Alison Johnstone, Presiding Officer at Holyrood, will be welcoming the King and Queen Consort when they travel to Edinburgh this afternoon.

She will also hold a private audience with the King, alongside the First Minister.

Johnstone tells the BBC's Today programme it's by now "absolutely clear" the people of Scotland wish to "pay tribute" and join to "to reflect on the life of her Majesty".

She says today's events will be an opportunity to present the "heartfelt sympathies of the Scottish people".

The Queen's cortege will pass along Edinburgh's cobbled Royal Mile this afternoon, which Johnstone says provides a "spectacular" but "intimate setting".

It will be a "very emotional day indeed", she says.

Image source, Getty Images

Racing resumed yesterday with poignant tributes to the Queen - the sport’s great champion.

Doncaster staged the rescheduled St Leger, won by Eldar Eldarov, trained by Roger Varian and ridden by 23-year-old David Egan.

Everyone watched a video of Her Majesty’s horses down the years, followed by a two-minute silence, says Egan.

Describing the sombre mood at the start of the day, he tells the BBC: "With racing being Her Majesty’s favourite sport, although it had to be postponed for a day, it probably gave the racing community a day to reflect on all the great achievements Her Majesty had.

"And for all the visitors who came racing as well because Her Majesty was obviously a great lover of thoroughbred racing and her contribution to the sport was immense.

"I had the pleasure of riding two winners for the Queen, so that’s something I’ll cherish forever."

Good morning. If you're just joining us, here's what's happening today:

• This morning, King Charles III will visit Westminster Hall, where both the House of Commons and the House of Lords will meet to express their condolences
• The King and Camilla, Queen Consort, will then fly to Edinburgh, where he will walk behind the Queen's coffin from Edinburgh's Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral
• A service to celebrate the Queen's life will follow at 15:00, then members of the public will be able to view the coffin which will lie at rest for 24 hours
• Later he will have an audience with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, then attend the Scottish Parliament where members will deliver a motion of condolence
• In the evening, King Charles will hold a vigil with other members of the Royal Family at St Giles' Cathedral

Jonny Dymond
BBC royal correspondent

There will be a lot of ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, but it will also be a deeply personal moment for the King, and for his brothers and sister as they all walk behind the Queen's coffin to St Giles Cathedral.

It will be a parallel to what happens later in the week in London, when the coffin will move from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

It will be a time for people to see the Queen's coffin and to see the new King in the flesh.

It's a dual role for the King - looking back with respect and in mourning, but it is also part of the establishment of himself as the new King here in Scotland.

It is a distinctly Scottish moment. The Royal Mile, with the Palace of Holyroodhouse at one end and Edinburgh Castle at the other, is an extraordinary place. It's not like the grand boulevard of ceremonial London, it's more intimate than that.

And let's not forget, it is the crown of Scotland that will be laying upon the coffin of the Queen in St Giles Cathedral.

This is going to be a very long day for the King, and a very important one too.

Chris Mason
Political editor

The new King makes his first trip to Parliament today as Sovereign.

And what a spot he is heading to.The oldest part of the Palace of Westminster: Westminster Hall.

It is a spectacular building, often forgotten about beyond Westminster, as it’s not regularly televised in the way both the Commons and the Lords are.

It hosted Henry VIII's Coronation Banquet and the trial of Guy Fawkes.

It's hosted addresses by France's war-time leader Charles de Gaulle and Nelson Mandela.

Today's visit is just the latest moment of note in Westminster Hall, since it was built in 1097.

Image source, PA Media

Around 900 MPs and members of the House of Lords are expected for this latest staging post in the choreography of constitutional ritual.

They'll witness the processions, a trumpet fanfare, the National Anthem - and the speakers of both Houses of Parliament, Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Lord McFall, addressing and offering condolences to the King and the Queen Consort.

They'll also pledge loyalty to the new Sovereign.

I will be commentating as part of a special programme on Radio 4 at 10am marking the ceremony, and so I’m lucky enough to have a ticket.

Image source, Getty Images

More on the Queen's connection to Balmoral now, from Esther Mijers, a senior lecturer in Scottish history at the University of Edinburgh.

"The story really begins with Queen Victoria and her building Balmoral... which then becomes the symbol for the royals in Scotland and the Queen obviously loved Balmoral," says Mijers.

There is something about her having passed away at Balmoral that "probably gives it even more meaning for Scotland and the Scots", confirming that close connection, she adds.

She says there has been a "good start" to King Charles III's reign in terms with his relationship with Scotland, displayed in the outpouring of grief and respect for the Queen by the Scottish people.

Image source, Reuters

King Charles III will begin the day with a visit to Westminster Hall - his first visit to Parliament as monarch.

Accompanied by Camilla, Queen Consort, he will hear addresses from the Lord Speaker, Lord McFall, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, offering condolences on behalf of their respective houses. The King will then reply to the addresses.

