The Queen's four children mounted an emotional vigil around the coffin of their deceased mother. The event comes just hours after a procession saw her majesty's body being transported along Edinburgh's Royal Mile.
King Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne took part in the first of several Vigil of the Princes at St Giles' Cathedral. Stood solemnly with lowered heads, the four royals formed part of a guard around the four corners of the coffin for around 10 minutes.
Looking on were Queen Consort Camilla, Sophie Wessex and Princess Anne's husband Sir Timothy Laurence. As they stood guard, Charles wore the Prince Charles Edward Stuart tartan kile and white heather in his lappel from Balmoral, as reported by the Mirror.
Looking on were Queen Consort Camilla, Sophie Wessex and Princess Anne's husband Sir Timothy Laurence. As they stood guard, Charles wore the Prince Charles Edward Stuart tartan kile and white heather in his lappel from Balmoral.
Andrew was in a morning suit while Anne - the first woman in history to take part in such a ceremony - and Edward were in military dress as members of the public filed past the coffin. Andrew kept his eyes closed for a period of time during the vigil, while Anne and Edward had their eyes fixed towards the floor. The King kept his hands joined and also looked towards the floor.
It came just hours after he led the royal family in a poignant display of respect for the late Queen by walking behind the monarch’s coffin with his siblings on the Royal Mile this afternoon. Expressionless and looking straight ahead, Charles was joined Anne, Andrew and Edward as they followed the hearse carrying the Queen’s oak coffin.
In bright autumn sunshine, the procession set off at a slow walking pace, with the Queen’s children arranged by age, with the eldest Charles on the right and Anne, Andrew and Edward on his left, with Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence behind them.
A hush descended on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile as the crowds 10-deep first caught sight of the procession which featured the coffin’s bearer party – servicemen from the Royal Regiment of Scotland – flanking the hearse and they in turn were flanked by the King’s Body Guard for Scotland.
All those in the procession walked in step, moving from side to side as one, within touching distance of the coffin draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland with a wreath of Balmoral flowers on top. Following in a car was the Queen Consort Camilla and Sophie the Countess of Wessex but the new Prince of Wales, Prince William and his brother Prince Harry did not take part in the procession.
The procession travelled from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the sovereign’s official Edinburgh home, to St Giles Cathedral, where a service of thanksgiving for the life of the late monarch was held before the public were able to pay their respects. The Queen’s coffin will remain at St Giles’ Cathedral until 5pm tomorrow, when it will be flown to London ahead of the monarch lying in state at Westminster Hall from Wednesday, before the state funeral next Monday.
Earlier today, King Charles received a motion of condolence at Westminster Hall - and sat on his throne for the first time as the monarch along with Queen Camilla. The new King and his wife took their seats while the Speaker of the House of Lords pledged his loyalty and shared the "deep sympathy" that Parliament felt over the royal family's grief.
The King quoted Shakespeare in a tribute to the Queen as he addressed Parliament for the first time since becoming monarch. "As Shakespeare said of the earlier Queen Elizabeth, she was a pattern to all princes living," he said.
Addressing members of both Houses of Parliament, the King said the late Queen "set an example of selfless duty which, with God’s help and your counsels, I am resolved faithfully to follow".
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