Queen Elizabeth II’s procession arrives in front of crowds in Edinburgh

Queen Elizabeth II’s procession arrived in Edinburgh after a six-hour journey from Balmoral.

As the hearse traveled from Aberdeenshire to Holyrood Palace, mourners lined the streets, where her coffin rested overnight.

The polite silence was broken by those waiting for the procession to pass before polite applause and cheers broke out.

Thousands of people gathered across England to hear King Charles III’s proclamation.

He will travel to Scotland on Monday and will be joined by members of the royal family to accompany his mother’s coffin to the cathedral of the Scottish city.

The Queen’s guests left their Balmoral home at about 10:00 am and traveled through Aberdeen and Dundee, through other villages and towns, to Edinburgh.

Her coffin was laid in Edinburgh’s St Giles Cathedral on Monday before heading to London before her funeral on Monday 19 September.

In Ballater, Aberdeenshire, near Balmoral, mourners threw flowers onto the road in front of the line.

Down the road of Aboyne, pipes silently covered the village, a procession passed, and a voice said, “You are on your way now.”

A pallbearer carries the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, covered with the Royal Scottish Standard, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, 11 September 2022
Photo: AFPMore

About six hours later, as we passed through Edinburgh city centre, silence fell before applause broke out from the crowd that had gathered there.

Hundreds of people lined up Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and solemnly waited to pay their respects.

Princess Royal, Princess Anne, accompanied by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence, traveled the 175-mile journey in the second car in the line.

She bowed as her mother’s coffin was brought to Holyrood House, the monarch’s official residence in Scotland.

From left, Lieutenant General Timothy Lawrence, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, Princess Sophie and Prince Edward await the arrival of the hearse carrying the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh.
Photo: AFPMore

The Duke of York and the Duke and Duchess of Wessex, who were there to receive the coffin, also bowed and bowed, respectively, along with the palace staff.

The country is in a period of national mourning until after the Queen’s funeral next Monday.

A series of constitutional and ceremonial events will take place over the next few days after she died on Thursday at the age of 96.

At the beginning of the journey, the six gamekeepers of the Balmoral mansion loaded the Queen’s oak coffin into a hearse and finally left Balmoral, the beloved Scottish estate.

While waiting for the hearse carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin to pass through Ballater, members of the public gather by the makeshift memorial to pay their respects.
Photo: AFPMore

The wreath on the coffin featured some of the Queen’s favorite flowers. These include white heather, dahlias, sweet peas, phlox, and pine fir, all cut from the grounds.

When the procession reached Ballater, Aberdeenshire, the closest city to Balmoral, flowers were thrown into the road by mourners, many of whom consider the Queen and the Royal Family to be neighbors.

The coffin is continuously guarded 24 hours a day at St Giles’ Cathedral, where the public can pay their respects.

In the evening services are held in the cathedral.

The next day, Princess Anne accompanies her mother’s coffin as she flies back to Buckingham Palace from Edinburgh Airport via RAF Northolt in north-west London.

Meanwhile, in Windsor, thousands gathered in town to pay their respects to the Queen.

The road was closed as flowers and cards continued to be left outside the city gates.

Thousands more flowers were also laid in Green Park near Buckingham Palace in her memory.

Thousands of flowers were laid in her memory in Green Park near Buckingham Palace.
Photo: AFP / Sebastian Bozon

Hundreds of supporters cheered as the King traveled from nearby Clarence House to Buckingham Palace for an audience with Commonwealth representatives.

There he met with the Commonwealth Secretary General Baroness Scotland, who officially represents the 56 national associations with historical ties to Britain.

The King then hosted a reception for High Commissioners (ambassadors) from the 14 Commonwealth Kingdoms of which he is also Head of State, before meeting with the Dean of Windsor.

On Monday afternoon local time, the coffin will be transported from Holyrood House to St Giles Cathedral, accompanied by the King and other members of the royal family. The coffin is under constant surveillance of her 24 hours a day so the public can pay their respects.

In the evening services are held in the cathedral.

The next day, Princess Anne accompanies her mother’s coffin back to Buckingham Palace from Edinburgh Airport via RAF Northolt.

Elizabeth’s state funeral will be held on September 19, a British holiday, at Westminster Abbey in London, authorities have announced.

Before that, her coffin was flown to London and then moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where it will rest for four days.

-BBC/Reuters