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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Alice Peacock & Jennifer Newton

William and Harry side-by-side as they escort Queen's coffin with tearful King

Prince William and Prince Harry stood shoulder to shoulder as they joined their father King Charles in escorting the Queen's coffin as she left Buckingham Palace for the final time.

The two feuding brothers, who have had an extremely rocky relationship of late, reunited in the procession taking the monarch's coffin from the palace to Westminster Hall, where it would Lie in State.

Joining them in the procession was the Queen's three other children Prince Andrew, Princess Anne and Prince Edward along with Anne's son Peter Phillips, her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Earl of Snowden - Princess Margaret's son - and the Duke of Gloucester - a cousin of the Queen.

The coffin was draped in the royal standard and topped with the Imperial State Crown, which lay on a velvet cushion with a wreath of flowers featuring foliage from the gardens at her Balmoral and Windsor residences.

Follow the latest updates as the world mourns Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III begins his reign on our live blog.

Queen Elizabeth II's flag-draped coffin was taken in procession on a Gun Carriage from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall (Getty Images)
Prince William was in military uniform for the special occasion (Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)

It was carried in a 38-minute-long procession down The Mall, on a gun carriage from The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

Big Ben tolled at one-minute intervals as the procession made its way to the Palace of Westminster.

Prince Harry and William were previously separated by their cousin and Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips, as they walked behind Prince Philip's coffin at his funeral in April last year.

Harry appeared to wipe away a tear during the service at Westminster Hall on Wednesday afternoon (Getty Images)
Lady Louise Windsor also appeared teary-eyed during the service (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

But on Wednesday they were stood side-by-side, despite their relationship not being thought to be fully healed.

Prince William and Prince Harry's sombre stances together echoed scenes from Princess Diana's funeral, when the pair were pictured standing side-by-side with their heads bowed in grief.

Following behind the procession by car was the Queen Consort Camilla, Kate - the new Princess of Wales, Harry's wife Meghan Markle and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex.

Kate Middleton and Camilla were in separate vehicles to Meghan Markle and Sophie, with the female royals following the procession in order of their status.

His Majesty appeared teary-eyed as he marched behind the Queen's coffin to Westminster.

He wore RAF No1 uniform and carried his Field Marshal Baton presented to him by The Queen when he became Field Marshal in 2012.

Harry and Meghan making their way into Westminster Hall on Wednesday afternoon (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
King Charles wore his RAF No1 uniform with the Garter Sash and RAF Pilot Wings (Getty Images)

The Imperial State Crown, worn by the Queen on the way back to Buckingham Palace after her Coronation, glittered in the daylight as the crowds held aloft their phones to capture the scenes.

Thousands of people gathered along The Mall, to watch the coffin procession as it passes by.

Westminster and St James’ Park tube stations closed as vast crowds flock to central London to see the procession leave Buckingham Palace.

King Charles III appeared teary-eyed as he marched behind the Queen's coffin into Westminster (Getty Images)

Many hoping to catch a glimpse as the procession nears Whitehall were turned away, with viewing areas having filled up hours before the procession started.

The procession poignantly passed the statue of the Queen's parents King George VI and the Queen Mother which overlooks The Mall.

As the parade travelled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, it also travelled along Whitehall - where the Cenotaph is located.

King Charles III walked behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II during the procession (AFP via Getty Images)

While other royals in uniform saluted the national memorial to the war dead, all Andrew and Harry could do was bow their heads as they were not wearing military uniform.

It was the same as they arrived at Westminster. Most of the senior members of the Royal Family wore military uniform as the Queen made her final journey.

The procession arrived at Westminster Hall at 3pm, with a 20-minute service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied by the Dean of Westminster beginning soon after.

The royal procession following the bearer party carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into Westminster Hall (PA)

The notoriously British stiff upper lip also appeared to quiver for Prince Harry and Lady Louise Windsor, who both appeared teary-eyed during the service.

Meanwhile, a sombre-looking Kate and Meghan were reunited in grief, standing close to one another during the service.

Afterwards, up to 400,000 people were expected to brave a 12-hour wait on the banks of the Thames to catch a glimpse of the Queen's coffin as she lies in state for four days ahead of her funeral on Monday.

The coffin carrying Queen Elizabeth II resting in Westminster Hall for the Lying-in State (Getty Images)

Wednesday's procession to Westminster comes after there were emotional scenes on Tuesday night when the Queen's coffin was brought back to London from Edinburgh.

The Queen's grandchildren, including Harry and William - the new Prince of Wales - and their wives Meghan and Kate, were among members of the royal family paying their respects to the late monarch by witnessing her coffin’s arrival at Buckingham Palace.

Thousands of well-wishers lined the streets, with people raising the torches on their phones and cheering as the hearse drove through the Palace gates.

The procession with the coffin of Britain's Queen Elizabeth arriving at Westminster Hall from Buckingham Palace (REUTERS)

At the weekend, William and Harry put on another united front with their wives during a mammoth walkabout on Saturday when they unexpectedly came together to view floral tributes left to the late Queen at Windsor Castle.

William, Kate, Harry and Meghan arrived in the same vehicle and greeted well-wishers for around 40 minutes.

William then hopped into the driver’s seat of the Audi with his wife in the passenger seat, and his brother and sister-in-law in the back.

Princess of Wales Kate Middleton and the Queen Consort Camilla were driven behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II (AFP via Getty Images)

In his televised address to the nation on Friday evening, the King talked of his love for Harry and Meghan.

"I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas," he said.

Then in Harry’s tribute to his grandmother he said he wanted to honour his father at the start of his reign as King.

A sombre-looking Meghan and Kate stood close as the during the service (pixel8000)

The last time Charles and his two sons were all seen in public at the same event was at the service of thanksgiving for the Queen in St Paul’s Cathedral during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.

But on that occasion, Harry and Meghan were seated some distance from Charles and William on the other side of the aisle in the second row, behind the Wessex family and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

The Jubilee service at St Paul’s was Harry and Meghan’s first public appearance alongside the Windsors since they stepped down as senior royals in 2020 amid the Megxit storm.

You can leave your tributes to Queen Elizabeth II here.

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