Four days after the death of Elizabeth II at her Scottish residence in Balmoral, the United Kingdom still lives to the rhythm of tributes. After crossing Scotland under the eyes of tens of thousands of people on Sunday, the queen’s coffin will be exhibited this Tuesday in Edinburgh, at the end of a procession headed by Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla. Before joining the Scottish capital, the new king received condolences from the Speakers of the House of Lords and the House of Commons in the British Parliament in London.
King’s first address to Parliament
“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,” declared the sovereign in a short speech. Elizabeth II was “an example of devotion which, with God’s help and your guidance, I am determined to follow faithfully”, he added.
Charles III, 73, takes up residence as monarch with the daunting task of succeeding his very popular mother amid severe social crisis and divisions in the UK, but also protests against the colonialist past in his 14 other kingdoms.
Procession
The coffin left the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the royal residence where it spent the night after being transported from Balmoral on Sunday, to reach Saint-Gilles Cathedral. During the procession, the king and queen consort both walked behind the hearse, while the other royals followed in carriages. A religious ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. French time. The crown of Scotland, in solid gold, must be placed on the coffin on this occasion.
The Queen’s remains, a symbol of stability during decades of upheaval, will then be put on public display in the cathedral before being repatriated to London on Wednesday. It will again be on public display 24 hours a day, enclosed, draped in the royal standard, on a dais at the Palace of Westminster from Wednesday evening.
Long queues – which could reach eight kilometers – are expected while 750,000 people could attempt to view the coffin, according to The Times newspaper. The remains of Elizabeth II will remain in Parliament for five days before the state funeral. Some 500 foreign dignitaries are expected including US President Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, as well as many crowned heads.
The day before the event, on Sunday, the public will be called upon to mark a minute of silence at 8 p.m. (9 p.m. French time), Downing Street said, “a moment of reflection” in memory of the sovereign with unequaled longevity in the history of the United Kingdom.