King Charles and his sons comply with coffin for queen's final journey from palace | World News

King Charles, his sons Princes William and Harry and different senior royals joined a solemn procession to take Queen Elizabeth's coffin from Buckingham Palace to parliament on Wednesday as artillery weapons fired salutes and Huge Ben tolled.

Big crowds gathered in central London to witness the newest in a sequence of poignant ceremonies because the nation mourns the monarch who died final week aged 96 after seven many years on the throne.

Mendacity on a gun carriage, lined by the Royal Commonplace flag and with the Imperial State Crown positioned on a cushion on high alongside a wreath of flowers, the coffin bearing Elizabeth's physique started a sluggish, sombre procession from her palace residence to Westminster Corridor, the place it would lie in state for 4 days.

Strolling immediately behind have been Charles and his siblings, Anne, Andrew and Edward.

In a bunch following them have been Charles's sons Princes William and Harry, a doleful scene paying homage to when, as boys 25 years in the past, they adopted the casket of their mom Princess Diana when it was taken on an identical procession by central London.

It was additionally a symbolic present of unity as William, 40, now the Prince of Wales, and Harry, 37, the Duke of Sussex, are actually mentioned to be barely be on talking phrases after a bitter falling out within the final couple of years.

"We're seeing one thing very unhappy however very particular," mentioned Charlie Cooper, 51, who got here down by coach from Liverpool, northern England, to look at. "It is a part of my historical past, and tens of millions of others all over the world."

Because the cortege moved slowly by central London, the place quite a few roads have been closed to site visitors, weapons started firing each minute at Hyde Park, whereas parliament's well-known Huge Ben bell additionally rang at 60-second intervals.

Different senior royals together with Charles' spouse Camilla, now the Queen Consort, Kate, William's spouse and now Princess of Wales, and Harry's spouse, Meghan, travelled by automotive.

When the procession reaches Westminster Corridor, a medieval constructing with origins courting again to 1097 and the oldest a part of the Palace of Westminster that homes the British parliament, the coffin can be carried inside by troopers from the Grenadier Guards and positioned on a catafalque.

There can be a brief service performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the non secular head of the Anglican Church. 4 days of mendacity in state will then start till the funeral on Sept. 19

"I really feel very privileged and honoured really to see the queen's ultimate passing from her residence," mentioned Caroline Clark, 56, who had travelled up from her residence in southwest England to look at. "It means rather a lot to have the ability to pay my respects."

LONG QUEUE

Folks began ready in line late on Tuesday, sleeping on the road within the rain, to be one of many first to file previous the coffin, and already a queue a couple of mile lengthy has sprung up.

"We did not even give it some thought," mentioned Glyn Norris, 63, including a little bit of rain wouldn't deter her. "That was my queen."

Amongst these gathered, some have been there to symbolize aged mother and father, others to witness historical past and lots of to thank a lady who, having ascended the throne in 1952, was nonetheless holding official authorities conferences simply two days earlier than she died.

The federal government has warned the queue may stretch for as much as 10 miles (16 kilometres) alongside the southern financial institution of the River Thames, winding previous landmarks comparable to the large London Eye ferris wheel and a reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe theatre.

Tradition Secretary Michelle Donelan mentioned some individuals may need to face in line for so long as 30 hours as a way to file previous the coffin earlier than Monday's funeral.

"She's an icon of icons," mourner Chris Imafidon mentioned. "I need to a minimum of endure this tenting out of respect."

Talking to individuals within the queue, the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, quipped: "We're honouring two nice British traditions, loving the queen and loving a queue."

Elizabeth's coffin was flown again London late on Tuesday from Scotland, the place it had been since her loss of life at her Scottish summer season vacation residence Balmoral Fortress, with tens of 1000's of individuals lined the 14-mile (22 km) route in driving rain.

In Scotland, about 33,000 individuals filed previous the coffin through the 24 hours it was at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, however the memorial in London is a a lot bigger event.

As many as 750,000 mourners are anticipated to stroll by Westminster Corridor to pay their ultimate respects.

A senior palace official described Wednesday's poignant pageant as comparatively small and private. The complete-scale ceremonial procession on the day of her funeral is prone to be one of many greatest the nation has ever witnessed.

"She's given 70 years of her life to us. I am positive I may give 24 hours of mine," mentioned Mark Bonser, 59, who travelled from his residence in Doncaster, northern England, to affix the queue to see her coffin.

"She's all people's second mom, all people's grandma. She's the one particular person we have identified (as) our monarch."