Princess Anne dropped a curtsy to Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin, as it was carried into the Palace of Holyroodhouse after a crowd-lined final journey from Balmoral.
Thousands of mourners lined streets in Scottish towns and cities throughout Sunday, as the cortege made the six-hour trip from the Queen’s favourite Highland retreat to Edinburgh.
A seven-car cortege carrying the oak casket, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, left Balmoral Castle at 10.07am before the poignant curtsy and a guard of honour welcomed it to Holyroodhouse, where her late Majesty had stayed only weeks before.
The hearse’s convoy included the Princess Royal, the Queen’s daughter, her husband Admiral Sir Tim Laurence the minister of Crathie Kirk and a representative of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office.
We will be resuming our live updates in the morning, but until then here is a summary of Sunday’s events as Britain’s national mourning continues.
Mourners face a small chance of waiting in the rain to see the Queen’s coffin.
People in Edinburgh will be able to view the coffin at St Giles’ cathedral from 5pm on Monday, where it will remain for around 24 hours until it is taken by RAF plane to London.
The Queen will lie in state for four days in Westminster Hall, arriving there in the afternoon of September 14, with thousands expected to face lengthy waits.
The Met Office said there would be "some patchy, light rain" for those in Edinburgh visiting the coffin on Monday, but this would clear up in the afternoon.
London will face "thundery showers" on Tuesday evening, but drier weather from Wednesday until the funeral, Met Office forecasters added.
This is the moving moment a security guard teamed up with a Cambridge University organist for an impromptu opera tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in a central London railway station.
Tourists flocking to London Bridge station to join the national mourning were stunned by the “lovely” moment on Sunday afternoon and formed a crowd to listen.
Anna Lapwood, the director of music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, said she “sponteneously stopped off” to play the station’s public organ.
But after playing several songs for the late monarch, who died aged 96 on Thursday, a station security guard asked the organist if she could play Lascia ch’io pianga.
Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral will take place at 11am on Monday, September 19, Buckingham Palace has announced. It will be a public bank holiday.
Details of the late Queen’s final journey from Balmoral to Windsor, and when members of the public can pay their respects, have been released by The Earl Marshal, Duke of Norfolk, who is coordinating the arrangements for the funeral.
After Sunday’s six-hour cortege from Balmoral to Edinburgh, here’s what happens next.
Read more on all the fine details here.
The Duke of Sussex has said Windsor Castle is a "lonely" place without his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
He and his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, were reunited in sorrow with the Prince and Princess of Wales as they talked to mourners on Saturday.
The Prince of Wales asked his brother and his wife to join him and the Princess of Wales for the walkabout, the first time the "fab four" have been seen together since early 2020.
During the surprise walkabout, the Duke of Sussex told mourners in Windsor that the castle was "a lonely place up there now without her".
US president Joe Biden has formally accepted an invitation to attend the state funeral service for the Queen.
The White House said that the President will be accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden.
Joe Biden faces a dilemma over whether to invite Donald Trump to join him in attending Queen Elizabeth’s funeral next Monday, our US correspondent David Millward writes.
The president has confirmed that he will cross the Atlantic to join other foreign dignitaries in paying their respects to the late monarch, but Mr Trump’s attendance is in his successor’s hands.
“I don’t know what the details are yet, but I will be going,” Mr Biden confirmed on Friday.
Buckingham Palace has instructed individual countries to decide who will represent them at the state funeral, according to CNN.
The logistics of inviting Mr Trump to join him in crossing the Atlantic on Air Force One could prove problematic for Mr Biden, given that his predecessor still refuses to accept the result of the 2020 election.
The atmosphere by Buckingham Palace and London’s Mall has grown increasingly upbeat and celebratory throughout the day, as well-wishers celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.
Chatter and laughter rippled through the crowds lining the road for a glimpse of the King, who departed the palace shortly after a day of meetings.
With London transport hubs seeing an influx of tourists, jubilant crowds at the palace gates have begun cheering every passing vehicle.
Applause and shouts of “wooo” greeted trucks crrying Portaloos on the Mall, while cheers also followed dozens of people wearing black suits, thought to be Army personnel, as they were led through the palace gates.
Ukrainian refugee Daria Oskolkova said she turned out to see “the Queen off on her final journey” as her coffin made its way along the Royal Mile.
“It was very emotional to be here,” said the 38-year-old who now lives in Glasgow.
Adriana Vraghici, from Edinburgh, described the event as a “monumental day”.
