Queen Elizabeth II: The NI people among the crowds in Edinburgh

There are big crowds on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh

Crowds gathered in Edinburgh on Sunday as King Charles III was proclaimed monarch ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin arriving in the city.

Among them were people from Northern Ireland who wanted to pay their respects to the Queen.

When the funeral cortege reached Edinburgh Castle it travelled down the Royal Mile to the the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Officials they said they expected the event to be "of unprecedented scale".

Grace Cubitt, who is from Northern Ireland but has lived in Edinburgh for five years, said she had come on behalf of her family.

Northern Ireland woman Grace Cubitt is among thousands lining the streets of Edinburgh in anticipation of the arrival of the Queen's hearse

"We got here early, so we're just going to hold our spot for the next few hours so that we can pay our respects," she said.

Dillon Hay, from Bangor, County Down, was on holiday in Scotland with friends when he learned of the Queen's death.

"I've a flight to catch later, but we had to come and pay our respects while we were here," he said.

"I've actually found it emotional on behalf of my nanny. I rang her and she was in floods of tears."

DIllon Hay from Bangor, County Down, is on holiday in Scotland

"It's an awful loss. You can see the city is absolutely packed with people who have been affected."

Another Northern Ireland man, Ian Upritchard, said it was "part of history being here".

He was visiting friends in the city and decided he wanted to be there to pay his respects ahead of the Queen's coffin arriving.

"We went to Holyrood Palace and saw all the floral tributes. It was pretty special," he said.

Ian Upritchard said the occasion felt "unreal"

"It feels unreal to be here, I never dreamt that I'd be present for the Queen's last journey."

The funeral procession entered from the west of the city, skirt by Edinburgh Castle and travelled the full length of the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarch's official residence in Scotland.

On Monday, the Queen's coffin will be brought to St Giles' Cathedral in the city and members of the public will have a 24 hour window to file past and pay their respects.

A service will be held at the cathedral in the evening.

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