Queen’s coffin arrives in Edinburgh from beloved Balmoral mansion

The attendance from Balmoral is the first in a series of events leading up to a state funeral at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19th.

Her death drew tears, grief and warm tributes from around the world, as well as from the Queen’s own close family and many in Britain.

As the hearse arrived in the small village of Ballater near Balmoral, hundreds of people stood quietly by the road in the bright morning sun and threw flowers onto the road as the hearse passed.

Born on the day the Queen was crowned in 1953, 69-year-old Elizabeth Alexander said: “It’s like part of the family. We’re overwhelmed that she won’t be with us. It’s heartbreaking.”

Nicola Gibson tearfully told Reuters: “We traveled quite a distance to be here today, but it’s really important to pay homage to her as she passed Ballater. “I think I just have a lot of emotions, like everyone else.”

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The procession traveled from remote castles through picturesque countryside, villages and small towns to the Scottish capital.

After entering the gates of Holyrood House, members of the Royal Scottish Regiment carried the coffin past Princess Anne and into the throne room. remain.

The Queen had been a regular visitor to the palace since childhood. When she inherited the throne after the death of her father George VI on February 6, 1952, she became her official residence in Scotland.

It is now the official residence of Charles, who became king shortly after his mother’s death. He was proclaimed monarch in a ceremony steeped in centuries of tradition at St James’s Palace in London on Saturday.

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Similar declarations follow in the UK and 14 other territories where Charles is now head of state, including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said parliament will be recalled on Thursday so members can pay their respects.

Elizabeth’s death wasn’t entirely unexpected given her age, but given the fact that she was in declining health, and the death of her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, last year, This news still came as a shock.

“We all thought she was invincible,” her grandson, Prince William, now heir to the throne, told the favorable crowd when he met a crowd at Windsor Castle on Saturday. Told.

Elizabeth’s funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19th, which will be a public holiday in the United Kingdom, authorities have announced. US President Joe Biden said he would attend, but details of the event and who will be attending have yet to be announced.

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

In 2002, more than 200,000 people lined up to pay their respects to Elizabeth’s mother while her coffin was laid.

A spokeswoman for British Prime Minister Liz Truss told reporters: “It goes without saying that a large number of people are expected to come.”