“The Queen has been part of our lives for so long, it’s just nice to be so close, seeing the coffin, because she has been such an important part of our lives,” said the 25-year-old, who added: “She has served the country in such an amazing way”.
Pipe Major Scott Methven, who was the Queen’s Piper until 2019, has recalled the “banter” he had with the “easy-going and funny” monarch during his four-year tenure.
The professional bagpiper recalled accidentally calling the Queen Your Royal Highness in Windsor during the Royal Ascot week.
“She never missed a beat. She just looked to the right. I said ‘I do beg your pardon, good afternoon Your Majesty’ and she grabbed me by the arm and said ‘Pipes, it has been 60 years since somebody called me Your Royal Highness and I quite liked it’," he told PA news agency.
"It was brilliant and she was laughing."
Mr Methven added: "The first time when I was appointed, she turned around and said to me ‘Look, the only reason you got this job is because you’re the same height as me’ and then she just walked away."
Joe Biden has paid tribute to the late Queen as he remembered the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the US.
He recalled the powerful message Queen Elizabeth II sent to him in the aftermath of the disaster in 2001.
“Grief is the price we pay for love,” she told him.
Quoting this message on the 21st anniversary of the attacks on Sunday, Mr Biden added: "Many of us have experienced that grief, and you’ve all experienced it.
"And on this day, when the price feels so great, Jill and I are holding all of you close to our hearts."
When senior members of the Royal family inspected floral tributes at Balmoral, it was clear from their expressions of grief just how deeply the death of the Queen had affected them.
The Duke of York, Earl of Wessex and the Princess Royal all appeared overwhelmed by the loss of their mother and by the outpouring of public sympathy.
But it was the Countess of Wessex whose tearful display of grief betrayed the extra special bond she shared with the monarch.
Often described as the “Queen’s favourite”, Sophie’s relationship with her flourished over the years with both women helping each other through periods of personal loss.
The King has left Buckingham Palace to cheers from the crowds after a day of meeting people like Commonwealth general secretary Baroness Scotland.
People erupted in cheers as Charles’s motorcade emerged from the palace gates.
He could be seen waving to people lining the street as the convoy travelled up the Mall for the short journey to Clarence House, his London residence before he became King.
Following the meeting, he hosted High Commissioners and their spouses, from countries where he is head of state, in the royal residence’s Bow Room.
As the Queen’s coffin passed the Scottish Parliament, Scotland’s political leaders assembled to pay their respects.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Scottish Green co-leader Lorna Slater and Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton stood on the pavement outside Holyrood as the hearse slowed, some applauding.
"Its a unique moment and it’s never happened before," said Maria Conte, who moved to Edinburgh from Seville in the 1980s and was waiting outside the city’s St Giles’ Cathedral.
"There’s no comparison to any other thing. And also it’s a pleasure to show someone who has done something well the respect she deserves," she said.
Thousands of people lined Edinburgh’s world famous Royal Mile as the hearse bearing the Queen’s coffin made its way to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
James Kinlock was one of those lining the streets and said he felt an “enormous pull” and "compelled" to watch the procession through the Scottish capital.
“It’s a real loss to the nation, I felt it far more personally than I ever thought I would. I just felt compelled to come, utterly compelled to come,” the 55-year-old said.
“I’m absolutely stunned. I have never seen the Royal Mile this busy and I doubt I will ever see it this busy again. It’s just incredible," he added.
The Duke of York, and the Duke and Duchess of Wessex, received the Queen’s coffin at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh after a six-hour drive from Balmoral on Sunday.
The Queen’s cortege received a guard of honour by the King’s Bodyguard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers) as it entered the palace.
Around 50 members of palace staff had gathered in the courtyard to greet the Queen’s cortege. The guard then left via Queen’s Drive.
People threw single red roses as the cortège passed down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, followed by a string of black cars bringing Princess Anne and other guests, Helen Chandler-Wilde writes from Scotland.
The jostling and tiffs in the crowd came to an abrupt stop as the blue flashing lights at the start of the convoy came into view, and people fell into a respectful hush, interrupted only by applause.
“It’s happy and sad”, said one man to his son, remarking on a day for Edinburgh that included celebrating the new King, as well as the first leg of the final journey of the late Queen.
The cortege passed St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh first to silence and then applause and cheers from the crowd.
Princess Anne, the Queen’s daughter, took a curtsy in a poignant moment as the Queen’s coffin entered the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Dressed all in black, the Princess Royal took a silent, solemn bow just as the coffin passed her.
