queen's coffin journey

Queen's coffin arrives in Edinburgh as Charles is proclaimed king of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

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A fanfare of trumpets sounded at proclamation ceremonies in the capital cities of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on Sunday officially declaring Charles king of the nations that, along with England, form the United Kingdom.

Thousands of people gathered at Edinburgh Castle, Cardiff Castle and Hillsborough Castle in Belfast to hear the official announcement, although Charles officially became king when  Queen Elizabeth II died Thursday .

The ceremonies took place as the late monarch's coffin left Balmoral Castle and traveled to Edinburgh on Sunday. Crowds also lined the roads in tribute to the queen as the funeral procession slowly wound through tiny villages and small towns from the remote castle in the Scottish Highlands.

Here's what happened:

• Queen Elizabeth II's coffin arrived at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh from Balmoral.
• The queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, accompanied the cortege as it slowly made its way to the throne room at Holyroodhouse Palace.
• King Charles III met with the secretary-general of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland, who heads the central body that has served the group of former colonies since it was established in 1965.
• Prince Andrew and his former wife, Sarah, the Duchess of York, will inherit the queen's corgis, according to a source close to the prince.

Follow here for live coverage.

Public art honors the queen at a familiar spot in London

Queen Elizabeth's subjects get one final chance to pay respects at Palace of Westminster

David K. Li

Jean-Nicholas Fievet

The general public will be allowed to file past Queen Elizabeth's closed coffin in a round-the-clock operation that organizers warned could be physically taxing on mourners.

The queen's subjects and well-wishers will be able to stroll past the raised platform to glimpse her casket inside Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster from 5 p.m. BST Wednesday until 6:30 a.m. a week from Monday, the government announced Sunday.

"You will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down as the queue will be continuously moving," a government statement said.

Larger bags, food and food containers will be strictly prohibited once mourners reach the Palace of Westminster, where they will be subjected to "airport-style" security screening, officials said.

King Charles meets with the Realm High Commissioners of U.K.'s Commonwealth nations

Newly crowned King Charles III greeted Realm High Commissioners at Buckingham Palace on Sunday in hope of maintaining the affiliation of former British-ruled lands that meant so much to his mother.

King Charles is the head of state in those countries, but Antigua and Barbuda is reportedly planning a referendum to possibly become a republic .

The House of Commons of Canada, one of the 14 realms, announced Saturday night that Parliament, originally set to reconvene for the fall term on Sept. 19 , will push that to Sept. 20 in honor of Queen Elizabeth's funeral.

Preparations underway at Edinburgh's St. Giles' Cathedral

Alexander Smith

Preparations were underway at Edinburgh’s St. Giles’ Cathedral on Sunday, readying the house of worship for the arrival of the queen's casket Monday. It will be taken from Holyroodhouse in a procession to St, Giles’ Cathedral, where it will lie at rest until Tuesday. Large crowds of mourners are expected to pay their respects.

Thousands turn out as Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin arrives in Edinburgh

Crowds lined the streets of the Scottish capital as the queen’s hearse passed by, with some people bursting into applause. Amid solemn ceremony, the coffin was then taken to lie in state in the throne room at Holyroodhouse Palace.

Sydney Opera House sings praises of the queen

Ali Gostanian

The iconic Sydney Opera House paid tribute to the queen all weekend, shining her image on a shell of the architectural wonder's famed exterior.

Queen Elizabeth II presided over opening ceremonies of the Sydney Opera House, one of the world's most famous and distinctive structures, in 1973.

Her death has already had an impact on Australian politics. Prime Minster Anthony Albanese said he would not call for a referendum on whether Australia should become a republic in his first term.

President Biden accepts invitation to attend the queen's funeral

Jessica Simeone

President Joe Biden formally accepted an invitation Sunday to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on Sept. 19. The first lady will accompany him to the service.

An emotional moment for some in the crowd

EDINBURGH, Scotland — For some in the crowd in the Scottish capital, seeing the coffin was a deeply emotional moment.

“I cried when I saw it,” said Margory Young, 57, a nurse who traveled from the Scottish city of Glasgow to pay her respects. “We have never known life without her, so it was a moment in history and we had to see it.”

Prince Andrew to inherit queen's corgis

The queen’s corgis will be cared for by Prince Andrew and his former wife, Sarah, the Duchess of York, who live together in Windsor, according to a source close to the prince. 

It was Sarah who found the puppies, which the prince gave to the queen last year after Prince Philip died, the source said.

Biden recalls Queen Elizabeth II tribute at 9/11 commemoration

Alicia Victoria Lozano

Speaking at the National Sept. 11 Pentagon Memorial, President Joe Biden recalled a message from the late queen after the attacks 21 years ago Sunday.

“I remember a message sent to the American people from Queen Elizabeth,” he said. “It was on September 11. Her ambassador read a prayer of service at St. Thomas Church in New York, where she pointedly reminded us [that] ‘grief is the price we pay for love.’”

The queen broke with tradition in 2001 by ordering that the U.S. national anthem be played outside Buckingham Palace two days after the attacks. In 2010, she traveled to ground zero in New York City to honor the victims and laid a wreath at the site.

Hearse carrying queen's coffin completes journey

EDINBURGH, Scotland — The appearance of a helicopter overhead sent a crackle through the dense crowd and then the hearse carrying Queen Elizabeth II arrived on Edinburgh's Royal Mile.

Some climbed on phone boxes, balconies and a staircase. Others leaned out windows eager to catch a glimpse. Many tried to capture the moment on their cellphones, some applauded. Minutes later it started to rain.

After the hearse stopped outside Holyroodhouse Palace, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, the coffin was carried into the throne room by members of the military.

The coffin will remain under continuous vigil for 24 hours, allowing the public to pay its respects.

Queen's coffin arrives in Edinburgh

A hearse carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin has completed its journey to Edinburgh after a six-hour drive from Balmoral estate.

The coffin will remain in Scotland until Tuesday, when it will be flown from Edinburgh to Buckingham Palace in London.

The hearse left Balmoral Castle Sunday morning, draped in the Royal Standard and adorned with a wreath of flowers.

Highway overpass filled with crowds of people in Scotland

Elizabeth Kuhr

Anti-monarchists in Scotland turn their backs on king's proclamation

EDINBURGH, Scotland — Not everyone was deferential when King Charles III's proclamation was read aloud outside St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh Sunday.

