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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
World
Lizzie McAllister & Sophie Collins

Queen's coffin seen for first time as 6-hour journey to Edinburgh begins

Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin left Balmoral this morning to make the six-hour journey to Edinburgh.

Six Balmoral gamekeepers lifted the coffin into a hearse before her journey began, giving the public a first glimpse of it draped in the Royal Standard.

The cortege began the 175-mile journey at 10.00 am and is now making its way through the Scottish towns of Aberdeen, Angus, Tayside, and Fife before it reaches Edinburgh at around 4:00 pm today.

READ MORE: Cate Blanchett among stars wearing all-black in tribute to Queen at Venice Film Festival

The hearse's first stop will be at the nearby town of Ballater, where local grieving families have already begun to tie Union flags to barriers outside the local church.

Crowds are due to gather along the route to watch the hearse come into view and to say their goodbyes to Her Majesty.

After the journey, the coffin will stay at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, her official residence in Scotland, before lying at rest on Monday at St Giles' Cathedral.

Queen's coffin seen for first time as 6-hour journey to Edinburgh begins (REX/ Shuttershock)

Tens of thousands of mourners are expected to line the famous Royal Mile in the centre of Edinburgh to welcome the monarch after her 175-mile journey.

The coffin will then begin its journey to London, where Her Majesty will lie in state in Westminster Hall for four days to give the public the chance to say their last goodbyes before her funeral on September 19.

Senior royals have been busy this week saying goodbye to Her Majesty, who died on Thursday (September 8), and preparing for the new era with King Charles III.

Charles gave his first address to the nation as Head of State on Friday and was officially made King at an accession ceremony yesterday.

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