The coffin was lifted out of the hearse by a bearer party found by the Royal Regiment of Scotland and carried into the Throne Room.
A military guard is now ushering in the Queen’s coffin to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence for the Royal Family in Scotland.
It is a palace that the Queen visited in the summer, only several weeks ago.
The Queen Consort has left Buckingham Palace by car and turned off the Mall towards Clarence House.
Camilla waved as crowds cheered and took photos of the passing motorcade.
Sir Keir Starmer has said the footage of the Queen’s coffin leaving Balmoral was “incredibly moving”.
“I saw the images of the coffin leaving Balmoral this morning,” he told reporters from his north London constituency.
“I thought it was incredibly moving to see everybody who could come to the side of the road to pay their respects. It was an incredible, incredible moment. It reflects what the nation is feeling at the moment.”
The Labour leader welcomed the appearance together of the new Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex with their wives in Windsor on Saturday, saying the public "want the reassurance that everybody is pulling together and uniting".
Crowds of mourners are applauding the Queen’s cortege through the historic cobbled streets of central Edinburgh.
Most are standing in silence, the mood solemn.
The cortege is now in Edinburgh and is navigating its way through the suburbs to the city centre, just crossing the Dean Bridge.
The front of the crowds near St Giles’ is now tightly packed with the nearby Caffè Nero warning people away from its steps which are a fire exit.
Beside the cathedral, a black-clad group has assembled to wait for the cortege, and a helicopter is circling overhead.
People are lined seven-deep along the Royal Mile awaiting the cortege, with others leaning out of windows and climbing on street furniture to get a better view, Helen Chandler-Wilde writes from Edinburgh.
A few scuffles have broken out over the best spots, with a news camera fighting with mourners who had been waiting for hours for the best spot, as the convoy nears the Scottish capital.
"I got here about 1pm," said Samantha Lioia, a 49-year-old nurse, who has come with her two daughters, husband and Cavapoo.
"I wanted to make sure we got a good view of everything…We like to feel that we’ve been here and this makes a difference."
A woman has been arrested after a protester was seen holding an anti-monarchist sign ahead of the Accession Proclamation of the King in Edinburgh, earlier on Sunday.
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “A 22-year-old woman was arrested outside St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, on Sunday 11 September, 2022 in connection with a breach of the peace.”
The Queen’s cortege is now heading across the Firth of Forth having passed Dunfermline and through the kingdom of Fife.
The hearse is spanning the Queensferry Crossing, parallel to the old Forth Road Bridge, followed in a large convoy by Princess Anne and others.
Queen Elizabeth II opened both of the spectacular bridges during her reign.
There is only a matter of miles to go before Queen Elizabeth II’s cortege reaches the Forth River and then the outskirts of Edinburgh. Here’s what happens next.
Read more here on the six-hour trip from Balmoral to Edinburgh, which is nearing its end.
Meticulous plans have been drawn up for this final journey for years.
People have begun to gather on the Royal Mile at St Giles’ to await the procession of the Queen’s coffin before she makes her way on to Holyrood.
In Dundee, there was tentative applause as the hearse passed hundreds of people gathered on a roundabout of the A90.
One man called out “thank you, thank you” as the coffin went by.
Here’s what the scene looks like in Edinburgh as the city awaits the late monarch’s hearse.
The Queen’s cortege has now left the Highlands behind as it heads south towards Edinburgh.
The convoy is currently skirting east of the city of Perth and has crossed the River Tay.
It will then enter Fife and travel across the River Forth in a hugely symbolic movement.
The coffin is expected to arrive in Edinburgh at around 3.30pm and at the Palace of Holyroodhouse at around 4pm.
Cara Dailly, a 15-year-old pupil from Edinburgh said to her family, moments after the coffin passed: "That was so sad, I can’t believe we just saw that, it made it feel more real."
Derek Simpson, 58, from Glenrothes, served in the British military between 1979 and 2008.
"I went all over the world and the Queen was always so highly regarded," he told The Telegraph’s Daniel Sanderson.
"Some people called her ma’am, others called her Queen but we always just called her boss."
"I’m glad, but not surprised, to see so many people here," onlooker Dougie Milne, 58, who arrived in Dundee at noon from Leven, said.
"There are so many kids and I get the impression they are the ones dragging their parents along. Today will be tattooed in their minds forever.
"I’ve always respected what she has done for the country, but I can’t quite get my head around why I keep getting emotional. Over the last few days I have just found myself suddenly welling up.