A group of anti-monarchist protesters — or republicans — turned their backs and shouted “no consent” during the proclamation, part of which declares that Scotland consents to Charles being declared king.

“We wanted to make it clear that there’s more than one viewpoint in Scotland,” said John Hall, 33, treasurer of the anti-monarchy campaign group One Republic. “I wanted to make sure that I made it clear I didn’t consent to this pageantry.”

Hall added there were a number of people in the crowd shouting similar messages. “It’s nice to know I’m not the only one holding that viewpoint,” he said.

Crowds increase on Edinburgh's Royal Mile as queen's coffin nears Scottish capital

EDINBURGH, Scotland — With the crowds on Edinburgh's Royal Mile already three or four deep in places, Vivienne Evans, 29, and Raina Roche, 24, were slightly worried about what it would be like when Queen Elizabeth II's coffin arrived in the Scottish capital.

“I don’t know what the response is going to be like when we see her coffin,” said Evans, who is originally from London and goes to college in nearby Glasgow.

“I imagine it will be incredibly overwhelming for a lot of people,” said Roche, a New Jersey native studying in London.

No kidding! Goat mascot attends King Charles III's proclamation in Wales

In Wales, an unusual guest appeared at the proclamation of Charles as king at Cardiff Castle — Shenkin IV, the mascot of the 3rd Battalion Royal Welsh, an infantry regiment of the British army. 

The battalion has kept a goat as a mascot since the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American War of Independence in 1775, according to the Royal Welsh Museum.

Queen Victoria allowed the new mascot to be chosen from the royal herd of Kashmir goats and the tradition has been followed until the modern day. Queen Elizabeth II gave Shenkin IV — who has a military rank of Lance Corporal and receives an income that contributes to his uniform and lodging — to the battalion in 2018.

Shenkin IV took four weeks to catch from the royal herd. Goat Major Sergeant Mark Jackson of the Royal Welsh said at the time it was the “cheeky look in his eye” that made him an ideal mascot.

New Prince of Wales speaks with Welsh first minister

Joy Y. Wang

Prince William, newly named the Prince of Wales after his father's ascent to the throne, spoke on Sunday with the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford.

William told the official that he would serve the Welsh people with “humility and great respect,” according to a statement released by Kensington Palace.  

“The prince acknowledged his and the princess’s deep affection for Wales, having made their first family home in Anglesey including during the earliest months of Prince George’s life,” it added.

William and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, intend to visit the country soon and to meet with Drakeford and other leaders, according to the statement.

Anti-royalists demonstrate outside Cardiff Castle in Wales

Antigua and Barbuda to hold republic referendum within 3 years

The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda said he would call for a referendum on whether the his country should become a republic within three years.

The Caribbean country is one of 14 nations to retain the British monarch as their head of state, but after signing a document confirming Charles’ status as the new king, he said he would push for a new poll.

“It does not represent any form of disrespect to the monarch. This is not an act of hostility, or any difference between Antigua and Barbuda and the monarchy,” he told British broadcaster ITV News. “It is a final step to complete the circle of independence to become a truly sovereign nation.”

Since Barbados became a republic in 2021, a number of other Caribbean countries, including the Bahamas, Jamaica and St. Kitts and Nevis, signaled they intend to do the same. 

Sharp shooters over Edinburgh cathedral ahead of queen's arrival

King arrives at Buckingham Palace

Daniel Arkin

LONDON — Crowds lining the roads cheered as King Charles III arrived at Buckingham Palace Sunday afternoon.

The new king waved as his black car drove down The Mall and through the palace gates accompanied by a motorcade of four cars and four police motorbikes.

Onlookers shouted “God save the King” while one man teared up and said he would remember the moment for the rest of his life.

India holds national day of mourning

Mithil Aggarwal

NEW DELHI — Flags at public places are flying at half-staff across India as the country held a national day of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II.

While some questioned why a symbol of colonial rule was being honored, others chose to focus on the person herself.

New Delhi shop owner Sameer Chaudhary, 50, told NBC News that the queen had a "terrific" reign but she symbolized the cruel colonial institution that devastated India.

What is the Royal Standard draped over the queen's coffin?

The coffin of the late queen was draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland as it left Balmoral Estate, highlighting the monarch's personal and official connection to one of her favorite places.

The Royal Standard has taken various forms throughout history and varies from country to country.

In Scotland, it features Scottish arms in the first and fourth quarters and English arms in the second. The lion rampant is a nod to the Royal Banner of the Royal Arms of Scotland, the crown’s official banner in Scotland.

In England, however, the standard bears four quarterings — England (represented by three lions) in the first and fourth quarters, Scotland (represented by a lion rampant) in the second quarter and Ireland (represented by a harp) in the third quarter.

Crowds build outside Edinburgh cathedral

Andrew Lonie, 79, a retiree from Edinburgh, was among the swelling crowds outside the cathedral where Charles was officially proclaimed king of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“I wanted to come and see it in person — I’ve never heard one before,” said Lonie, who was 9 years old when the last new monarch took the throne. “It’s a piece of history, and I’m just so glad I’m able to see it.”

Charles proclaimed King of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Henry Austin

A fanfare of trumpets was sounded in Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, Wales' capital, Cardiff, and Northern Ireland's capital, Belfast, before Charles was officially proclaimed king in all the three countries.

Thousands of people gathered at Edinburgh Castle, Cardiff Castle and Belfast's Hillsborough Castle to hear the official announcement, although Charles officially became king when  Elizabeth died Thursday .

Many joined in as the national anthem, “God Save the King,” was played and offered three cheers for their new monarch.

Afterward, 21-gun salutes resounded outside all three venues.

Wreath atop queen's coffin adorned with flowers from Balmoral

An elaborate wreath accompanied the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, featuring flowers and leaves from her beloved Balmoral estate in Scotland.

It features dahlias, sweet peas, phlox, white heather and pine fir, the royal family said in a tweet.

Flowers pile high at the gates of Balmoral Castle

Australian prime minister will not hold referendum on country becoming a republic during his first term

With a pro-republic Labor Party government in power, Australia’s constitutional ties to the British monarchy will again be open to debate for the first time since change was rejected in a 1999 referendum.

However, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told British broadcaster Sky News he will not hold a referendum on whether Australia should become a republic in his first term. (Sky News is owned by Comcast, the parent company of NBC News.)

In his first international interview since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Albanese said it was a moment to show gratitude for the Queen’s “service to Australia, the Commonwealth and the world.”

Queen Elizabeth II in 1954 became the only reigning British monarch to travel to Australia and went on to visit the country 16 times.

Scottish leader marks 'sad and poignant moment' as queen leaves Balmoral Castle

As Queen Elizabeth II's coffin embarked on its final journey from Balmoral Castle, Scotland's first minister posted a touching tribute to the late monarch.

“A sad and poignant moment as Her Majesty, The Queen leaves her beloved Balmoral for the final time. Today, as she makes her journey to Edinburgh, Scotland will pay tribute to an extraordinary woman,” Nicola Sturgeon said in a tweet .

On Friday, Sturgeon was pictured signing a book of condolence the monarch.

'You'll always be remembered'

EDINBURGH, Scotland — The outer walls and gates of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, have been covered in row upon row of flowers, notes and even children’s drawings mourning and thanking the late queen.

“You’ll always be remembered in my house as an example on how to behave under all circumstances,” one handwritten message said.

Another was written on a Portuguese flag. “Canada loves you forever,” one said.

Fiona and Alex Herries laid flowers with their two young daughters. “We just thought it was important for the next generation to be part of this so they understand the significance of this moment in history,” Fiona said.

Knitted tribute to the queen placed on postbox in Scottish village

Children wave union flags as they wait for queen's funeral procession

Queen's coffin leaves Scotland's Balmoral Castle

Draped in the Royal Standard, Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has left Balmoral Castle to begin its journey to Edinburgh, Scotland's capital.

It is the first time her coffin has been seen since her death on Thursday.

The hearse will wind its way through tiny villages and small towns from the remote castle in the Scottish Highlands before it is laid to rest in the throne room of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, until Monday afternoon.

Royal reunion dominates British front pages

Images of Prince William, Prince Harry and their wives together for the first time in several months were splashed across the pages of British newspapers Sunday morning, with headlines proclaiming “peace” and unity for the sake of their grandmother.

On Saturday, the siblings walked together around a large flower memorial for the queen outside Windsor Castle, where they shook hands with members of the public and read handwritten notes left by mourners.

"William and Harry came together to mourn," The Independent said while tabloid, The People said they made "Peace for Gran."

Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals in 2020 while Prince William and Catherine, now Princess of Wales, carried on official duties.

Early mourners gather to see the queen's funeral procession

Remembrance services to be held for queen across U.K.

Remembrance services for Queen Elizabeth II will be held across the U.K. on the first Sunday after her death.

Special guidance has been issued by the Church of England on services during the period of mourning.

“Flags to be lowered to half mast, and to remain at this height until the day after the State Funeral,” it says, adding that bells should be rung at a “practicable” time.

The queen was formally the Defender of the Faith and governor of the Church of England, titles dating back centuries that have now passed to her son.

Queen Elizabeth to leave Balmoral for the last time

Dennis Romero

On Sunday, the queen’s coffin will be driven from Balmoral Castle, Royal Deeside, to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. 

Public viewing of the vehicle will be possible along the route in Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen and Dundee, officials said.

The queen’s coffin will be carried into the Throne Room at Holyroodhouse, where it will remain until Monday.

Proclamations for the queen will be read elsewhere in Scotland, in Northern Ireland and Wales.

Denmark’s queen scales back her jubilee after Queen Elizabeth II’s death

Associated Press

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe canceled, postponed and scaled back events of her own jubilee this weekend in which she marks 50 years on the throne of Europe’s oldest ruling monarchy.

Queen Margrethe, 82, whose reign is now Europe’s longest, has praised Britain’s late monarch as “a towering figure among European monarchs and a great inspiration to us all,” adding that “We shall miss her terribly.”

The Danish monarch also asked for a moment of silence Saturday evening before a gala performance at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen.

Billboards around the world pay homage to Queen Elizabeth II

Rania Soetirto

Displayed in a solid black background, images of the queen in her earlier years and in her 90s accompanied by the queen’s initials could be seen across buildings in Manila, Philippines.

This is one of the many tributes seen across the world as people continue to commemorate the queen’s legacy.

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Queen Elizabeth's death and funeral

By Rob Picheta , Ed Upright, Aditi Sangal , Elise Hammond and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN

Queen's coffin begins journey to St. Giles' Cathedral, followed by King Charles III

From CNN's Max Foster

The Queen's coffin has begun its journey from Edinburgh's Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles' Cathedral, with King Charles III heading the procession.

Elizabeth II's other children — Princes Edwards and Andrew, and Princess Anne — are accompanying the King and Queen Consort.

They will walk past the crowds of people who have lined the route of the Scottish capital.

It is likely to be a somber and difficult undertaking for the new King, marking the first time he has glimpsed his mother's coffin since it left Balmoral Castle.

Queen's coffin emerges from Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland's capital

Queen Elizabeth II's coffin has emerged from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, ahead of the procession that will take it to St. Giles' Cathedral for a service.

A royal salute has been given, and a rendition of God Save the King is underway.

That short journey will begin shortly.

The UK is invited to observe one-minute silence on eve of Queen's funeral, PM's spokesperson says

From CNN's Alex Hardie

The UK public is being invited to observe a one-minute silence at 8 p.m. [local time] on Sunday Sept. 18, Prime Minister Liz Truss’ spokesperson said Monday.

The minute’s silence will be held the evening before Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral for a national moment of reflection, according to the prime minister’s spokesperson. 

King Charles III and Queen Consort arrive at Palace of Holyroodhouse for Ceremony of the Keys

From CNN’s Arnaud Siad in London

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, have arrived at Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland where Queen Elizabeth is lying at rest.

He is currently greeting members of the public standing behind barriers.

The King will then attend the Ceremony of the Keys.

The monarch is traditionally welcomed to the city of Edinburgh, “[his] ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland,” by the Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge – the City’s civic head. He will offer Charles the keys to the city, according to the website of the British monarchy.

