Britons rush to Edinburgh to bid farewell to the Queen

Tens of hundreds of Britons throng Tuesday to hope in entrance of the coffin of Elizabeth II in Edinburgh earlier than her switch to London. There are making ready a grandiose farewell to the sovereign with file longevity within the historical past of the UK.

For a number of hours, hundreds of nameless individuals have been gathering, bowing, curtsying, signing themselves or wiping away a tear in entrance of the oak coffin which rests within the cathedral of the Scottish capital.

Positioned on a platform and coated with the yellow, pink and navy blue customary of Scotland, a wreath of white flowers and the stable gold crown of Scotland positioned above, the coffin remained accessible all through the night time on the inhabitants, guarded by 4 royal archers positioned round it, and guarded by a large twine which retains the general public at a distance of a number of meters.

The general public presentation was not interrupted when King Charles III and his three siblings, Princes Andrew and Edward, and Princess Anne, got here within the night with Queen Consort Camilla to watch a wake.

The kids of Elizabeth II thus stood all 4 with their backs to the coffin for ten minutes, earlier than leaving the cathedral to the applause of the gang. Throughout this brief second of meditation by the royal household, the stream of holiday makers, in absolute silence, didn’t cease.

Royal and nameless tribute

Britons – and foreigners – who turned out in droves to pay their respects to the Queen in individual, needed to look forward to hours to obtain a sticker bracelet permitting them to enter the cathedral.

The physique of Elizabeth II, who reigned for 70 years and is greater than a well-recognized presence to her individuals, had till Monday night been refrained from most of the people: first at Balmoral Citadel, within the north of Scotland, the place the monarch died Thursday on the age of 96, then on the royal palace of Holyroodhouse.

Standard determine, rock of stability within the storm typically political, social or well being (in the course of the Covid-19), the queen was a reassuring picture for thousands and thousands of Britons throughout all these many years on the throne.

‘She was every part to us. She was our queen, and that is royalism. One of many issues the queen has at all times introduced us is this sense of safety,” commented Marina Reid, 54, interviewed by AFP in Belfast, Northern Eire. ‘She’s all I’ve identified, all of the nation has ever identified. All of us really feel like we all know her personally,” mentioned Joanne Sales space, a 36-year-old orthodontist from Eire.

Republican wishes

It’s in Belfast that Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are to go on Tuesday to fulfill politicians and obtain condolences in a context of renewed group tensions since Brexit on this province with a bloody previous.

On Monday, he started a tour of the 4 constituent nations of the UK, first with the British Parliament in London, then that of Edinburgh, earlier than Cardiff, in Wales, on Friday. In entrance of the Home of Lords and the Home of Commons in London, he spoke of his mom on Monday, utilizing the phrases of Shakespeare saying that she was “a mannequin for all residing princes”, which he mentioned was “resolved to comply with faithfully.

The 73-year-old new king, older than all British sovereigns once they ascended to the throne, is settling into his new function at a essential second: the nation, within the grip of a critical social and political disaster, has a brand new Prime Minister only some days in the past. Her mom has at all times been flawlessly impartial, forcing herself by no means to talk publicly about her opinions.

The king will most likely should face the claims of a few of his 14 different kingdoms (together with particularly Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, New Zealand and even Jamaica) which might declare a brand new regime, pushed by republican wishes to favor of this alteration of sovereign.

Final cease earlier than London

Elizabeth II, in the meantime, started her final journey on Sunday. The Queen’s physique has thus reached the third stage of its journey: after leaving Balmoral, a fort that Elizabeth II liked and the place she died, she stayed one night time on the royal palace of Holyroodhouse, the official royal residence of the ruler in Scotland, then joined St. Giles Cathedral.

On Tuesday afternoon, the coffin will go away the cathedral for Edinburgh Airport the place it’s going to board a royal airplane for London, escorted by Princess Anne. He might be greeted on his arrival by King Charles and different members of the royal household.

He’ll spend the night time at Buckingham Palace, within the Bow Room. Then will start the second a part of presentation to the general public, London this time, which ought to see lots of of hundreds of individuals parade for rather less than 5 days 24 hours a day.

Two days earlier than the opening to the general public, the primary settled Monday on the head of a line which might attain eight kilometers, famous an AFP journalist. The Queen’s state funeral will happen on Monday attended by some 500 international dignitaries and plenty of topped heads.

/ATS