"It wasn’t just that she was our Queen. It was the person she was. I knew someone who used to be a gardener in Balmoral and he would always say she was the most down to earth person you could meet."
Businesses in Dundee temporarily shut their doors as a mark of respect while the Queen’s cortege passed, and to allow staff members to join the crowds, Daniel Sanderson writes from Scotland.
People began to gather from late morning with many bringing camp chairs to remain comfortable.
Mourners also filled a grass bank that lines the major ring road, which was completed during the reign of George V, the late Queen’s grandfather.
People hushed and pointed skywards as a helicopter, circling overhead and filming the journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh, offered advance warning that the convoy was close. Stewards then ushered people into the road, with crowds five-deep.
A ripple of applause broke out as it slowly passed.
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and the First Minister of Wales spoke by telephone earlier today.
HRH thanked the First Minister for his fitting tribute, on behalf of the people of Wales, to Her Majesty The Queen.
HRH expressed his and The Princess of Wales’s honour in being asked by His Majesty The King to serve the Welsh people. They will do so with humility and great respect.
The late Queen’s cortege has arrived in Dundee, the second city on its journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh.
Mourners were seen standing on residential and main roads as the cortege weaved through suburban streets leading to the city centre.
The convoy was met with silence, interspersed with short bursts of applause.
Traffic came to a halt as the motorcade drove past crowds congregating at roundabouts, car parks and service stations along the route.
The Queen’s hearse is approaching the outskirts of Dundee.
The cavalcade carrying the Queen’s coffin has resumed its journey from Aberdeen to Edinburgh following a brief pit stop to refuel and give the drivers a break.
Sinn Fein stayed away from today’s Accession Proclamation Ceremony in Northern Ireland but said it will attend other official events during the period of mourning for the Queen.
While leaders of several of the region’s other political parties were at Hillsborough Castle for the proclamation of the King’s accession, Michelle O’Neill, vice president of Sinn Fein, and other senior party figures were at a rally in Belfast for victims of the Troubles.
The "Time for Truth" rally was organised to demonstrate opposition to the UK Government’s controversial plans to deal with the legacy of the conflict in Northern Ireland.
Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said the party did not attend the accession proclamation because it was "intended for those whose political allegiance is to the British Crown".
But she said party figures would be attending other events in the days to come.
Brian Healey, 68, and wife Susan, 62, praised the stoicism of Princess Anne as they watched the royal cortège drive into Aberdeen, writes Max Stephens.
Mr Healey said: “To do what they have been doing for six hours or so, today, right in the public eye, is very tough – going.
“They can’t mourn in private. It just shows the devotion to duty that the wider family has.
“Particularly Princess Anne she is so staunch in the performing of her duties and King Charles too.
Mrs Healey said she wished the King “a lot of luck”, adding “I think he will need it”.
“The Queen was the glue that held the Union together. He’s got a big challenge to now convince Scots they should remain in the Union”.
The new King has the ability to bring "healing" to people just as his late mother did, the Archbishop of Canterbury said.
The Most Rev Justin Welby delivered a sermon at Canterbury Cathedral this morning, acknowledging that many people will be "navigating their way around the raw and ragged edges of grief".
At the start of the service, which started about an hour after the Queen’s coffin left Balmoral to begin its journey to her final resting place, he said it is an "unexpectedly extraordinary Sunday".
The service ended with a rendition of God Save The King.
During his sermon, the Archbishop said those who met the Queen were "always struck by her ability to make them feel as though they were the most important, the only person in the room, the only person in the street, in the crowd".
The Queen’s cortege made a scheduled stop to refuel, and to give drivers a rest on the six-hour (175 mile) journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Local dignitaries give three cheers to King Charles III following an Accession Proclamation Ceremony at Windsor Castle, publicly proclaiming him as the new monarch.
The King has arrived at Buckingham Palace, where he will meet with Commonwealth general secretary Patricia Scotland.
Crowds lining the roads cheered and waved as his black car drove down The Mall and into the Palace gates accompanied by a motorcade of four cars and four police motorbikes.
Charles could be seen waving to people through the car windows.
Children sat on top of parents’ shoulders and people took photos as they watched the new sovereign arrive.
An RAF A400M Atlas aircraft is en route from RAF Northolt in London to Edinburgh. It is thought to be the plane that will bring the late Queen back to London.
Thousands of mourners have flocked to Windsor to pay tribute to the Queen.
Large crowds had already gathered by this morning, and, by the afternoon, roads in the town were closed and walkways were packed with people.