The gesture of offering the keys is purely ceremonial, and the King is expected to decline them, with the words: "I return these keys, being perfectly convinced that they cannot be placed in better hands than those of the Lord Provost and Councillors of my good City of Edinburgh."

The King will later walk behind the Queen's coffin as it moves in procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles' Cathedral.

King Charles III lands in Scotland

King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, have now landed in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The King will later walk behind Queen Elizabeth II's coffin in a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles' Cathedral in the Scottish capital.

They departed from the RAF Northolt airbase in west London earlier aboard a G-LEGC Embraer Legacy 600 jet.

Cloud of colonialism hangs over Queen Elizabeth’s legacy in Africa

From CNN's Stephanie Busari

The  death of Queen Elizabeth II  has prompted an outpouring of reflection and reaction online. But not all was grief – some young Africans instead are sharing images and stories of their own elders, who endured a brutal period of British colonial history during the Queen’s long reign.

“I cannot mourn,” one wrote on Twitter,  posting an image  of what she said was her grandmother’s “movement pass” – a colonial document which prevented free travel for Kenyans under British rule in the east African country.

Another  wrote  that her grandmother “used to narrate to us how they were beaten & how their husbands were taken away from them & left to look after their kids,” during colonial times. “May we never forget them. They are our heroes,” she added.

Their refusal to mourn highlights the complexity of the legacy of the Queen, who despite widespread popularity was also seen as a symbol of oppression in parts of the world where the British Empire once extended.

Kenya, which had been under British rule since 1895, was named an official colony in 1920 and remained that way until it won independence in 1963. Among the worst atrocities under British rule occurred during the Mau Mau uprising, which started in 1952 – the year Queen Elizabeth took the throne.

Africa’s memory of the Queen cannot be separated from that colonial past, professor of communication Farooq Kperogi at Kennesaw State University told CNN.

Read the full article here.

How the Queen stayed relevant and transformed the monarchy

Analysis by CNN's Max Foster

“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

This line, delivered on Elizabeth II’s 21st birthday,  defines her career  like few others. Within five years, she would be Queen – and she’d go on to be the longest serving monarch in British history.

Elizabeth II dedicated herself to lifelong service. This explains why she never abdicated, even as many of her younger contemporaries did. Between February 2013 and June 19, 2014, four European monarchs stepped down: Pope Benedict XVI of Vatican City; Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands; King Albert II of Belgium; and King Juan Carlos I of Spain.

Elizabeth, a devout Christian who rarely missed a Sunday at church, resisted the exodus because of the promise she made not just to her subjects but to God. There’s a clue to that at the end of her 21st birthday speech: “I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.”

Even when her husband,  Prince Philip , retired in 2017, Elizabeth continued public engagements and brought in other members of the family to accompany her as needed. Just days after Philip’s death in 2021, she resumed official duties with the appointment of new ambassadors to the UK.

Elizabeth understood the power of the media from an early age, and harnessing it was to become another key theme of her reign. That speech on her 21st birthday was recorded not just for radio but also for the emerging medium of television. At her coronation in 1953, she personally requested that cameras be allowed in to Westminster Abbey to broadcast the ceremony live.

People famously went out to buy television sets so they could watch. It was a sacrosanct moment the public had never before been able to witness; they remembered where they were and who they watched with. The Queen had inadvertently invented event television. All she wanted was for as many people as possible to feel part of it.

A phrase often attributed to Elizabeth was that “you have to be seen to be believed.” She understood that it wasn’t enough to go out in public, but she had to be seen there. Television gave her a bigger audience and when color was introduced, she  wore brighter shades  so she would stand out.

Read more about the modernizing monarch here:

TV, travel, walkabouts: How the Queen stayed relevant

Charles and camilla to fly to scotland.

King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla have arrived at the RAF Northolt airbase in west London, and will soon fly to Edinburgh, Scotland.

There, the King will walk behind the Queen's coffin from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles' Cathedral in the Scottish capital.

Charles will later meet with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon before he attends Scottish Parliament to receive a motion of condolence.

Queen's corgis to live with the Duke and Duchess of York

From CNN's Max Foster and Niamh Kennedy

The Queen's corgis will live with the Duke and Duchess of York, Andrew and Sarah, a source close to the Duke of York told CNN on Sunday.

The pair, who divorced in 1996, both reside at the Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate.

The source told CNN that Sarah, Duchess of York bonded with the late Queen over a shared love of dog walking and horse riding.

Even after her divorce from Andrew, Sarah continued her friendship with the Queen by walking dogs through the Windsor estate, the source added.

In addition to her two Pembroke Welsh corgis, Muick and Sandy, the Queen is reported to have left behind an older, mixed breed "dorgi" called Candy and a cocker spaniel named Lissy.

See pictures of the Queen's corgis here:

Photos: The Queen and her corgis

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The Queen's coffin arrives in Windsor as it makes its way to the castle

Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has arrived in Windsor, having made the journey on the state hearse from London.

The hearse will join a procession up the Long Walk to Windsor Castle. It will be joined by King Charles III and other members of the royal family before moving to St. George’s Chapel for the committal service.

Ukraine's first lady thanks Queen for "sharing our desire for freedom"

From CNN's Rob Picheta in London

Olena Zelenska, Ukraine's first lady who attended the Queen's funeral on Monday, thanked the late monarch for her "important signal of support" to the country.

"She wished us better times and shared our desire for freedom," Zelenska wrote on Twitter. "We will always remember it with deep gratitude."

Zelenska attended the service while her husband, President Volodymyr Zelensky, continues to oversee Ukraine's response to Russia's invasion. Russian representatives were not invited to Monday's funeral.

The first lady met with Catherine, Princess of Wales at Buckingham Palace over the weekend.

The Long Walk in Windsor is now at capacity with spectators

From CNN's Mick Krever in Windsor

The Long Walk, a picturesque avenue running from Windsor Castle to Windsor Great Park, is now filled to capacity with spectators, a public announcement system has told visitors.

“Unfortunately, the Long Walk is now full. You will be directed to Home Park, where there is a large screen to watch the Windsor procession and communal service,” the public announcement system told prospective visitors.

Crowds have gathered along the procession route to see the Queen's hearse passing by as as it travels to Windsor for her burial.

