King Charles III led his siblings and senior Royal Family members in walking behind the Queen’s coffin as it made its way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall this afternoon.
His Majesty walked behind the gun carriage bearing his beloved mother’s casket as he was flanked by Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
Behind them, Prince William walked in military uniform alongside his brother Prince Harry and cousin Peter Phillips – the son of Princess Anne.
As expected, neither Harry nor Prince Andrew were wearing military uniform and were instead in morning suits.
Following them was Princess Margaret’s widow the Earl of Snowdon, the Duke of Gloucester – who is the Queen’s first cousin – and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the husband of Princess Anne.
Also forming part of the procession were loyal members of the late Queen’s staff, including two of the Queen’s Pages and the Palace Steward, who walked directly in front of the coffin.
The Pall Bearers were 10 former and serving armed forces equerries to Elizabeth II, who were at her side in uniform throughout her reign, supporting her at engagements and organising her public diary.
Other devoted members of the Queen’s household who processed included her top aide, private secretary Sir Edward Young.
There too was the Master of the Household at Buckingham Palace, Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt.
King Charles III led his siblings and senior Royal Family members in walking behind the Queen’s coffin as it made its way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall this afternoon. Above: 1. King Charles 2. Princess Anne 3. Prince Andrew 4. Prince Edward 5. Peter Philips 6. Prince Harry 7. Prince William 8. Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence 9. Duke of Gloucester 10. Earl of Snowdon
Left to right: Prince William, Prince of Wales, King Charles III, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Princess Anne, Princess Royal and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex walk behind the coffin
Pulled on a gun carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the Queen’s coffin was draped with a Royal Standard and adorned with the priceless, glittering Imperial State Crown.
Taking the lead was the pomp and pageantry of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and military bands.
Thousands of mourners flocked to see the moving sight of the Queen departing the official residence where she spent so much of her working life at the heart of the nation, with viewing areas declared full ahead of the procession starting.
The Queen had arrived at her former home on Tuesday evening in gloom and rain but for her departure from the palace the weather was bright and warm.
The Queen’s coffin was transported on the George Gun Carriage, which carried King George VI’s coffin from Sandringham Church to Wolferton Station in February 1952 and was used during the funeral of the Queen Mother in 2002.
The journey from the palace to the ancient Westminster Hall, where King Charles I was tried, is expected to take 38 minutes – passing landmarks the Queen knew well like Horse Guards Parade, the Cenotaph and Downing Street.
Accompanied by her family, the Queen is effectively being handed over to the the nation for her lying in state over four days ahead of the state funeral on Monday.
The bearer party who will carry the Queen’s coffin into Westminster Hall and provide an escort are soldiers who were flown back from Iraq to take part in the procession, because of their unique association with the monarch.
The Guardsmen are from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards whose Company Commander is the Queen, and although a senior officer took day-to-day control, the former sovereign’s connection with her men was strong.
The Queen’s coffin was flanked by her equerries – military men who had served the monarch by organising her diary of events and providing a helping hand when the monarch was handed a present.
Left to right: King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, The Earl of Snowdon, the Earl of Wessex, the Duke of Sussex, The Duke of Gloucester and Peter Phillips follow the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown placed on top
Members of the Royal Family (left to right), Earl of Snowden, the Prince of Wales, King Charles III, the Duke of Gloucester, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Sussex, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of York and Peter Phillips, follow the coffin of the Queen
2.22pm: The gun carriage bearing the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II departs Buckingham Palace, transferring the coffin to The Palace of Westminster
Members of the public line the Queen Victoria Memorial and the Mall as King Charles III and members of the royal family walk with Queen Elizabeth II’s flag-draped coffin as it is taken in procession on a Gun Carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
Flanking them were the Grenadier Guardsmen who have their special tie with the late monarch.
In bright summer sunshine, funeral marches played by military bands added to the solemn mood that left some mourners weeping, while others held up their camera phones to record the historic moment.
The King looked expressionless as he stared straight ahead with his siblings to his left, who also showed no emotion.
The procession of the coffin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth enters the Houses of Parliament for her lying in state
Harry and William had walked behind the coffin of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales during her funeral in 1997 and Harry later said “I don’t think any child should be asked to do that”.
But now a father-of-two it was a fitting public gesture for his grandmother the late Queen.
The Queen Consort and Princess of Wales did not join the procession but left for Westminster Palace by car, followed by another vehicle carrying the Duchess of Sussex and Countess of Wessex.
From 5pm mourners will be able to file past the coffin to pay their respects to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch with an estimated 1million people expected to queue for up to 30 hours to see her before the state funeral on Monday.
During the service, the senior royals stood in formation facing the coffin on its purple-covered catafalque, which was flanked with a tall, yellow flickering candle at each corner of the wide scarlet platform.
The King and Queen Consort stood together a metre or so apart, with the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence behind them, then the Duke of York alone, and in the next row the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Behind them were the Prince and Princess of Wales, with the Duke of Sussex behind William, and the Duchess of Sussex directly behind Kate. The Cross of Westminster was placed at the head of the coffin.
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