William and Harry stand vigil with cousins at queen’s coffin By Reuters

By Kate Holton and Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) -Princes William and Harry stood vigil at both finish of the coffin of their grandmother Queen Elizabeth on Saturday, heads bowed as a line of mourners streamed previous the late monarch’s lying-in-state.

The 2 sons of King Charles, attired in army uniforms, stood in silence at a 15-minute vigil within the huge Westminster Corridor the place the coffin has been mendacity since Wednesday, draped within the Royal Normal and with the bejewelled Imperial State Crown on high.

William and Harry had been joined by their six cousins, together with Princess Beatrice and Eugenie who earlier paid tribute to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. The queen died on Sept. 8 at her summer season property within the Scottish highlands, aged 96.

“You had been our matriarch, our information, our loving hand on our backs main us by way of this world,” mentioned the sisters, daughters of Prince Andrew. “You taught us a lot and we are going to cherish these classes and reminiscences eternally. For now pricey grannie, all we need to say is thanks.”

A whole lot of hundreds of individuals have lined up for lengthy hours in a queue stretching alongside the River Thames, ready to file previous the coffin and honour the queen – a sworn statement to the love by which she was held.

The opposite cousins at Saturday’s vigil had been Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, the youngsters of Princess Anne, and Louise and James, the youngsters of Prince Edward.

Earlier on Saturday, Charles and his inheritor William shook palms and greeted well-wishers within the queue, asking folks how lengthy that they had been there and whether or not they had been heat sufficient.

To cheers of “hip, hip, hurrah” and shouts of “God save the King”, Charles and William spoke to mourners close to Lambeth Bridge, as they neared the tip of the large line to see the lying-in-state within the historic Westminster Corridor.

On Friday night time, Charles joined his three siblings – Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward – in a silent vigil on the coffin.

“She would not imagine all this, she actually would not,” William was heard telling one man of the late queen, who got here to the throne in 1952.”It is wonderful.”

One girl informed Charles it had been “well worth the wait” and others wished him properly and cheered as he moved down the road.

Forward of the state funeral https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/plans-queen-elizabeths-state-funeral-2022-09-15 at Westminster Abbey on Monday, world leaders additionally beginning arriving within the British capital.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had been among the many dignitaries to pay their respects on Saturday whereas New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was seen curtsying to the coffin on Friday.

U.S. President Joe Biden was anticipated to go to the lying-in-state on Sunday.

On Saturday, Charles met leaders of the 14 nations the place he’s head of state corresponding to Canada, Australia, and Jamaica after assembly the governors-general – the individuals who characterize the monarch in abroad realms – at Buckingham Palace.

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London’s police pressure has described the funeral as the largest safety operation it has ever undertaken as prime ministers, presidents and royals come collectively and big crowds throng the streets. The king visited police headquarters on Saturday to thank emergency providers staff concerned within the planning.

Underscoring the dangers, police mentioned one man had been detained and arrested after a witness informed Sky Information he “ran as much as the queen’s coffin”. Footage confirmed a person being pinned to the bottom by cops and brought away.

By 5 p.m. (1600 GMT), Britain’s tradition ministry mentioned the ready time to achieve the lying-in-state was as much as 11 hours.

Contained in the silent corridor, some mourners wept, many had been tearful whereas present troopers and veterans saluted their former commander-in-chief. Others within the line fell to their knees.

New friendships, acts of kindness and the struggles of standing in line for hours, typically within the chilly in a single day, have come to outline what has turn into often called simply “the queue”.

Movie-maker Matthew West described how a army man was supplied the possibility to get to the entrance however declined. “That was the spotlight. The lowlight was after we stood nonetheless for 2 hours and I misplaced the need to dwell.”

There was an outpouring of emotion throughout the nation and 10 days of choreographed occasions because the queen died at Balmoral in Scotland. Her coffin was at first laid at relaxation in Edinburgh earlier than being flown south to London.

The queen’s kids have described being overwhelmed by the response to their mom’s dying.

The state funeral, to be attended https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/world-leaders-come-london-queen-elizabeths-funeral-2022-09-12/https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/world-leaders-come-london-queen-elizabeths-funeral-2022-09-12 by practically 100 presidents and heads of presidency, is prone to be one of many greatest ceremonial occasions ever held in Britain.

Troopers took half in early morning rehearsals in Windsor, the place the queen’s coffin can be taken after the funeral at Westminster Abbey. Marching bands enjoying music and Grenadier Guards, who put on a tall bearskin hat on ceremonial duties, had been seen marching down the Excessive Avenue in preparation.

Liz Kelshall from Leatherhead, southern England, mentioned she had introduced her two kids to Windsor so they might always remember the queen. “It is actually essential for them to develop up and bear in mind this and it is essential for us as a household to come back and present some respect for an incredible girl,” she mentioned.