In photos: Crowds watch as Queen's hearse drives past

The Queen's funeral inspired a mix of emotions in crowds waiting to see the procession. Mourners were seen crying, singing the British national anthem, observing silence and throwing flowers at the Queen's hearse. Take a look at some pictures from Monday.

Paris pays tribute to Queen by renaming Metro station for the day 

From CNN's Pierre Bairin in Paris 

The Paris Metro is paying tribute to the Queen by renaming the George V station "Elizabeth II" for today, according to a tweet from the RATP Group, which is the public transit authority. 

Signs in the station, which was named after the queen's grandfather, were replaced on Monday out of respect for the late British monarch.

Princess Anne has accompanied every leg of her mother's final journey

From CNN's Richard Allen Greene

Princess Anne, one of Elizabeth II's four children, is now following the Queen's hearse to Windsor in a car.

Anne is the only child to accompany every leg of the Queen’s final journey from Balmoral Castle in Scotland since the monarch’s death on September 8. 

Onlookers throw flowers as Queen's hearse drives past

The journey of the Queen's hearse to Windsor is now underway along the crowd-lined streets of central London.

Some onlookers have thrown flowers towards the vehicle as it passes. Many are standing in silence, while others can be heard cheering for Elizabeth II one last time.

The hearse will travel along main roads rather than motorways, presumably to give more people a chance to glimpse the coffin. The route has been closed for the procession.

Queen's coffin moved into hearse ahead of journey to Windsor

The Queen's coffin has been carried into the state hearse, and it will now be driven in procession through west London and to Windsor for her burial.

Watch the moment here:

The Queen's cortege has arrived at Wellington Arch, its final stop in London

From CNN’s Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse

The royal cortege has now arrived at Wellington Arch.

Here, the parade will perform a royal salute and the British national anthem will be played before the hearse departs for Windsor and the Queen's burial.

Once it has left, the King and Queen Consort, the Prince and Princess of Wales and other members of the royal family will leave by car.

After the procession leaves, the bells at Westminster will ring fully muffled for the afternoon – a convention that only happens following the funeral of a sovereign.

The muffled bongs are achieved by attaching leather patches that dull the sound of each bell, called muffles -- a centuries-old tradition.

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Queen Elizabeth's coffin arrives in Edinburgh as mourners line streets

• Medium Text
• Queen's coffin taken from Balmoral Castle where she died
• Coffin arrives at royal palace in Edinburgh
• Crowds, some tearful, line the route
• A mass of flowers left outside royal palaces
• Funeral will be held on Sept. 19

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Reporting by Michael Holden, William James and William Schomberg in London, Russell Cheyne in Balmoral, Lewis MacDonald and Marco Trujillo in Ballater, and Andrew MacAskill and Lindsay Dunsmuir in Edinburgh Editing by Kate Holton, Mark Potter, Andrew Heavens and Frances Kerry

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Queen's coffin arrives at Buckingham Palace

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We're closing our coverage here

We're closing our coverage here - but you can follow all the latest news on Wednesday's live page here - including information about the Queen lying-in-state at Westminster Hall in London.

Her coffin will move in a procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster on Wednesday afternoon. Her son King Charles III will take part alongside her grandchildren, Princes William and Harry.

US Congress observes moment of silence for Queen

The US House of Representatives has just observed a moment’s silence for the Queen.

The lower chamber of Congress passed a bereavement resolution in honour of the late British sovereign, before adjourning for the day.

Congressional leaders from both parties last week issued statements of tribute to the Queen.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said the monarch “was a pillar of leadership in the global arena and a devoted friend of freedom”.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said the Queen “represented what it means to lead with conviction, selflessness, and faith in God and in her people”.

'We're staring into the abyss' - Former Archbishop of Canterbury

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has been discussing the challenges facing the King and the UK as the country enters a new phase in its history.

Dr Williams told the BBC’s Newscast podcast: “We’re a society staring into a little bit of an abyss in the next few months, where poverty and deprivation for quite a lot of people, are going to be a major issue.”

Talking about the role of King Charles III, he said: “I think it is crucial that the new King give the message... that he's committed to a society where nobody gets forgotten.”

He went on to say: “Lots of communities are faced with really impossible choices about energy, about food, about their general security. It’s the biggest thing I know on the agenda of the new prime minister and the new government. It’s a watershed moment for them just as much as for the monarchy.”

Dr Williams said: “If we can get through this winter without collapse, we can manage with all those pressures, we will have sent a very important message to the other end of Europe that we are prepared to face some constraints for the sake of Ukraine.”

Last Thursday, the government set out its energy support plan which included limiting energy bill rises for all households for two years, and six months for businesses.

Newscast’s full interview with Dr Williams is available on BBC Sounds.

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'A very special atmosphere' waiting in line

Kristian Johnson

reporting from London

A small but extremely dedicated crowd are already waiting at the front of the queue for the Queen's lying-in-state in London - and I have joined them.

The group has grown to around 100 people and we will be the first to enter Westminster Hall on Thursday evening. For now though, we are waiting on the Albert Embankment Path near Lambeth Bridge, huddling underneath umbrellas and wearing ponchos to shelter from the rain.

Some have been here all day, including 85-year-old Truus Nayman, who is spending the night sat on a bench.

“It’s a very special atmosphere,” she said.

Despite the rain, spirits remain high as people swap stories about the Queen.

There is a real sense of camaraderie as strangers strike up close friendships to support one another as we wait - including holding a spot in the line while neighbours go to the toilet or grab a coffee.

“I’ve got two friends and we will be doing a rota," said Monica Farag.

“These will be my friends forever.”

The significance of Westminster Hall

Westminster Hall is where King Charles III addressed members of parliament and peers on Monday - and where the Queen's coffin will lie in state from Wednesday.

Built in 1097, the building has played a significant role in British history for centuries.

It has hosted the trials of Charles I and Guy Fawkes, Henry VIII's coronation banquet, and speeches by well-known figures such as Nelson Mandela, French President Charles de Gaulle, Pope Benedict, and US President Barack Obama.

The last member of the Royal Family to lie in state at Westminster was the Queen Mother in 2002, when more than 200,000 people queued to view her coffin.

But it is not only royals who have lain in state in Westminster Hall. The same honour was extended to former Prime Minister Winston Churchill following his death in 1965 and to the victims of the R101 airship disaster of 1930 .