The hall is the oldest existing part of the Palace of Westminster, dating back to 1097. It has been used on previous occasions for ceremonial addresses by both Houses, such as Queen Elizabeth's Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees.

It is also where the Queen's coffin will lie in state for public viewing.

Let's return for a moment to Balmoral and look at why it has always mattered so much to the Queen and the rest of the Royal family.

Sybella Lang, a family friend of King Charles who has spent weekends at Balmoral has been talking to the BBC's Today programme this morning.

She says Balmoral has provided "a family home, a real home", as well as an official residence for them for so long.

Image source, Getty Images / Bettmann

It's a place where they felt "on holiday”, she adds, although also remarking the Queen was "never really on holiday".

Despite the "wonderful picnics, wonderful days", there were "always those red boxes" of official papers for the Queen to read, says Lang.

Will this affection for Balmoral be continued by King Charles III?

Lang says the new King has always loved the sports and country life in the area, as "he’s a real country man" and appreciates the fact "you can breathe deeply" there.

He's fully committed to Scotland and to Balmoral, which "has a very special place in all their hearts", she adds.

Thousands of people are expected to line Edinburgh's streets as Scotland says its final farewell to the Queen.

The King and members of the Royal Family will follow the coffin in a procession along the Royal Mile to St Giles' Cathedral on Monday afternoon.

Guns will be fired every minute, with the final round of shots being fired as the hearse stops outside the cathedral.

Image source, .

A service will be held and then the Queen will lie at rest there until Tuesday afternoon, allowing members of the public to pay their last respects.

Preparations have been made for a queue that could stretch half a mile.

Solemn tributes to the beginning of the Queen's final journey dominate Monday's front pages.

All of the front pages feature pictures of the late Queen's coffin being carried by pallbearers, with most headlines referring to her "final" and "saddest journey".

The Mail says she left Balmoral to morning birdsong, external, the muted sobs of her devoted staff, and Glen Gelder, a favourite lament played by a lone piper. A report in The Telegraph describes people waiting for a glimpse of the coffin , externalalong the route to Edinburgh. It says "ripples of applause broke out, heads were bowed, eyes misted over".

Under the headline "Five-mile queue for Queen", The Times says more than 750,000 people , externalare expected to file pass her coffin in Westminster Hall, during her lying-in-state. The paper says queueing times could reach 20 hours. As many as 10,000 police officers will be deployed and up to 1,500 soldiers will be available to help control the crowds.

The Metro devotes its front page to the start of the Queen's final journey from Balmoral to Holyroodhouse. Dedicating the entirety of its front page to pallbearers carrying the Queen's coffin, it pays tribute to 'our gracious Queen'.

The Queen's final journey begins, says The i. Examining the next few days in more detail, it writes on King Charles III's role on Monday afternoon - leading the procession to the Queen's next stop on her journey, St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh.

In The Guardian author Jeanette Winterson writes that "part of us goes with her".

The Queen's coffin is currently in Edinburgh, where members of the public will have the chance to pay their respects and view her coffin. Here's what we're expecting to happen today:

• This morning, King Charles III will visit Westminster Hall, where both the House of Commons and the House of Lords will meet to express their condolences. Charles will also make an address
• The King and Camilla, Queen Consort, will then fly to Edinburgh, where at about 14:25 he will walk behind the Queen's coffin from Edinburgh's Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral
• A service to celebrate the Queen's life will be held at 15:00
• From 16:00, members of the public will be able to view the coffin which will lie at rest in the cathedral for 24 hours
• The King will travel to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where he will have an audience with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
• He and the Queen Consort will then attend the Scottish Parliament where members will deliver a motion of condolence at 17:30
• In the evening, King Charles will hold a vigil with other members of the Royal Family at St Giles' Cathedral, where the Queen will lie at rest

Image source, PA Media

Details have been revealed about how people can attend the lying-in-state, which will take place at the Palace of Westminster later this week.

It begins at 17:00BST on Wednesday and will last until 06:30 on Monday, 19 September- the day of the Queen's funeral.

It will be open 24 hours a day between those times.

Large crowds are expected and there are warnings those wanting to take apart in the historic occasion may have to wait for hours and even overnight.

People are advised to bring food and drink as well as suitable clothing.

The last member of the Royal Family to lie in state in the hall was the Queen Mother in 2002, when more than 200,000 people queued to view her coffin.

Image source, Getty Images

As a successful racehorse owner and breeder, the Queen's love of racing offered a rare glimpse into the real person behind a life of public duty. It gave her a diversion from the more sober business of global and domestic affairs.

"She used to say to me: 'It's nice to come to a place that doesn't smell of fresh paint,'" trainer Richard Hannon recalls.

A copy of the Racing Post newspaper was always tucked in with her daily correspondence. And just last year, the Queen was recognised for her contribution to racing as an owner and breeder by being inducted into the British Champions Series Hall of Fame.

