Queen’s coffin arrives at Buckingham Palace as crowds gather

Tens of 1000's collect in London to pay tribute to the UK’s longest-reigning monarch.

Seen from the highest of the Wellington Arch, the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is taken within the royal hearse to Buckingham Palace in London [Marco Bertorello/AFP]

King Charles and members of the royal household have obtained the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, after crowds lined the streets in heavy rain to mark its arrival within the British capital.

In a gradual procession on Tuesday, the specially-lit hearse handed via London’s streets to permit tens of 1000's of individuals to see the coffin passing by. Elizabeth died peacefully on the age of 96 on Thursday in her vacation dwelling at Balmoral Fortress within the Scottish Highlands, plunging the nation into mourning for a monarch who had reigned for 70 years.

Al Jazeera’s Neave Barker, reporting from London, stated it was “a deeply historic second”.

On Wednesday, the queen’s coffin will likely be taken on a gun carriage to Westminster Corridor the place a interval of mendacity in state will start till the funeral on Monday.

Members of the general public will likely be allowed to pay respect and stroll previous the coffin for twenty-four hours a day till the morning of the funeral, which will likely be attended by dozens of world leaders, together with US President Joe Biden. The invitation has not been prolonged to the leaders of Russia, Belarus and Myanmar, Barker reported.

Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, who was seen as a rock of stability throughout a lot of a turbulent century, died on Thursday after 70 years on the throne. She was 96 [Vadim Ghirda/AP]

Earlier than reaching London, the coffin was flown from Scotland in a Royal Air Drive airplane after mendacity at relaxation in St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh in a single day. About 33,000 individuals had filed previous the coffin via the evening within the Scottish capital to pay their respects.

Earlier on Tuesday, Charles visited Northern Eire to guide mourning for the queen there. Political leaders in Belfast paid tribute to his mom’s efforts in the direction of reconciliation between the divided communities of the British-run province and urged him to comply with her instance. He then returned to London because the coffin was flown south.

Seen from the highest of the Wellington Arch, the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is taken within the Royal Hearse to Buckingham Palace in London [Marco Bertorello/Reuters]

Tens of 1000's of individuals had turned out to watch the procession of the coffin alongside Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile on Monday after it was introduced from Balmoral. On Monday evening, Charles, his sister Anne and brothers Andrew and Edward attended a silent vigil on the cathedral.

The coffin was taken from St Giles on Tuesday afternoon and brought by hearse to Edinburgh airport, with teams of individuals standing in silence by the roadside. It was accompanied by Princess Anne.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her remaining journeys,” Anne stated in a press release. “Witnessing the love and respect proven by so many on these journeys has been each humbling and uplifting.”

A celebration of bearers from the Royal Air Drive carried the coffin onto the transporter airplane. A kilted honour guard from the Royal Regiment of Scotland stood with mounted bayonets as a regimental band performed the nationwide anthem because the plane started to taxi. With that, Scotland bade farewell to the queen.