From Wednesday, the Queen's closed coffin will rest on a raised platform, known as a catafalque, beneath the 11th Century hall's medieval timber roof.

Each corner of the platform will be guarded in a continuous vigil by soldiers that serve the Royal Household.

The coffin will be draped in the Royal Standard and once in Westminster Hall it will be topped with the Imperial State Crown, orb and sceptre.

The Queen's relationship with Buckingham Palace

The Queen's coffin is now at rest at Buckingham Palace.

The 775-room palace was her primary residence from the year of her coronation in 1953 until the beginning of the Covid pandemic in 2020.

But the late monarch is said to have held mixed feelings towards the grand home.

According to royal biographer Penny Junor in her book The Firm, the Queen had originally wanted to settle in Clarence House in London - where she had lived with her late husband Prince Philip after they were married in 1947.

But following her coronation in 1953, Sir Winston Churchill, the prime minister at the time, pushed for the couple to move to Buckingham Palace, according to Junor.

The Queen went onto live in Buckingham Palace's private quarters until 2020, when she made the move to Windsor Castle at the start of the pandemic.

The Queen's journey to lying in state

The Queen's coffin will travel from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on Wednesday afternoon, where she will lie in state for four days.

The King, his two sons Princes William and Harry, and other senior royals will walk behind the coffin.

Watch the route the procession will take below:

King Charles, William and Harry to accompany Queen's coffin to Parliament

The King will be joined by his sons Princes William and Harry in a procession accompanying the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Parliament on Wednesday.

The procession will leave the palace just after lunchtime and will arrive at Westminster Hall, where the Queen will lie in state for four days.

The King will also be joined by his siblings Prince Andrew, the Princess Royal, and the Earl of Wessex.

Peter Phillips, vice admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon will also walk behind the coffin.

Camilla, the Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex will travel to the hall by car.

A short service lasting around 20 minutes will be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied by the Dean of Westminster.

London prepares for mourners

Toby Luckhurst

Reporting in London

Authorities in London are preparing for huge numbers of people to pay their respects to the Queen as she lies in state in Westminster Hall for four days from Wednesday.

Dozens of people in hi-vis jackets lined the queueing route, snaking along the South Bank past St Thomas’ Hospital and across Lambeth Bridge to the Palace of Westminster.

Poorna was one of those working on the bridge. He arrived at 6am for a 13 hour shift. "There's a night shift too," he said. "It's going to be a long one."

On the north side of the river, rope lines are staked out in the grass of Victoria Tower Gardens, south of the Palace of Westminster. Forklifts drop off portable toilet blocks in the garden while security stand guard.

Police have arrived from across the country to help with the operation - with vans from the Lancashire Constabulary sitting just off Parliament Square.

Route released for queue to see Queen lying in state

The route for people queuing to see the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall in Parliament has been released by the government.

The line will start at Albert Embankment near Lambeth Bridge, and could stretch all the way to Southwark Park in south-east London.

Those queuing are asked not to attempt to save a place for someone else, or leave personal items unattended, or put up tents.

Once people reach the front of the queue, they will have to go through airport-style security before entering Parliament.

Get more details here .

What has happened today?

• An estimated 33,000 mourners paid their respects to the Queen at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, where she had been lying in rest since Monday
• The Queen's coffin was moved to Edinburgh in the afternoon, and was then flown to RAF Northolt in west London
• Princess Anne, who accompanied the coffin, released a statement saying she was "fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mother’s life"
• Thousands of people lined the streets between the RAF airbase and Buckingham Palace to catch sight of the Queen’s hearse
• Her coffin was met with cheers as it arrived at Buckingham Palace, where it was met by members of the Royal Family
• Earlier, King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, visited Belfast where the monarch met the Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, as well as other party and religious leaders.
• They then attended a prayer service before returning to London

Queen hosted footballers and royalty in room her coffin will rest in

The Queen's coffin will rest in Buckingham Palace's Bow Room tonight, where it will be watched over by a rota of chaplains.

The red-carpeted room in the west wing of the palace is named after the window that runs along its side.

The late Queen hosted various distinguished guests in the Bow Room, including former US president George Bush, Premier League footballers, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, and the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team.

In pictures: The Queen's journey to Buckingham Palace

Earlier today, the Queen's coffin was flown from Edinburgh to RAF Northolt in west London.

From there, with thousands of people lining almost every part of the route, her hearse made its way to the palace in central London.

Take a look:

King and Queen Consort leave Buckingham Palace

King Charles III and Queen Consort have left Buckingham Palace after witnessing the arrival of the Queen's hearse a short time ago.

Thousands witness Queen's final homecoming

Rajini Vaidyanathan

Reporting from Buckingham Palace

The sound of helicopters whirred above.

The crowd held their phones in the air, the rain continued to fall - and then she arrived.

As she made her final homecoming, some of the thousands who'd gathered outside Buckingham Palace wiped away tears, as Queen Elizabeth returned to her official residence one last time.

For the family, an evening of private mourning. For the many gathered here, a poignant chapter as the nation says goodbye.

Watch: Queen's hearse enters the gates of Buckingham Palace

This is the moment the Queen's coffin is greeted by huge crowds on its arrival at Buckingham Palace in central London.

Cheers and applause at Buckingham Palace

George Bowden

A huge cheer went up as the Queen’s hearse passed those waiting beside the palace.

After a previously sombre atmosphere came a respectful celebration of the late Queen.

Applause and shouts of “rest in peace” also met the cortège as it proceeded towards the Mall and round the Victoria Monument.

Shouts of "hip, hip, hooray!" were also heard.

Queen's hearse arrives at Buckingham Palace

The Queen's coffin has arrived at Buckingham Palace to cheers from the crowd.

Alongside King Charles III, the hearse is being received by Princes William and Harry and other members of the Royal Family.

Thousands of people lined the 14-mile route as the hearse travelled from RAF Northolt in west London.

Cortege approaches Buckingham Palace

The sound of a helicopter is providing the crowd outside the palace with a sign the Queen’s cortege is nearby.

The atmosphere remains muted and sombre.

Crowds await the Queen's coffin

After a flurry of royal arrivals, there’s just a smattering of chatter among the crowd assembled outside the palace.

