Queen Elizabeth II: Queen's coffin arrives at Buckingham Palace

Summary

The Queen's coffin has arrived at Buckingham Palace and was greeted by members of the Royal Family
It will move on Wednesday to Westminster Hall, where the Queen will lie in state for four days
The Queen's daughter, the Princess Royal has issued a statement saying she was "fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mother’s life"
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to file past the coffin to pay their respects, with a huge policing operation expected
King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, who are now in London, earlier visited Northern Ireland as part of a tour of the UK
They greeted crowds at Hillsborough Castle, met political leaders and attended a service at St Anne's Cathedral

Live Reporting

Edited by Marianna Brady

In pictures: The Queen's children walk with her coffinpublished at 15:16 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
Image source, Reuters
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The King is walking next to his sister Anne, the Princess Royal, behind their mother's coffin
Image source, PA Wire
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All four siblings are in the procession - King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex
Image source, PA Wire
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The coffin - and the family walking behind it - are flanked by the King's Body Guard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers, a ceremonial military unit
Queen's coffin arrives at St Giles' Cathedralpublished at 15:14 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
The Queen's procession has reached its destination - St Giles' Cathedral, where the late monarch's coffin will rest for 24 hours before making the journey to London.
Before that, though, there'll be a service of thanksgiving which is expected to last for about an hour.
King Charles III, who led the poignant journey, and his three siblings will soon head into the cathedral - as will Camilla, the Queen Consort, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
Sean Coughlan, our royal correspondent, has provided some insight on the Order of Service, which you can read in the post below.
Service provides a window into Queen's beliefspublished at 15:07 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
Sean Coughlan
BBC News, royal correspondent
Image source, .
The Order of Service for this afternoon’s thanksgiving service for the Queen in Edinburgh provides a window into her beliefs and values.
As expected there’s a strong Scottish influence. There’s singing in Gaelic and two pieces of music are from the pre-eminent modern Scottish composer, Sir James MacMillan. He was knighted by the Queen in 2015 and his style, like the monarchy, is a blend of ancient and modern.
Psalm 23, the Lord’s My Shepherd, will be sung as it was when the Queen married Prince Philip in 1947. The psalms chosen are said to have been ones the Queen was used to singing at Crathie Kirk near to Balmoral.
The service also reflects bringing people together. It is in St Giles', a Church of Scotland church, but there will be readings from a Catholic archbishop and Episcopal bishop.
The First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will give a reading that includes the line: “What gain have the workers for their toil?”
And a Commonwealth student from Nigeria will read a prayer.
Much of the choice of music and hymns shows the deeply-held religious faith of the Queen and also her traditional tastes, taking in Thomas Tallis, JS Bach, William Byrd and Henry Purcell.
A scene of immense dignity and solemnitypublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
James Naughtie
Commentating on BBC One
Image source, Getty Images
The Queen's coffin and its procession have passed into the streets of Edinburgh.
Police horses are in front of the hearse, while the bearer party and the Royal Company of Archers are alongside, as well as the King himself.
The 21-gun salute is being fired from Edinburgh castle.
Some in the crowd applauded as the procession slowly entered the Royal Mile.
The events of the last few days have distilled into a scene of immense dignity and solemnity, leaving everyone with an image that will not easily fade from their mind.
Edinburgh is saying goodbye after 70 yearspublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
James Cook
Scotland Editor, BBC News
When the Queen first visited Scotland as sovereign in 1953, Edinburgh was packed. Today, nearly 70 years later, people have thronged the streets again to say goodbye.
The solemn procession up the Royal Milepublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
Crowds are lining the route from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, up Edinburgh's Royal Mile to St Giles' Cathedral.
Many have waited for hours to get a glimpse of the Queen's coffin - and now the wait is over.
Here's a view from above of the route of the procession.
Wreath on coffin contains flowers from Balmoralpublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
Image source, PA Media
The Queen's coffin is continuing its journey along Edinburgh's Royal Mile to St Giles' Cathedral.
It is draped with the Royal Standard in Scotland and dressed with a wreath of flowers, which includes dried white heather from her beloved Balmoral.
The wreath also contains:
- White spray roses
- White freesias
- White button chrysanthemums
- Spray eryngium (thistle)
- Foliage
- Rosemary
- Hebe
- Pittosporum
Procession moves at slow pacepublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
The procession of the Queen's coffin has left the Palace of Holyroodhouse and is moving at a slow and measured pace, reflecting the mood of the occasion.
The route from the Palace to St Giles' Cathedral - where the procession is headed - is normally around 20 minutes on foot.
But the journey is expected to take no less than half an hour, giving crowds a chance to pay their respects along the Royal Mile.
King Charles and his three siblings are walking behind the slow-moving hearse, which is carrying their mother's coffin.
Crowds take up their vantage pointspublished at 14:40 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
As the crowds - 10 deep in some places - patiently wait for the procession, the middle section of the Canongate on Edinburgh's Royal Mile is now bathed in sunshine.
Above street level, windows have been flung open and every possible vantage point is now claimed.
The crowd is a mix of tourists and locals, with a number of school-age children here too.
Prince Andrew not in military uniformpublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
Image source, PA Media
We've just had our first glimpse of Prince Andrew in the procession of his mother's coffin from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh - and he's wearing a morning suit rather than military uniform.
The lack of uniform for much of the commemorations is because he is no longer a working member of the Royal Family - although he will wear uniform as a special mark of respect for the Queen at the final vigil in Westminster Hall later this week.
Prince Andrew lost his military titles earlier this year, shortly before he settled a civil sexual assault lawsuit in the US.