Read more about the role horses played in the Queen’s life.

Radio 4's The Archers has broadcast a specially recorded scene marking the Queen's death at the start of Sunday's episode.

Listeners heard two of the serial's longest-running characters, Lynda Snell and Lilian Bellamy, reminiscing about the Coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953.

"When you think of our lives since then, and everything that's happened to us, the Queen has always been there - she's just always been there," Lynda reflected.

"Steady as a rock," Lillian replied. "It's going to be strange without her, I think."

Although the soap opera is based in a fictional village, it has twice featured cameos from members of the real British royal family: Queen Elizabeth II's sister Princess Margaret, in June 1984, and the then Duchess of Cornwall - now the Queen Consort - in February 2011.

A portrait of the Queen illuminates the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

The building - located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates - carries the bright and bold tribute to the late monarch.

The other side of the 830 metre skyscraper is lit up with a Union Jack flag.

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, Rex Features

Australia's prime minister has been forced to defend his announcement of a bank holiday to mark the Queen's death.

Anthony Albanese announced a national memorial service will be held at the Parliament on 22 September, and declared the date a national day of mourning.

But some - including small businesses and healthcare workers - have criticised the decision to make it a public holiday.

"Operations and lots of patient consultations booked that day, at a time when access is difficult. Thanks for dropping this at short notice," the President of the Australian Medical Association tweeted.

But Mr Albanese says the public holiday was announced as soon as possible and is necessary for the nation "to grieve and give gratitude".

"This is a once in our lifetime event," he said. "It is important that it is marked appropriately."

Image source, Getty Images

More than three million people of Islamic faith live in Britain, and many others are spread across nations with ties to the UK.

Though the British monarch traditionally serves as the head of the Church of England, the Queen was noted for her engagement with Muslim communities in the UK.

She was the first royal to visit a mosque in the UK, according to Zara Mohammed, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain.

"We at the Muslim Council of Britain remember how the Queen devoted her life to public service and sought unity among British communities," she told BBC Radio 4 on Sunday.

That legacy of engagement appears poised to continue under the new monarch, King Charles III.

The King has long been an advocate of interfaith dialogue, remarking in a 1993 speech that he "wholeheartedly" believed that links between the Christian and Islamic worlds mattered greatly, "because the need for the two to live and work together in our increasingly interdependent world has never been greater".

According to the Cambridge Central Mosque, the King has studied Arabic to understand the Koran.

As Ben Judah of think tank the Atlantic Council noted, the King has traditionally given a speech welcoming the Muslim festival of Eid each year, is a patron of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies and has spoken frequently of the learning from Islam.

Remembering the Queen's 'happiest days' in Maltapublished at 02:15 British Summer Time 12 September 2022

02:15 BST 12 September 2022

Lucy Williamson, BBC News, Malta

Half-buried under the bouquets outside Villa Guardamangia is a portrait of the Queen in pink felt-tip pen. She wears no crown, just a broad grin. One side of the paper is covered with hearts.

But the artist, two-year-old Dorothy Elizabeth May, has captured something important about how Malta remembers Queen Elizabeth - not really as a queen at all, but a young princess married to a naval officer, who relished the freedom offered by her brief stay here.

“She was normal," said Rita, sitting with friends at a café table in town. “She was like part of the family. Not like a Queen, more like us.”

In the two years she lived here at Villa Guardamangia, the then-Princess Elizabeth would go shopping, visit the cinema, or sail and swim with her husband off the coast.

These, she said, were some of the happiest days of her life.

In 1951, she returned to London and prepared to become Queen. It was, said one relative, like “putting a little bird back into a gilded cage”.

A guestbook at the Phoenicia Hotel in Valletta, where she and Philip used to dance, bears her autograph.

Dated 1949, it reads simply ‘Elizabeth’.

To many in Malta, that’s how she’ll remain.

Image source, Lucy Williamson

Image source, Lucy Williamson

Image source, Lucy Williamson

Image source, Reuters

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro is the latest leader to announce that he will attend the Queen's funeral.

In a note to Reuters, Brazil's foreign ministry said the president will travel to London ahead of the burial on 19 September.

Although Brazil is not a Commonwealth nation - and it is not known whether he ever met the Monarch - Bolsonaro declared three days of national mourning in Brazil to mark the Queen's death.

In a tweet, he said the royal was “a queen not just to Britons, but to all of us".

Bolsonaro's UK visit will come in the midst of a fierce election campaign against former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, with the winner of the election announced on 30 October.

The Queen visited Brazil in 1968.

As Americans mark the anniversary of the 11 September attacks in New York, US President Joe Biden recalled Queen Elizabeth's messages of condolence and hope: "Grief is the price we pay for love".

The US president has confirmed that he will attend Her Majesty's funeral on 19 September.