As Queen Elizabeth’s four children walked silently behind, a hearse carried her flag-draped coffin on Monday through a crowded street in the Scottish capital to a cathedral, where a thanksgiving service drew cheers the late monarch as “constant in all our lives more than 70 years.”
Four days after the 96-year-old Queen died at her beloved Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands, a military bagpipe played as her oak coffin, draped in the red and yellow royal standard of Scotland , born from the Palace of Holyroodhouse. in Edinburgh under the late summer sun.
King Charles, dressed in army uniform, and Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walked behind as the hearse traveled to St. Giles, flanked by a group of bearers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland and a detachment of the Royal Company of Archers. , the king’s ceremonial bodyguard in Scotland.
Inside, the coffin was placed on a wooden stand and crowned with the golden crown of Scotland, inlaid with 22 gems and 20 precious stones along with freshwater pearls from the rivers of Scotland.
“And so we gather to bid Scotland farewell from our late monarch, whose life of service to the nation and the world we celebrate. And whose love for Scotland was legendary,” said Reverend Calum MacLeod.
LOOK | The Queen’s coffin passes through Edinburgh:
King Charles and his siblings follow the hearse carrying the Queen’s coffin to Edinburgh
Residents of Edinburgh jammed an ancient street as King Charles and his siblings walked behind his mother’s hearse from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles.
The Queen’s love for Scotland persisted
Since the Queen died at her Balmoral summer home, Scotland has been the focus of the world’s attention during the first part of Britain’s 10 days of national mourning. Scenes of large crowds along the route as her coffin traveled south have underlined the deep bond between the Queen and Scotland, which has persisted even as relations between the Conservative government in London and the pro-independence administration in Edinburgh have worsened.
In a homily, the moderator of the Church of Scotland, Iain Greenshields, said that “most of us cannot remember a time when she was not our monarch”.
“Committed to the role she assumed in 1952 after the death of her beloved father, she has been a constant in all our lives for more than 70 years,” he said. “She was determined to see her work as a form of service to others and she maintained this constant course until the end of her life.
From left: Prince Andrew; King Charles III; Camilla, the Queen Consort; Princess Anne; and Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence watch as the Duke of Hamilton lays the Crown of Scotland on the coffin during the service of prayer and reflection for the life of Queen Elizabeth II at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday. (Aaron Chown/The Associated Press)
The coffin will remain at the cathedral until Tuesday so the public can pay their respects. Thousands of people lined the one kilometer route between the palace and the cathedral, some arriving hours before the service to see the coffin.
“I just wanted to be here, just to pay my respects. I can’t believe she’s dead,” said Marilyn Mclear, a 70-year-old retired teacher.
“I know he was 96, but I can’t believe the Queen is dead. So I think it will be nice, well, isn’t it nice to see [a] funeral, but I think it will be something to remember if I see it pass.”
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One man appeared to shout angrily at the passing hearse, while others shouted: “God save the king!” But the procession was met mostly with respectful silence under blue skies dotted with white clouds.
Charles, Anne and Edward wore military uniforms during the procession, but Andrew did not. The Royal Navy veteran was stripped of his honorary military titles and dismissed as a royal worker over his friendship with notorious American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Charles later donned a kilt while visiting the Scottish Parliament, where he was greeted by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
King Charles inspects a guard of honor at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Monday. The King will accompany the Queen’s coffin in a solemn procession through the cobbled streets of the Scottish capital from the Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles’ Cathedral, where members of the public will be able to pay their respects. (Phil Noble/The Associated Press)
Earlier, the Queen’s grandson Prince Harry praised her as a “guiding compass” and praised her “unwavering grace and dignity”.
Meanwhile, the government announced that the nation will observe a minute’s silence on Sunday, the evening before the Queen’s funeral. The “moment of reflection” will take place at 20:00 local time. People were encouraged to observe silence at home or at community events.
Before flying to Scotland, Charles received condolences in Parliament and told lawmakers he would follow his late mother’s example of “selfless duty”.
LOOK | Choreographed protocol, with moments of spontaneity:
The traditions and protocols of the British farewell to Queen Elizabeth
It has been more than 70 years since Britain had to depose a monarch and proclaim a new one. The tradition and protocols that ensure the survival of the royal family are being tested in real time, and so far they’ve gone down without a hitch.
Hundreds of lawmakers packed into the 1,000-year-old Westminster Hall for the lavish service in which Parliament offered its condolences to the king. A trumpet fanfare greeted him and Camilla as they entered.
Charles told members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords that he would follow his late mother in upholding “the valuable principles of constitutional government” that underpin the UK political system.
King Charles sits in London’s Westminster Hall on Monday, where he addressed members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. (Henry Nicholls/Reuters)
“As I stand before you today, I cannot help but feel the weight of history that surrounds us and that reminds us of the vital parliamentary traditions to which you as members of both houses are devoted, with such a personal commitment to the betterment of all of us”. Charles said.
The ceremony was held at Westminster Hall because monarchs cannot enter the House of Commons. This rule dates back to the 17th century, when King Charles I tried to break in and arrest lawmakers. That confrontation between the Crown and Parliament led to a civil war, which ended with the king’s beheading in 1649.
In a personal tribute to his grandmother, Prince Harry said he cherished their time together “from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my beloved wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.”
Possible sign of reconciliation
Amid acrimony at the House of Windsor, Harry stepped down as senior royal and moved to the United States two years ago. On Saturday, there was a possible sign of a reconciliation as Harry and Meghan joined their brother Prince William and sister-in-law Catherine to meet mourners outside Windsor Castle.
Harry’s statement ended on a poignant note, alluding to the death last year of his grandfather Prince Philip, saying: “We too smile knowing that you and grandpa are reunited now, and both of you together peacefully”.
The Queen’s coffin will be moved to London on Tuesday, where it will lie in state at the Houses of Parliament from Wednesday afternoon until the morning of her funeral on September 19. US President Joe Biden will attend the service at Westminster Abbey. , along with heads of state and royalty from around the world.
LOOK | Thousands of people line up to pay their respects:
Thousands of people line up for the Queen’s vigil
People across Scotland lined up for the chance to pay their respects to the Queen at St. Giles in Edinburgh.
The authorities have already issued rules and guidelines for people who want to pay their respects in London.
Judging by the size of the crowd in Edinburgh, the queue is expected to be long.
Rosamund Allen, 67, came from Rothbury in northern England to be part of the moment.
“It was very moving. It was very peaceful,” he said. “I was so sorry that the family themselves were on the show. They’re so brave to do that. And I really hope and pray that they take something away from today and have a chance to grieve.
“They were very kind to allow us to be a part of their sadness.”