King Charles III led his three siblings through Edinburgh in a solemn procession of Queen Elizabeth II’s body on Monday before the public got their first chance to pass the late monarch’s coffin.
Crowds of people packed the Scottish capital’s famous Royal Mile watched in near silence as the new monarch – accompanied by Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Andrew – walked slowly behind her mother’s oak casket. .
Accompanied by mutilated soldiers, the late queen was escorted from her royal residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse where she rested overnight to the 12th-century St Giles’ Cathedral for a prayer service.
The cathedral’s doors were then thrown open to tens of thousands of well-wishers waiting to bid their final farewell to the monarch known as the “Queen of Scots”.
The king and his brothers and sisters also returned for a ceremony – known as the “watch of the princes” – in which they stood at the four corners of the casket.
Public mourners have until Tuesday afternoon to view the coffin in Edinburgh before it is flown back to London ahead of a state funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 19.
The huge turnout for the Queen in Edinburgh is a taste of the crowds expected in London when the late monarch lies in state at Westminster Hall for four days from Wednesday.
Fiona Miller, 45, said she wanted to bring her granddaughter Poppy to witness the latest in the historic 11-day mourning process after Britain’s longest-reigning monarch died last week aged 96.
“It just felt like it had to be done, a piece of history that I don’t think we’ll see again in Scotland,” he told AFP in the Scottish capital on Monday.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – who is pushing for independence – offered her nation’s “sincere condolences” to Charles at a special session of parliament in Edinburgh.
“This is a time of deep sorrow for people across our country. The nation’s grief is for our Queen. The Royal Family is for her beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother,” he said.
‘Guiding Compass’
Britain is reeling from the death of Elizabeth II, who has been at the center of the nation’s life and consciousness for seven decades.
But against the backdrop of the global spotlight is a very personal tragedy for the royal family.
Prince Andrew, unlike his siblings, did not wear his military uniform for the procession after withdrawing from public life following a scandal over his relationship with American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
But her presence represented a show of unity, as Charles’ warring sons William and Harry jointly presented at the weekend surveying the flowers and cards left outside Windsor Castle.
Harry, the youngest, who stepped down from royal duties in 2020 and moved to the United States, paid tribute to his grandmother on Monday, calling her his “guiding compass”.
“You are already greatly missed,” the 37-year-old said in his first statement since his death, adding that he and his American wife Meghan Markle “now honor my father in his new role.” are”.
While the government said organizations do not need to cancel events, everything from strikes to football matches have been postponed in honor of the sovereign British people.
Flowers, cards and candles have been left at royal residences across the country, where crowds have gathered to say goodbye to the late queen and welcome their new king.
Many were abandoned by tourists and well-wishers from abroad.
“We’ve known her face all our lives,” said Aurelie Mortet, a 46-year-old French woman at London’s Columbia Road flower market, which has seen a huge increase in demand.
But Royal Parks – which oversees Green Park where tributes are being taken from the palace – asked visitors on Monday not to bring any more soft toys after Paddington was flooded.
Weight of History
Around 750,000 people are expected to queue for the chance to see the Queen’s casket and the first people got in line on Monday – 48 hours before it was officially opened.
Around 500 world leaders and heads of state, including US President Joe Biden, are expected to attend the Queen’s funeral in London, along with unprecedented numbers.
Decades in the planning, the Queen’s posthumous event is full of pomp and circumstance.
Earlier, Charles and his queen consort, Camilla, sat on gold thrones in London’s 900-year-old Westminster Hall to receive formal condolences from Britain’s parliament.
“I cannot help but feel the weight of history that surrounds us,” the king replied to the assembled Lords and MPs, exemplifying the “selfless duty” set by his “honorable late mother”. “Pledged to follow.
The monarch is a largely ceremonial figure in Britain but retains constitutional powers, from officially appointing governments to approving legislation and meeting weekly with prime ministers.
“Parliament is the living and breathing instrument of our democracy,” said Charles.
As he takes on the “heavy responsibilities” of the kingdom, he will also make his first visit as monarch to Northern Ireland and Wales this week in a show of national unity.
Although he is expected to be greeted by large crowds in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, the trip to the deeply divided region, which has been plagued by sectarian violence, could be a test.
Charles will meet Belfast’s divisive political leaders – divided between staunchly loyal Unionists and nationalists who want reunification with Ireland – before attending an Anglican religious service in the city.
The President, Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary of Ireland are also scheduled to attend.
Queen of the world
Charles has seen a resurgence in popularity since the death of his ex-wife Diana in a 1997 car accident. But he has been embroiled in several scandals in recent years.
He takes the throne at a moment of deep concern in Britain over the rising cost of living and international instability caused by the war in Ukraine.
With republican movements gaining momentum from Australia to the Bahamas, the new monarch also faces the challenge of keeping Commonwealth realms within the realm of the monarchy.
In Barbados, which severed ties with the British Crown last year after nearly four centuries, there were mixed reactions to his death.
“It’s sad in a sense because we’ve lost a page of history,” said retired Bridgetown resident Alfred McClain.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, a British colony for more than 150 years until it was returned to China in 1997, crowds gathered in sweltering heat to pay their respects.
Emily Ng, 30, held a painted portrait of the Queen, describing how her grandmother used to tell her stories about the royal family.
“So I felt very connected to the royal family and I would like to maintain that connection even after the handover,” she told AFP.
