Queen Elizabeth

Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Queen Elizabeth II on the world stage across the decades

How Britain's longest-reigning monarch championed her beloved Commonwealth, met more American presidents than anyone else in history, projected British soft power across the globe and became a global megastar

 
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Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Incredibly, this will be the first funeral of a monarch to take place at Westminster Abbey since that of King George II in 1760. He was also the last monarch to be buried there, although a total of 30 monarchs are buried in that ancient building.

Every English and then British monarch bar Edward V and Edward VIII (who were never crowned) have had their coronations at Westminster Abbey and that will almost certainly include King Charles III, whenever that will be. King Henry III was crowned in Gloucester in 1216 because the French Prince Louis had taken over London but Pope Honorious III deemed it improper so he was eventually crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1220.
 
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Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Queen Elizabeth II is the first British monarch to die in Scotland, and she is the first monarch to die in Scotland since King of Scots James V, who died aged 30 at Falkland Palace in Fife in 1542 (he was the nephew of the English King Henry VIIII, who died five years later).
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Another moment in the history of Westminster Hall​


Chris Mason
Political editor

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The new King makes his first trip to Parliament today as Sovereign.

And what a spot he is heading to.The oldest part of the Palace of Westminster: Westminster Hall.

I will be commentating as part of a special programme on Radio 4 at 10am marking the ceremony, and so I’m lucky enough to have a ticket.

It is a spectacular building, often forgotten about beyond Westminster, as it’s not regularly televised in the way both the Commons and the Lords are.

It hosted Henry VIII's Coronation Banquet and the trial of Guy Fawkes.

It's hosted addresses by France's war-time leader Charles de Gaulle and Nelson Mandela.

This then, today, is just the latest moment of note in Westminster Hall, since it was built in 1097.

This morning, it is the latest staging post in the choreography of constitutional ritual.

Around 900 MPs and members of the House of Lords are expected.

They'll witness the processions, a trumpet fanfare, the National Anthem - and the speakers of both Houses of Parliament, Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Lord McFall, addressing and offering condolences to the King and the Queen Consort.

They'll also pledge loyalty to the new Sovereign.

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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A distinctly Scottish moment for the King​

Jonny Dymond
BBC royal correspondent

There will be a lot of ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, but it will also be a deeply personal moment for the King, and for his brothers and sister as they all walk behind the Queen's coffin to St Giles' Cathedral.

It will be a parallel to what happens later in the week in London, when the coffin will move from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

It will be a time for people to see the Queen's coffin and to see the new King in the flesh.

It's a dual role for the King - looking back with respect and in mourning, but it is also part of the establishment of himself as the new King here in Scotland.

It is a distinctly Scottish moment. The Royal Mile, with the Palace of Holyroodhouse at one end and Edinburgh Castle at the other, is an extraordinary place. It's not like the grand boulevard of ceremonial London, it's more intimate than that.

And let's not forget, it is the crown of Scotland that will be laying upon the coffin of the Queen in St Giles' Cathedral.

This is going to be a very long day for the King, and a very important one too.

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Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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What's happening today?​

Good morning. If you're just joining us, here's what's happening today:
  • This morning, King Charles III will visit Westminster Hall, where both the House of Commons and the House of Lords will meet to express their condolences
  • The King and Camilla, Queen Consort, will then fly to Edinburgh, where he will walk behind the Queen's coffin from Edinburgh's Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral
  • A service to celebrate the Queen's life will be follow at 15:00, then members of the public will be able to view the coffin which will lie at rest for 24 hours
  • Later he will have an audience with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, then attend the Scottish Parliament where members will deliver a motion of condolence
  • In the evening, King Charles will hold a vigil with other members of the Royal Family at St Giles' Cathedral
 
Blackleaf

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Tears and hugs as mourners file past Queen's coffin​

A stream of mourners has been queueing in the late summer sunshine to enter St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, where the Queen's coffin lies at rest.

They collected wristbands about a mile away at a station in The Meadows park earlier on, before queueing through the main University of Edinburgh area of the city to reach the cathedral.

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Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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The Queen's children take their places​

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King Charles III (far right), Princess Anne (centre), Prince Andrew (far left) and Prince Edward (back centre) - the Queen's four children - stand guard around her coffin

As we reported earlier, the Queen's four children are performing the traditional Vigil of the Princes around the coffin of their late mother at St Giles' Cathedral.

The symbolic move sees four people - in this case King Charles III, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward - position themselves at each side of the coffin to stand guard for a short time.

The Princess Royal's appearance makes her the first woman to be part of the vigil, which has until now been carried out by male-only members of the Royal Family.

When the Queen Mother died, her four grandsons carried out the duty - Charles, Andrew, Edward and David Armstrong-Jones, Princess Margaret's only son.

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward stand vigil​

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Members of the public file past as the Queen's children stand is silence alongside their mother's coffin

After a poignant 10 minutes, the vigil has now come to an end, with the Royal Family returning to their cars to applause from the crowd outside the cathedral.

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All four of the Queen's children - including King Charles III - stood around her coffin in Edinburgh

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The Princess Royal is the first woman to take part in the Vigil of the Princes

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The Duke of York, Prince Andrew, closes his eyes during the vigil

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The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, stands beside his mother's coffin

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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King Charles III addresses Parliament

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King Charles and the Queen Consort arrive at Westminster Hall this morning to address both Houses of Parliament.

In the speech, he quoted William Shakespeare in a tribute to his late mother, saying: "As Shakespeare said of the earlier Queen Elizabeth, she was a pattern to all princes living."

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Dixie Cup said:
They both look so uncomfortable!!
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I don't see that. They both seemed quite confident and regal to me. The King is 74 on 14th November and he's spent his entire life in the public eye and has spent decades making public speeches, so this isn't new to him.
 
T

The_Foxer

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Blackleaf said:
I don't see that. They both seemed quite confident and regal to me. The King is 74 on 14th November and he's spent his entire life in the public eye and has spent decades making public speeches, so this isn't new to him.
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Stoic IS uncomfortable for Canadians. :)
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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The_Foxer said:
Stoic IS uncomfortable for Canadians. :)
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You also have to remember that Charles has just lost his mother so he's in the darkest stages of grief right now so that would make him seem not quite his normal self. He's having to go about his monarchical affairs whilst grieving for his beloved mother. Many people have time off work when grieving but Charles is having to start his new job.

Also, Charles has admitted in the past that he doesn't want to be King but recognises that he has to be it according to how our hereditary constitutional monarchy works.

So he's now taken up a position he doesn't really want whilst grieving the loss of his mother.
 
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