Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - Queen Elizabeth's body was laid to rest for 24 hours in Edinburgh's historic cathedral, where her...
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| Image: Reuters |
Charles was joined at the 10-minute vigil on Monday at St. Giles' Cathedral by his sister Anne and brothers Andrew and Edward. They stood with their heads bowed at the four sides of the coffin as people walked by to pay their respects.
Earlier in the day, when soldiers in kilts carried the casket, the only sound was a lament on the bagpipes. When the four royals left the vigil in the dark, people on the street applauded.
Frances Thain, who is 63 years old, said that when she walked into the cathedral, she was surprised to see the queen's four children. "There was so much to take in that I was just overwhelmed," she said.
People waited in line all night to pay their respects. Some came with children who were already asleep, and many wore winter coats, scarves, and woollen hats to keep warm.
Will Brehme, an engineer from Edinburgh, said, "We were desperate to be here to pay our respects." He came with his partner and their 20-month-old daughter, who was sleeping in a baby carrier, in the early hours of the morning.
"It's a moment we'll never forget. Considering how hard she worked for us all her life, it was the least we could do."
Elizabeth died on Thursday at her vacation home, Balmoral Castle, in the Scottish Highlands. She was 96 years old and had been queen for 70 years. Her death sent the whole country into a state of mourning. On Sept. 19, she will be buried.
KING VISITS NORTHERN IRELAND
Charles, who is 73 years old and automatically became king of the UK and 14 other realms, such as Australia, Canada, and Jamaica, is travelling to all four parts of the UK before the funeral. On Tuesday, he will go to Northern Ireland.
Before going back to London, he will meet with senior politicians and religious leaders in Belfast and attend a service at the city's St. Anne's Cathedral.
Tens of thousands of people came out to mourn in Scotland, where huge crowds started gathering early in the morning to watch the funeral processions along the historic Royal Mile. A huge number of people have left flowers and notes in royal parks in London.
The queen's coffin will leave Scotland for the first time since she died when it is flown to London in the early evening and driven to Buckingham Palace.
On Wednesday, it will be taken to Westminster Hall on a gun carriage as part of a big military parade. There, it will lie in state until September 19.
People will be able to walk past the coffin, which will be covered by the Royal Standard flag and topped with the sovereign's Orb and Sceptre, 24 hours a day until the morning of the funeral.
The death of Britain's longest-ruling monarch has brought tears and warm tributes, not just from the queen's close family and all over Britain, but also from all over the world, which shows how long she was a part of the world stage.