Some people are streaming live footage of the Queen’s coffin as it is conveyed through west London.

Others speak about the Queen and members of her family they’ve seen arriving.

Meanwhile, media from all over the world are broadcasting nearby.

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HM Queen Elizabeth’s Coffin Begins Journey Home; Driven From Balmoral To Holyrood House In Edinburgh – watch

By Caroline Frost

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HM The Queen has left Balmoral for the final time, with the late monarch’s coffin this morning beginning the journey back to London, where the state funeral will take place on Monday September 19.

Queen Elizabeth II was being played out of Balmoral for the final time by the Piper to the Sovereign. A reef is placed on top of the coffin, made up of flowers from the Scottish estate. pic.twitter.com/KqjV4A0v9e — Royal Central (@RoyalCentral) September 11, 2022

Mourners lined the streets as the Queen’s coffin was driven out of the gates of Balmoral, the monarch’s much-loved Scottish highland home, on the way to Edinburgh, the Scottish capital where the coffin will remain until Tuesday. Then, it will be flown back to London, accompanied by the Queen’s daughter Princess Anne.

The coffin will be mounted on a catafalque in Westminster Hall in London, where thousands of mourners will be able to pay their respects over four days. 200,000 mourners queued up to pay their respects to HM The Queen Mother in the same place in 2002.

The Queen died on Thursday afternoon at Balmoral, with her son, now King Charles III and daughter Princess Anne at her bedside.

Her grandsons, William – now Prince of Wales – and Harry, Duke of Sussex, both accompanied by their wives, stepped out in public yesterday for the first time since the Queen’s death, greeting well-wishers and inspecting thousands of floral tributes left at Windsor Castle.

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‘Now we have her no longer’: the crowds on the Queen’s final journey

As the coffin made the short trip to Westminster Abbey before heading on to the palace then Windsor, many were determined to pay their respects

• Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II - live updates

A s the Queen’s coffin emerged from Westminster Hall just before eleven o’clock for the short, slow journey to her funeral service at Westminster Abbey, the thousands who had gathered at Parliament Square, on Whitehall, and along the Mall, gradually fell into silence. The companionable chatter stilled, some climbed to their feet from folded chairs. Some bowed their heads.

Many, even among those who had been there all night, were dressed in black, others wore a chestful of medals or a union jack waistcoat, or wrapped themselves in a flag. There were woolly beanies and black fascinators, selfie sticks and a few stepladders.

Each had come for his or her own reason: to express personal sadness at the Queen’s death, to represent absent family members who would have wanted to be there – or just to be part of a big day. Janine Cleere from Wiltshire had camped out all night on the Mall, sharing a single sleeping bag with two friends against the September chill in order to be “part of history”.

“She’s all we have ever known and now we have her no longer,” she said. “It’s very sad.”

For Christina Burrows, who had bagged a spot next to a bollard on Whitehall, it was important to come. “I’ve always seen her as a beacon. During lockdown, when she said ‘We’ll meet again’, that was wonderful. It gave me a lot of hope. I wanted to be here for her like she was for us.”

As she spoke, she sighed and clapped her hands to her face. “Oh God, I can’t believe it. There will never be another day like this in our lives.”

For some, the early start and long, long wait had taken its toll. Having left home in Northampton at 4am, passing some of the hours by counting the windows in Buckingham Palace, seven-year-old Esther Young dropped off on the lap of a family friend just as the long-awaited service began.

A million people had been expected to come to central London on Monday. Many tens of thousands had done so already in the strange days since she died, queueing for hours along the Southbank in a display of self-consciously British resilience of which the late monarch herself would surely have been proud.

Late on Sunday the queue was closed, and at 6.30am Chrissy Heerey, a serving member of the RAF from Melton Mowbray, became the very last member of the public to pass by the coffin in Westminster Hall. It was, she said, “one of the highlights of my life … I feel very privileged to be here”.

Outside, some were going to work or coming home from a bank holiday night out; others were preparing for a big day ahead. Outside Buckingham Palace those who had camped out for days were desperately trying to hold on to their spots in the front row. Cara Jennings, 52, from Minster in Kent was wrapped in a blanket after her fifth night camping by Green Park.

With her mobility scooter parked beside her pop up blue tent, she tried to guard her position at the front row of the railing on the Mall. “I just wanted to get a perfect spot to pay my respects to a lovely woman,” she said. Jennings said her grandmother and great-grandmother had worked for the queen as cleaners and that her five children thought it was “brilliant” that she’d made the pilgrimage.

Not everyone was there as an ardent royalist. Antonis Manvelides, 24, and Jess Nash, 24, had come to the Mall on their fourth date, walking from Nash’s flat in Pimlico at 4am to be there. “I forced him to come,” Nash, who works for a tech startup, said. “We just wanted to see and be with the UK and be part of the atmosphere.”

But there was no doubting that for many others it was a moment of genuine and deep emotion. The mood was quiet, broken by the occasional cheer as the police officers on the Mall, trying to entertain the crowds, rode their horses up to the barriers.

Amrit Nagy and her mother, Meena, had woken at 5.30am to travel to London from East Ham, the younger woman clutching a candle which she had designed and which she hoped to leave near Buckingham Palace.

They had also attended the funeral of the Queen Mother and the now Prince and Princess of Wales’s royal wedding. Compared with that event, said Amrit, “It’s not as loud, and everyone is more respectful. She appreciated the Queen as “the grandmother of the nation”, she said.

Sarah Merrick had left home in Hampshire early in the morning to secure a spot for her best friend, their children, and their camping chairs. A veteran of the big occasions, Merrick also camped out for the Princess Royal’s wedding in 1972, the Jubilee in 1977, and again for Charles and Diana’s wedding in 1981.

She would have slept overnight again for the funeral, but was unable to because of her foster carer responsibilities – she’s planning to make up for it at the King’s coronation, when she will sleep out for two nights, she insisted.

The royals, she said, “offer a lot to this country. I have so much respect. The Queen has been there all my life – it’s weird referring to the King now.” As for the crowd, “People are mostly kind, but there’s a bit of pushing and shoving.”