Local churches also paid tribute to the Queen during Sunday worship, with one close to Windsor Castle set to hold a special service later in the day.
Acknowledging the crowd’s depth of feeling as the cortege drove through Aberdeen, Princess Anne, sitting beside Commander Tim Lawrence, gave a solemn nod from her car to the dignitaries standing outside the park’s gates, Mex Stephens reports.
Veterans from the Royal Engineers waved their regiment’s flag in tribute as the hearse came past.
David Cameron, the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, gave a ceremonial salute with his sword.
The funeral cortège, made up of six black cars and one hearse slowed down by the gates before making it’s way across the King George VI bridge, named in honour of the late Queen’s father in 1941.
Farmers have positioned their tractors to form a guard of honour for the late Queen Elizabeth II as she passes through Aberdeenshire on her way to Edinburgh. pic.twitter.com/oDt8gs2bPR
The cortege was met with solemn silence as it arrived into Aberdeen, the largest stop on its journey thus far.
The Lord Provost of Aberdeen in his role as Lord-Lieutenant will lead a tribute joined by civic dignitaries from Aberdeen including Deputy Lieutenants, Council Leaders, other elected members, and the council Chief Executive.
The Lord Lyon King of Arms is reading the proclamation of the new King to the people of Scotland at Mercat Cross in Edinburgh following the death of the Queen.
A 21-gun salute was fired, soldiers marched and "three cheers for His Majesty the King" could be heard as the ceremonial rituals were observed.
Gordon Brown told the BBC this morning that he thought the late Queen and Nelson Mandela were the most impressive figures of state in modern times.
Divulging an anecdote Mr Mandela shared with him, the former prime minister said Mr Mandela would call the late Queen and say “hello Elizabeth,” forgoing the protocol of Royal nomenclature.
China’s President Xi Jinping has congratulated the King on his accession to the British throne, state media reported.
Xi told Charles in a message that he was willing to "expand friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation, and strengthen communication on global issues," the official Xinhua news agency said.
Hundreds of mourners are waiting patiently for the Royal cortège to arrive and slowly wind its way into Duthrie Park where they will be met by the leaders of Aberdeen city.
The occasion will be particularly poignant for many visitors who remember Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to the park 20 years ago as part of her Golden Jubilee tour.
Veterans, army cadets, school children and whole families line the thoroughfare clutching flowers and Union Jacks close to their chests.
A cavalcade of police cars could be seen travelling up and down the thoroughfare ahead of the Royal Hearse’s arrival.
The Lord Provost of Aberdeen David Cameron is expected to greet the cortège along with the heads of the city’s council just outside the wrought-iron gates of the park.
The procession will then make its way across The King George VI bridge, which has been officially opened by the late monarch’s mother in 1941.
Councillor David Cameron, the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, has walked out of the gates of Duthrie Park flanked by senior dignitaries and members of the city’s council.
The group now patiently await the arrival of the Royal hearse which is expected within the next half hour.
Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force officers can also be seen standing among the line of dignitaries with their hands behind their backs.
The Queen’s cortege has passed through Aboyne, a small village around 18 miles from Balmoral. A crowd gathered to watch the convoy, with many dispersing shortly after it left.
Gail Watson, 33, and her son Sean Brown, 15, arrived at Balmoral at 10pm last night and tried to sleep in the castle car park before being moved on by police.
They drove to the town of Ballater at around 1.30am and set up camp.
The two mourners sat in camping chairs with tartan blankets draped over their legs and wore only flip flops on their feet.
Mrs Watson said: “I probably had about ten minutes sleep. It’s just not very comfy. It was freezing.”
Her son added: “First we went to Balmoral car park and they let us in – we were in there until about 1 o’clock in the morning and then the police moved us.
“They came with their torches and we were kind of just laying there, whispering, and could see their lights shining on us. They said we couldn’t be there.
“There was so much condensation in the car that we had to use our socks to wipe it off so we could drive. That’s why mum’s got bare feet.”
The Royal cortege has arrived in Banchory, the biggest town in the Royal Deeside.
People could be seen throwing flowers at the hearse as it was driven through the high street of the town. Some onlookers clapped as the tail end of the cortege made its way through.
The town, known as the Gateway to Royal Deeside, is about 18 miles west of Aberdeen.
The Queen’s coffin reaches the village of Aboyne in Aberdeenshire. There was silence among the crowds, consisting of hundreds of people, as the cortege passed through.
The First Minister of Scotland has called the Queen an "extraordinary" woman as the latter’s coffin left Balmoral and started its journey to Edinburgh, where tributes will be made.
