Edinburgh, Scotland –
As Queen Elizabeth II’s four children walked silently behind, a hearse carried her flag-draped coffin Monday down a crowded street in the Scottish capital to a cathedral, where a service of thanksgiving greeted the late monarch as a “constant in all of our lives for more than 70 years”.
Four days after the 96-year-old queen died at Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands, a military bagpiper played as her oak coffin, draped in the red and yellow Royal Banner of Scotland, was carried from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. in solemn procession.
King Charles III, dressed in military uniform, and his siblings Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walked behind as the hearse traveled to St. Giles Cathedral, flanked by a group of bearers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland and a detachment from the Royal Company of Archers, the king’s ceremonial bodyguard in Scotland.
Inside the church, the coffin was placed on a wooden stand and crowned with the gold crown of Scotland, encrusted with 22 gems and 20 precious stones along with freshwater pearls from the rivers of Scotland.
“And so we come together, to bid Scotland farewell to our late monarch, whose life of service to nation and world we celebrate. And whose love for Scotland was legendary,” said the Rev. Calum MacLeod.
With the queen dying at her Balmoral summer home, Scotland has been the center of world attention for the first part of Britain’s 10 days of national mourning. Large crowds lined the route as her coffin traveled from the castle to Edinburgh, underscoring the deep bond between the queen and Scotland. That link persisted even as relations between the UK’s Conservative government in London and the pro-independence Scottish administration in Edinburgh soured.
Church of Scotland moderator Iain Greenshields said “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 of our lives for more than 70 years,” she said. “She was determined to see her work as a form of service to others.”
The coffin will remain in the cathedral until Tuesday so the public can pay their respects. Thousands lined the 0.7-mile (1 kilometer) route between the palace and the cathedral, with some arriving hours earlier to catch a glimpse of the coffin.
“I just wanted to be here, just to pay my last respects. I can’t believe she’s dead,” said Marilyn Mclear, a 70-year-old retired teacher. “I know she was 96, but I can’t believe the queen is dead.”
One man yelled at the passing hearse, while others yelled, “God save the king!” But the procession was greeted mostly with respectful silence under a cloud-flecked blue sky.
After the service, many mourners passing the coffin in Edinburgh paused briefly and bowed their heads before continuing.
Charles, Anne, and Edward were wearing military uniforms, but Andrew was not. The Royal Navy veteran was stripped of his honorary military titles and removed as a royal because of his friendship with notorious American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Charles later donned a kilt when he visited the Scottish Parliament, where he was greeted by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
“The queen, like so many generations of our family before her, found in the hills of this land and in the hearts of her people a refuge and a home,” Charles told Scottish lawmakers.
Previously, the queen’s grandson, Prince Harry, hailed 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 night before the queen’s funeral. The “moment of reflection” will take place at 8:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. GMT, 3:00 p.m. EDT).
Before flying to Scotland, Charles received condolences in Parliament on Monday, telling lawmakers he would follow his late mother’s example of “selfless duty”.
Hundreds of lawmakers packed the 1,000-year-old Westminster Hall for the pompous service, in which Parliament offered its condolences to the king. A fanfare of trumpets greeted him and Camilla, the queen consort.
Charles told the House of Commons and the House of Lords that he would follow his late mother in upholding “the precious principles of constitutional government” that underpin the UK political system.
“As I stand before you today, I cannot help but feel the weight of history, surrounding us and reminding us of the vital parliamentary traditions to which members of both Houses dedicate themselves, with such personal commitment, to the betterment of us all. .” Charles said.
The ceremony was held in Westminster Hall because monarchs are not allowed to enter the House of Commons. That rule dates back to the 17th century, when King Charles I tried to break in and arrest lawmakers. That confrontation led to a civil war that ended with the king’s beheading in 1649.
In a personal tribute to his grandmother, Prince Harry said he cherished their times together “from my earliest childhood memories with you, to first meeting you as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my dear wife and He hugged his beloved great-grandchildren.”
Amid acrimony at the House of Windsor, Harry resigned as a royal and moved to the United States two years ago. On Saturday, there was a possible sign of reconciliation when Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, joined their brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales, to meet mourners outside the castle. of Windsor.
Harry’s statement ended on a poignant note, alluding to the death of his grandfather, Prince Philip, last year: “We smile too, knowing that you and Grandpa are reunited now and together in peace.”
The queen’s coffin will fly to London on Tuesday, where it will remain in the Houses of Parliament from Wednesday afternoon until the morning of her funeral on September 19. US President Joe Biden is among those planning to attend the service at Westminster Abbey. , along with heads of state and royalty from around the world.
Authorities have already issued rules for people who wish to pay their respects in London.
Vanessa Nathakumaran showed up more than two days early to reserve a spot, hoping to be first in line. “I really, really want to be a part of this,” she said.
Judging by the size of the crowd in Edinburgh, the queue behind Nathakumaran will be long.
Rosamund Allen, 67, came to Edinburgh from Rothbury in the north of England to be a part of history.
“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 get something out of today and get a chance to grieve for themselves.”
“They were very kind to allow us to be a part of their sadness.”
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Corder and Lawless reported from London.