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QUEEN ELIZABETH II has returned to Buckingham Palace in London and her family, who turned out to witness the arrival of her coffin at the royal residence.
Standing at the grand entrance, King Charles III and the Queen Consort were surrounded by the late monarch’s children and grandchildren and their partners, including the Prince and Princess of Wales and Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The coffin will lie at rest in the palace’s bow room tonight before the public can pay their respects when the queen lies in state at the ancient Westminster Hall for four days.
Princess Anne, who has travelled with the queen on her journey from Balmoral to London via Edinburgh alongside husband Tim Laurence, issued a moving tribute to her mother after the military plane carrying her coffin arrived at London’s RAF Northolt.
Anne said she was “fortunate” to be able to share “the last 24 hours of my dearest mother’s life” in a statement, adding: “It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys.
“Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting.
“We will all share unique memories. I offer my thanks to each and every one who share our sense of loss.”
The queen’s coffin was this evening transported in a new state hearse designed by Jaguar Land Rover and the Royal Household, with the late monarch consulted on the plans, said Buckingham Palace.
As it travelled, sections of busy roads like the A40 came to a stop with drivers stood by the central reservation watching while the public lined the pavements.
On the steps of the grand entrance to Buckingham Palace, Charles and Camilla were joined by William, Kate, Meghan and Harry along with the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children Lady Louise and Viscount Severn, the Duke of York and his daughters Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank and Princess Beatrice and her spouse Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
Lady Sarah Chatto and Earl Snowdon, the children of Princess Margaret, the queen’s sister, were among the group to pay their respects to their aunt.
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This is going on longer than the Gareth Brooks saga in 2014
@James Beattie: not even half way through either
@James Beattie: looking forward to seeing your comments against every single article about her.
@Paul Furey: take a chill pill paul and find yourself a sense of humour.
@Paul Furey: I commented on one other article about her death with the letters ‘RIP’ . That was it. Now unless you can prove otherwise, I would suggest you refrain from making comments on things you know nothing about, trying to make yourself look smart when in fact it had quite the opposite effect.
Queen’s speech 2017, she wore a dress clearly in EU blue and a matching hat with gold specks that were hard to interpret as anything other than the stars on the EU flag.
That was a clear message to her govt – which they ignored. But I haven’t forgotten that rather daring choice of outfit. Nor her shaking Martin McGuinness’ hand. I think she tried where she could. I’ve no idea what precisely she did for the peace process but that handshake was meaningful so it must’ve been something. I doubt she liked what happened between our countries post-Brexit nor that she could help it much.
As for Charles, it’ll be much harder for him to have any similar sort of influence. The tabloids would be all ovrr him if he wore a gold-speckled blue tie. Good luck to him, and RIP QE2.
@Mick Tobin: well written mick our 2 countries need to move forward not backwards she seemed in later years to at least try to put things right
All I could see in the crowds was people filming the hearse driving by. Every single person in the picture was holding their phone to get a picture of the coffin. Bizarre world we live in now
@clairebear: i wasn’t me battery died.
@Paul Gorry: Oh Paul, my condolences on your loss. Rip to your battery. ;)
@Aidan Nugent: appreciated Aidan thank you.
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