession behind the Queen’s coffin as it is carried through the church by the military bearer party.

The King and the Queen Consort will walk immediately behind the coffin, followed by the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Future king George, aged nine, and Charlotte, aged seven, will walk with their parents side-by-side in formation, followed by their uncle and aunt the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and other members of the royal family.

It is the first time that the pair will use their new titles in public - Prince George of Wales, and Princess Charlotte of Wales. It is thought the pair are the youngest royals to take part in a royal funeral procession

The service follows the Queen’s lying in state period at Westminster Hall, which ended at 6.30am.

Chrissy Heerey, who was the last member of the public to leave the Hall, said: “It’s one of the highlights of my life and I feel very privileged to be here.”

The Queen’s coffin will be taken in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the funeral at 11am.

READ MORE:

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