The Queen’s coffin left Balmoral shortly after 10am and is to pass places including Aberdeen and Dundee before being laid at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
In a tweet, Nicola Sturgeon said: "A sad and poignant moment as Her Majesty, The Queen leaves her beloved Balmoral for the final time.
"Today, as she makes her journey to Edinburgh, Scotland will pay tribute to an extraordinary woman."
The cortege is en route to Aberdeen, where it will arrive at around midday.
It will pass through the villages of Dinnet, Aboyne, Kincardine O’Neil, Banchory, Drumoak, Peterculter and Cults on the way.
In Aberdeen, crowds of mourners, some dressed in all black, could be seen standing respectfully along Holburn Street where the Royal Hearse is expected to travel down before making its way into Duthie Park
Some have bought garden chairs to watch the day’s events unfold others are cradling cups of coffee to fortify themselves, Max Stephens reports.
The Princess Royal, Sir Timothy Laurence, the minister of Crathie Kirk and a representative of the Lord Chamberlain’s office, are in the convoy accompanying the hearse.
The coffin is draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland and adorned with a wreath made up of flowers from the Balmoral estate and includes: Dahlias, Sweet peas (one of the Queen’s favourite flowers), Phlox, White heather and Pine Fir.
The Queen’s cortege has arrived in Ballater. The streets of the Scottish town are lined with people dressed in black and watching in silence as the hearse passes through.
The Queen and her family were often seen in the village on her beloved Royal Deeside, which she had visited since childhood and where the royal family are allowed space to be themselves.
Many shops in the picturesque Victorian village are displaying photographs of the Queen in their windows in tribute.
The hearse passed Glenmuick Church where the Rev Davi Barr had rung the church bells 70 times after her death was announced.
A small gathering of well-wishers stood in silence as they lined the end of the route out of Balmoral to watch while the Queen’s coffin passed by.
The gentle rush of the flowing water through the River Dee could be heard as the cortege moved over the bridge.
The exit from the gates had been closed to members of the public in the hour before the coffin emerged.
The sun shone on what was a calm and still morning in an area that had been one of the Queen’s most beloved retreats.
The public can see the cortege anywhere it is safe along the route – best positions are likely to be in Aboyne, Banchory and Drumoak on pavement areas.
Stewards will guide members of the public at settlements along the route.
The Queen’s coffin has passed through the gates of the Castle. The Royal cortege will progress along the A93, reaching Ballater for the Aberdeenshire tribute shortly after 10am.
Police officers guarding the gates of Balmoral Castle have stepped aside, signaling to onlookers that the Queen’s coffin procession has commenced.
As early as 7am, mourners have begun leaving messages and flowers at Marischal College in the heart of Aberdeen in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, Max Stephens reports from Aberdeen.
A flag of the Union Jack stands at half-mast gently blowing in the morning wind above the sea of flowers.
A hand-crafted royal orb decorated with sequins, glitter, and emerald and silver-coloured jewels lies nestled among the tributes.
A message attached to a bouquet of brightly-coloured pink and orange flowers reads: "From the Granite City to beautiful Deeside, thinking of your wonderful life.
"Your service, devotion to duty and all you have done for the nation will always be remembered.
"A shining light for us all, thanking you for everything.
" God bless you Queen Elizabeth II, Rest In Peace."
Sir Nicholas Soames, the grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, told the BBC that despite the King’s views on issues such as the environment becoming "mainstream," the monarch will "never" get involved in political controversies.
Sir Nicholas added that the King, a longtime friend, will have a “very, very important role” in rebuilding Britain’s role in the world post-Brexit.
Three former prime ministers have given interviews to the BBC about the death of Queen Elizabeth and the King’s accession to the throne.
Theresa May, David Cameron and Gordon Brown all gave their impressions of the new King to Laura Kuenssberg in interviews aired by the BBC this morning.
Mr Cameron said the King was "charming" and "highly intelligent," adding that his wife Samantha always looked forward to meeting then Prince Charles at public occasions.
Mr Brown said he "respected" the King’s longstanding dedication to environmental causes, while Ms May said the public "will expect that sense of continuity" following the death of Queen Elizabeth, as well as a "willingness to evolve" alongside a changing world.
A family prayer on the death of Her Majesty The Queen. pic.twitter.com/b8mWHjZbWr
The Old Bridge in Mostar, a city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, were painted in the colors of the United Kingdom in honor of Queen Elizabeth II.
