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Wake for Queen Elizabeth II: Her four children stood by the monarch's coffin on Monday evening – Princess Anne (left), King Charles III.
(centre), Prince Edward (right) and Prince Andrew
Photo:
Jane Barlow / dpa
It was a moving moment.
Queen Elizabeth II's four children gathered in Edinburgh on Monday evening.
Together they came to St. Giles Cathedral, where the coffin of the late monarch is laid out.
King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward stood on the four sides of the closed coffin.
The siblings stood there in silence, heads bowed, for about ten minutes.
Images of the wake went around the world.
As the Queen's four children stood by the coffin, mourners continued to pour into the cathedral.
The coffin was guarded by four members of the Scottish Royal Guard and a dozen police officers.
Before that, a silent funeral procession with King Charles III.
pulled through the Scottish capital at the head.
The 73-year-old, along with his siblings, followed the wagon carrying the coffin the short distance from the royal residence of Holyroodhouse to the cathedral.
The procession was accompanied by cannon shots fired every minute from Edinburgh Castle.
The members of the royal family wore black military uniforms - with the exception of Prince Andrew.
He appeared in a suit.
Because of his connection to the now deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations of abuse, he had to give up his military titles.
The Queen died Thursday at Balmoral Castle in the Highlands, aged 96.
Charles was officially proclaimed Britain's new king after the death of his mother on Saturday.
On Monday, the public in Scotland was able to say goodbye to the coffin of the deceased for the first time.
Thousands of people paid their last respects to the monarch, sometimes queuing for several hours.
Television images showed grieving people bursting into tears.
The cathedral should stay open all night.
The Queen's coffin has been laid out in St. Giles Cathedral for around 24 hours.
The Queen's remains will be flown from Edinburgh to London on Tuesday.
The Royal Air Force plane is scheduled to land at 7:55 p.m.
The coffin is then driven by car to Buckingham Palace, where it will remain overnight.
From Wednesday he will be laid out in Westminster Hall for four days.
Around 500 heads of state from all over the world are expected to attend the Queen's funeral next Monday.
The Queen is finally buried in St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
aar/AFP
