It looked like a medieval scene except for the cameras and phones. Edinburgh and its old stones green with moss paid homage to the body of Queen Elizabeth II during a first burning chapel on Monday.
Thousands of people gathered on both sides of the narrow central street of the Scottish capital to witness the transfer of the coffin of Elizabeth II from her royal residence to St. minutes on foot.
King Charles III in military uniform, surrounded by his siblings, led the march. The Royal Company of Archers – the ceremonial bodyguards – accompanied them. The crowd remained silent around the funeral procession. A young man insulted one of the queen’s sons, Andrew, accused of sexual assault. “Sick old man”, he had time to shout before being expelled manu militari.
A heavy silence took hold of the square in front of St-Gilles Cathedral when the profile of the hearse appeared. A cold wind also gripped the audience. Only the clicking of cameras marred the atmosphere.
The queen’s body then entered the place, gently. The crown of Scotland and the royal heraldry were placed on the coffin of oak and lead. The funeral service lasted barely an hour before the dignitaries left the place.
It was then up to the public to be able to circulate in front of the remains placed in a coffin. The wait promised to be long, while thousands of people want to pay tribute to their former monarch. This first burning chapel must last 24 hours. A second is to be held in London from Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected.
A few hours before this ceremony, Monday morning, King Charles III made his first speech to the British Parliament as head of state. Emphasizing the “selfless duty” of his mother in which he wished to enroll, he underlined the historical nature of all this protocol. “As I stand before you today, I cannot help but feel the weight of history that surrounds us and reminds us of the vital parliamentary traditions to which Members of both Houses are dedicated,” he said. particularly stated.
The bereaved European family
Europeans from all over the world, mainly visiting the United Kingdom for holidays, made the detour to the Scottish capital on Monday to witness this historic moment.
“I am a royalist, so I had to come and pay homage to this queen,” says Marie Desjardins, who came from Belgium. “There are also family ties between the British royal family and royalty in Belgium. And then, Queen Elizabeth II came to our house when our king, King Baudouin, died. [en 1993]. »
” There is nothing to do. That’s the story, ”adds her spouse of Italian origins, Gestion Farris.
Germans, Ukrainians and French people met shared this feeling of respect for the deceased.
“She was very popular. She is much more loved than our own king and his scandals, ”says the Spaniard Maria Peorio.
“We don’t care a bit [de la monarchie]. We do our business in our corner, ”dropped a Swiss, barely joking.
The Quebecers met in Edinburgh did not have so much respect for the crown, but especially for the personality of the queen. The event still appears as the attraction of the year in the country. “We don’t really share this attachment with royalty like in the rest of Canada. It’s a bit like when, during the referendum, we said we didn’t want to lose the Rockies. It’s all well and good, but we don’t really understand its role, ”says Montrealer David Leclair, passing through Great Britain for the holidays. “She’s kind of like a mascot. »