Mostar Bridge, also known as Stari Most, is a rebuilt 16th-century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar that crosses the river Neretva and connects the two parts of the city.
Crowds gathered under foggy skies at Buckingham Palace in central London this morning to pay their respects to the late Queen.
The early-morning atmosphere was sombre and calm as security personnel flanked the flow of mourners walking around the parks and the Palace.
Families with young children and people with dogs appeared to have arrived early to lay flowers in St James’s Park and Green Park before the crowds grow.
Little boys and girls could be seen holding bunches of colourful flowers, Paddington bears and handmade cards while dogs were occasionally yapping at each other as they trotted along on the lead with their owners.
People could be seen pausing to bend down and read messages that have been left among the piles of blooms laid by trees and railings, saying: "We will miss you" and "Thank you for your service".
In the hours before the Queen left her beloved Balmoral for the final time, the usually quiet village of nearby Ballater began to fill with mourners from across the country, Will Bolton reports.
Despite the cold morning air scores of people gathered on the street outside Glenmuick church to witness her coffin pass.
A funeral cortège carrying the Queen’s coffin is due to pass through the village at around 10am after leaving Balmoral Castle.
Richard Careless, 54, a surveyor, from Nottingham drove seven hours through the night to reach the small highland village.
He said: “I arrived here in Ballater at half past one this morning. I tried to get to Balmoral then but the police had closed everything off.
“I had a sleeping bag and a camping stove with me so I was fine. It’s very cold but I wanted to pay my respects. Like many people she is the only queen to have ever known.
“I wanted to come and be where the Queen was to be honest. Ideally I would have camped out by Balmoral but as I say the police had closed it off. I tried to get close with a head torch on last night but the police said it wasn’t possible.
“When something like this happens you think I wish I had made the effort to come and see her more often.”
Margaret Phinn, 57, made the journey from Glasgow, with her husband, Jim: “I arrived yesterday. I wanted to come here the family always felt comfortable here and were more free here than anywhere else.
“I got here just after seven.”
Getting emotional, Mrs Phinn added: “I felt shock when I heard. You just always thought she was going to be here.”
A series of road closures in Edinburgh have been announced by Traffic Scotland, whose bosses warned the procession of the Queen’s coffin was an event of unprecedented scale. They added that even COP26 could not match the amount of planning that has gone into the operation.
People have been urged to plan ahead and check city centre road closures, weather conditions, and be prepared to spend long periods in their vehicles.
Police chiefs have urged the public to only park in designated areas and to not throw flowers on the road or towards the cortege.
Members of the press were gathering at Balmoral this morning ahead of the Queen’s final departure from what was one of her most beloved places to spend time.
Police officers stood guard at the castle gates beside floral tributes which have been laid by members of the public since the Queen died on Thursday.
Police said the area leading up to the entrance to Balmoral will be closed to members of the public for the coffin’s departure.
Thousands of people are expected to line the streets as the Queen’s body is moved from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh to lie in state at St Giles’ Cathedral.
Queen Elizabeth II famously said that it was “often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change", writes Camilla Tominey.
In the end, all it took was several steps up Windsor’s historic Long Walk for the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex to finally put their differences aside.
Accompanied by their wives, the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex, Saturday’s surprise reunion of the so-called "Fab Four" provided us with one of the most remarkable walkabouts in modern royal history.
Read the full piece here.
Members of the public have started gathering in Ballater early to pay their respects to the late Queen.
The village, which lies about eight miles east of Balmoral, will see the royal cortege pass through later on Sunday as it heads to Edinburgh.
Families have been seen setting up picnic chairs and attaching union flags to barriers outside the village’s Glenmuick Church from about 7am.
The Queen’s coffin will be driven past the church at a walking pace to allow people to pay respects.
Charles is to be proclaimed King at a ceremony at Cardiff Castle on Sunday.
The former Prince of Wales ascended to the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on Thursday.
He was then formally proclaimed King at a historic ceremony in St James’s Palace following a meeting of the accession council during which Charles swore an oath to privy counsellors.
Proclamations will take place in other parts of the UK, including Wales, at about midday today.
The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda has said following the Queen’s death he will call for a referendum on the country becoming a republic within three years.
The Caribbean country is one of 14 nations to retain the British monarch as their head of state, with prime minister Gaston Browne signing a document confirming Charles’ status as the new King.