Military uniforms will be worn by working members of the Royal Family, including the King and Prince of Wales, at the following ceremonial events in the coming days:
- the service of thanksgiving at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh
- the procession to Westminster Hall and service of prayer and reflection
- the vigil at Westminster Hall
- the state funeral service at Westminster Abbey
- the committal service at St George’s Chapel Windsor
King follows behind hearse as procession sets offpublished at 14:34 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
The procession has begun, with King Charles III following his mother’s coffin up the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, towards St Giles’ Cathedral.
All four of the Queen's children - King Charles, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward - will walk behind the hearse - as will Princess Anne's husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
A car behind them will carry Camilla, the Queen Consort, and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward's wife.
Once the coffin has made its journey, they will enter the cathedral for a service that’s expected to last about an hour.
Mourners will then be permitted to view the Queen's coffin from around 17:00.
Image source, .
Procession of Queen's coffin about to beginpublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
The procession of Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin is about to begin. The coffin will be taken in a hearse from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh to St Giles’ Cathedral, where it will rest for 24 hours.
King Charles, the late monarch’s eldest child, will follow on foot. His three siblings will join him, along with Princess Anne's husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
The Queen's coffin will be flanked by the King’s Body Guard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers), a ceremonial military unit.
Crowds wait to watch processionpublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
Crowds are building up along Edinburgh's Royal Mile as people wait to watch the procession of the Queen's coffin to St Giles Cathedral.
Here's a selection of images from the scene:
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Getty Images
Guidance for the Queen's lying at rest in Edinburghpublished at 14:18 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
Image source, Reuters
Members of the public will be allowed to pay their respects to the Queen in St Giles' Cathedral - where her coffin will remain under continuous vigil for 24 hours - from 17:30 BST today.
The queue will start at George Square Lane/North Meadow Walk in The Meadows, where wristbands will be issued for entry to the cathedral.
The public have been warned the queue is likely to involve standing for a number of hours. Mourners are advised to bring their own food and drinks.
Toilets will be available and visitors will be able to leave the queue briefly to use the facilities.
Visitors will go through airport-style security checks to enter St Giles' at George IV Bridge.
Certain restrictions will apply on mobile phones, with photography and recording not permitted.
People in Edinburgh are being advised to plan ahead and avoid any non-essential travel through the city centre, particularly the Old Town.
Read more here.
Crowds along Royal Mile remarkably quietpublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
Sarah Smith
Reporting from Edinburgh
Image source, Getty Images
The crowd lining Edinburgh's Royal Mile, which is dozens of people deep in some places, is remarkably quiet.
Members of the public are gathering there to watch the procession of the Queen's coffin from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral.
You might expect such a large crowd to be boisterous. But many people are standing in quiet contemplation, thinking about what this moment means to them.
A lot of them are very dressed up as well to show their respects, as though they were attending a funeral themselves.
What happens next?published at 13:59 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, have taken part in the Ceremony of the Keys after flying to Edinburgh from London.
The monarch is now preparing for the next phase in today's busy schedule, which includes the procession of his mother's coffin.
- 14:25: Charles and his siblings will walk behind the Queen's coffin as it is taken along the Royal Mile to St Giles' Cathedral.
- 15:00: A service will take place at St Giles' Cathedral celebrating the life of the Queen and her connection to Scotland.
- 16:00: The Queen will lie at rest at St Giles' Cathedral for 24 hours, with members of the public able to pay their respects.
- 17:30: A motion of condolence, attended by the King, will be heard in the chamber of the Scottish Parliament. The King will respond.
- 19:20: The King and the Queen's other children will post a vigil around the coffin at St Giles' Cathedral.
- Read more about the day's proceedings here.
100-year-old gets royal telegram day after Queen's deathpublished at 13:50 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
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Watch: 100-year-old gets surprise royal telegram day after Queen's death
We've been sharing your tributes and memories of Queen Elizabeth II, and among them is the experience of Gwendolyn Hoare, who has just celebrated her 100th birthday.
She thought her chances of receiving a birthday card from Queen Elizabeth II were gone when the monarch died on 8 September. But to her surprise one came through the post on Friday, making her one of the last people to receive a card from the Queen.
Gwendolyn's niece said: "For decades she talked about receiving a telegram from the Queen and was devastated to hear the news... but her telegram arrived and she was ecstatic."
Edinburgh's streets provide an intimate backdroppublished at 13:41 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
It will be a relatively intimate procession when the Queen's coffin leaves Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse at 14:25 for the short journey to St Giles' Cathedral.
It will be a huge contrast to any procession which would take place, for example, along The Mall to Buckingham Palace in London.
The King and members of the Royal Family will follow the Queen's coffin in a procession along the Royal Mile.
The ancient route is cobbled in places and is a narrow thoroughfare, with very limited room on either pavement for the thousands of people who have gathered to pay their respects.
The procession will pass the Scottish Parliament which the Queen formally opened in 2004.
At 15:00 there will be a service at St Giles' Cathedral celebrating the life of the Queen and her connection to Scotland.
Ceremony of the Keys concludespublished at 13:34 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
The Ceremony of the Keys has ended.
The members of the Royal Family in attendance are now preparing for the procession of the Queen's coffin.
Stay with us as we bring you live updates on that.
Image source, PA Media
Ceremony of the Keys beginspublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 12 September 2022
Image source, PA Media
The Ceremony of the Keys is now under way, with King Charles III being given the ceremonial keys to the city of Edinburgh.
During the ceremony, the monarch is presented with the keys of the city of Edinburgh.
Image source, PA Media