On Whitehall, too, there was a little anxiety about securing a good viewpoint. “The difficulty is you always think there might be a better view 100 metres away,” said Robert Madeley, who along with his friend Christopher Clowes had come from Leicestershire in full morning dress – “it’s what she would have wanted” – with a box of flapjacks in hand.

Parents lifted their children above the throng of crowds to catch a glimpse, while others sought to keep their tired offspring entertained with iPads and games of Top Trumps. One youngster in need of the toilet asked anxiously: “We’re not going to lose our place, are we Daddy?”

The funeral demanded the largest security operation ever seen in London, and careful marshalling of the crowds. With so many world leaders attending, police had over the weekend gradually extended a secure cordon around Westminster Abbey, meaning the nearest members of the public were several hundred metres away. It meant that the delicate choreography of the arrival of the Queen’s coffin and its slow passage into the abbey was watched only by the cameras, and a handful of media on a temporary wooden stand.

While the service was broadcast on speakers along the route, moving some to tears, others resumed chatting among each other during the service. As the congregation at its close sang the national anthem, the crowds on the Mall joined in – many, notably, singing God Save the Queen, doubtless for the last time.

Marion King had been in high spirits in the morning, celebrating her 59th birthday by camping out with her sister since Saturday. During the service, however, she “cried buckets”. “We were emotional when the children went past in the cars on the way to Westminster and when we listened to the service over the speakers.

“There was not a sound in the two minutes’ silence, you could hear a pin drop over here.”

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As the service ended, the crowd outside Buckingham Palace stayed almost silent, waiting for the procession to arrive and speaking only in hushed whispers, while gulls could be heard overhead.

For some of the youngest members of the crowd, however, it had been a very long wait. Several families used the children perched on their shoulders as look-outs for the anticipated moment when the coffin would pass and exchanging tips on how best to spot it. Others with strong enough internet signal followed the TV coverage on their smartphones.

As the gun carriage finally passed, with the King and other family members behind, there was a crush to the barriers, as people stood on chairs and held cameraphones high to capture the moment.

Others were overcome by the emotion of the day. “I can’t speak without crying,” said Paul Denham from Westbury in Wiltshire, who had watched the procession with his wife, Diana. “I am 62 and she’s been there for my whole life, and now she isn’t.”

Diana had struggled to get through “God Save the King,” she said. “My mum died 18 months ago and the Queen reminded me of my mum. They had what we thought were similar smiles.”

After a final, brief ceremony away from the public gaze at Wellington arch, the coffin was lifted from the gun carriage and placed in the state hearse for its final journey to Windsor.

Long after it had departed and the world’s leaders had been transported away in coaches in the manner of a very high-end school trip, 91-year-old Anne van Drimmelen was sitting contentedly in a chair by the front of the Parliament Square barriers, waiting for the crowds to clear.

Having attended the Queen’s coronation and the funeral of her father, George VI, van Drimmelen decided several days ago to travel from her village of Flore in Northamptonshire. “It was something I just wanted to see.”

She had been guarded during her two-day stay by a neighbour from home, Sharon Mayne (“We heard she was going and thought, she can’t go alone”) along with others she met in the queue, while police officers brought the elderly woman cups of tea.

Was the long wait worth it?

“When the gun carriage came out from parliament everyone suddenly went silent,” said Mayne. “You could hear a pin drop. It was a magical experience.”

In Windsor, meanwhile, dense crowds had gathered in the Great Park to witness what the BBC commentator Huw Edwards had referred to several times as the Queen’s journey “home”, to Windsor Castle.

It had been a long wait for many, but as the hearse, led by the Household Cavalry and escorted by members of the Grenadier Guards, turned into the historic, long parade that leads up to the castle, the crowd fell silent. Some applauded, while a great many others filmed the procession, the crowd so dense that many at the back could glimpse the procession only by lifting their phones high on selfie sticks. On its bonnet and roof were flowers that had been thrown by members of the public as it passed.

Jay Gallagher, 47, had travelled from Kettering, Northamptonshire, with his partner and son. Having served for six years as an infanteer in the Royal Anglians 2nd regiment, he referred to the Queen as his “boss”. “She was someone who I have always looked up to,” he said. “I served for her.”

Tep Crowder, 57, from the nearby village of Holyport, said he came to Windsor to see the Queen “for the last time”.

“The values she held make us who we are, she made us Britain,” he said. “She gave us a special place in the world. She showed us how to behave.” Without the Queen, Crowder said, there was a “sense of instability”, adding King Charles had “big shoes to fill”.

For Kirsty Jones, seeing the last part of the public journey had “really felt final”.

Clad with union flags and a toy Paddington bear, she had stayed overnight in a nearby hotel with her husband and their children, Amelia, 11, Hadley, nine, and Hattie, seven, after paying their respects in their home town of Sandringham, Norfolk.

“You do see more when you watch it on the television from home, but I wanted the children to actually be part of it and feel the sadness and the grief that everyone is feeling,” she said.

Her husband added: “It’s about making memories – somebody said on the television this morning that it marks the end of the postwar era – and it does feel like the end of an era.”

As the coffin passed beyond the crowds for the final time and into the grounds of the castle for her private committal service, it was greeted by the Queen’s favourite horse, Emma, while two of her corgis, Sandy and Muick, awaited her arrival at the chapel steps. First, though, it passed through a carpet of flowers, some of the many thousands of bunches that had been left by her subjects as a final mark of affection and respect from them to a cherished and remarkable Queen.

Reporting by: Esther Addley, Aubrey Allegretti, Archie Bland, Emily Dugan, Jamie Grierson, Rachel Hall, Ben Quinn, Emine Sinmaz, Peter Walker

• Queen Elizabeth II

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In pictures: The Queen's journey back to Buckingham Palace

Thursday 15 September 2022 09:47, UK

The Queen's coffin has arrived at Buckingham Palace ahead of lying in state from Wednesday evening.

She was taken from St Giles' Cathedral to Edinburgh Airport before being flown back to London, with the national anthem playing as the aircraft taxied.

Princess Anne accompanied her mother's body, and the prime minister was among those waiting when it landed at a rainy RAF Northolt on the outskirts of west London.

Thousands lined the route as her coffin was driven along the A40 towards the centre of the city.

There were cheers as the hearse pulled in to Buckingham Palace, where it will rest overnight.

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