But minutes later, he said he would push for a republic referendum after indicating such a move earlier this year during a visit by the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
In my tribute to the Queen yesterday in the Commons time did not allow me to recall her at Margaret Thatcher's 80 th birthday party. The Queen showed great warmth and understanding to Margaret as she faced the infirmities of her later years.
The cortege will follow the A90 to Dundee, arriving at the boundary around 2pm, before proceeding west on the Kingsway to the Swallow roundabout.
Public viewing areas are along the A90 Forfar Road and Kingsway. There are numerous safe standing areas along both sides of the A90 and Kingsway.
Civic dignitaries from across Tayside and Fife, including Lord Lieutenants, Lord Provost, Provosts, council leaders, other elected members and council chief executives, will stand on a dais just prior to the cortege leaving the city.
There will be rolling road closures along the route and very limited additional parking. Stewards will guide members of the public to parking sites and safe standing areas.
The cortege will follow the A93 and enter Aberdeen at around 11am, following North Deeside Road and then travelling through Cults.
It will proceed along Great Western Road, Holburn Street and Great Southern Road passing Duthie Park.
The Lord Provost of Aberdeen in his role as Lord-Lieutenant will lead a tribute joined by civic dignitaries from Aberdeen including Deputy Lieutenants, Council Leaders, other elected members, and the council Chief Executive.
There will be two media positions and public viewing at Duthie Park. Members of the public have been invited to pay their respects at the ceremony at Great Southern Road by Duthie Park or on a footpath along the route.
Temporary road restrictions will be in place from 6am on the day of the event.
After leaving Balmoral Castle the Royal cortege will pass along the A93, reaching Ballater for the Aberdeenshire tribute at 10.12am.
This will be attended by the Lord Lieutenants of Aberdeenshire, as well as senior officers and councillors.
The public can see the cortege anywhere it is safe along the route – best positions are likely to be in Aboyne, Banchory and Drumoak on pavement areas. Stewards will guide members of the public at settlements along the route.
The next couple of posts will tell you what’s happening and when today.
Tributes from famous faces have been pouring in from both home and abroad.
Catherine Zeta-Jones says she felt like she "lost a real family member" following the death of the late Queen, and that the news had made her "homesick" but "proud of my heritage".
Daniel Craig, Dick Van Dyke, Stephen Fry, Dame Joanna Lumley and Dame Helen Mirren all hailed the monarch and her contribution to the nation.
Musical stars including Sir Elton John, Sir Rod Stewart and Sir Paul McCartney also reflected on their encounters and experiences of performing for the Queen.
Sir Paul shared decades of intimate memories with the monarch that had come "flooding back" after her death, which stretched from 1965 to 2018, when he had made her "giggle slightly".
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will attend the late Queen’s funeral, his office said on Sunday.
The queen was a regular visitor to Asia, especially to its Commonwealth members.
Following her death, President Yoon said: "She had a strong belief in the cause of human freedom and left great legacies of dignity. Her kind heart and good deeds will remain in our memories."
The Canadian Parliament will sit on Thursday to allow members to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday.
"In addition, to accommodate Her Majesty’s funeral, the opening of the session will be delayed – by one day – to September 20th," Mr Trudeau added on Twitter
It started as a murmur among the children on their parents’ shoulders – the only way of seeing what was going on, so deep was the crowd on the Long Walk, Windsor, Henry Bodkin and Hannah Furness write.
"I see Harry, I see Harry." Then, "And Meghan!"
The parents didn’t believe them. Harry had appeared to leave his family members as fast as possible on Friday, after all, and Meghan was persona non grata.
But then, there they all were, as if the past two years had never happened.
Under a threatening storm cloud which never broke, the Royal foursome walked shoulder to shoulder through the gates of Windsor Castle, past a tide of flowers and notes of condolence to greet the throng of well-wishers.
Read more: Princess of Wales tells Windsor crowd: ‘At times like these you’ve got to come together’
Australia will have a bank holiday to mark a national day of mourning for the late Queen following her state funeral.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese said he and governor-general David Hurley will travel to the UK in coming days to attend the funeral on September 19.
When they return to Canberra, a memorial service will held in parliament’s Great Hall on September 22 to commence the "one-off" bank holiday and national day of mourning, Mr Albanese said.
Mr Albanese pointed to attempts to achieve an Indigenous voice to parliament when asked if Australia’s link to the monarchy presented an "ongoing challenge" to achieving reconciliation with its First Nations people.
Memorial events have been held in recent days throughout Australia, which the Queen visited 16 times during her 70 years on the throne, with floral tributes springing up outside government buildings in Sydney and Canberra.
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