His final journey has begun. The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II left Balmoral on Sunday, September 11, for a crossing of Scotland of nearly 300 kilometers, which ended in Edinburgh at the end of the afternoon. The late queen now rests at Holyrood Palace, the official residence of British monarchs in the Scottish capital. Here is the sequence of events announced by the royal family until the funeral, which will take place on September 19 at Westminster Abbey, in London (United Kingdom), at 11 a.m. (noon time in Paris).
Monday September 12
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are due to go to Parliament in London at 10 a.m. (11 a.m. in Paris) to receive condolences from the presidents of the two chambers. They will then fly to Edinburgh and travel first to Holyroodhouse.
A procession is planned to St. Giles Cathedral, which will be joined by the King and Queen Consort. The coffin will arrive there in the early afternoon for a religious ceremony scheduled for 3 p.m. (4 p.m. in Paris). The public will then be able to come and pray in front of the coffin, which will rest in the cathedral until Tuesday.
For the royal family, a funeral wake is scheduled for the evening. Previously, the king must go to the Scottish Parliament for a session of condolences.
Tuesday September 13
The king and queen consort are due to leave Edinburgh for Belfast on Tuesday, again to meet politicians there and receive condolences from the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The Queen’s coffin will leave St. Giles Cathedral for Edinburgh Airport in the late afternoon. At 6 p.m. (7 p.m. in Paris), he will fly to London accompanied by Princess Anne, and will spend the night at Buckingham Palace, in the Bow Room. (link in English). He will be welcomed on his arrival by King Charles III and members of the royal family.
Wednesday September 14
After prayers at the palace in the presence of the king, queen consort and members of the royal family, a procession will take place early Wednesday afternoon to bring the queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster. The King, Queen and Royal Family will join. The procession will notably pass through The Mall, Horse Guards, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard.
Big Ben’s famous bell will ring and cannons will be fired from Hyde Park. The Archbishop of Canterbury will lead a ceremony attended by the Royal Family. The Queen will then rest in Westminster Hall until the morning of the 19th on a catafalque draped in purple. The public will be able to come and gather there 23 hours a day. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected.
Friday September 16
King Charles III and the Queen Consort are scheduled to travel to Wales on Friday, completing their four-nation tour of the UK.
Monday, September 19
The Queen will be treated to a state funeral with expected dignitaries from around the world, including US President Joe Biden, and a television audience of millions around the world. A procession is also planned to transport the coffin to Westminster Abbey, before the ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. (noon in Paris).
The Queen will be buried privately in King George VI’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, an annex to the main chapel, St George’s Chapel. The coffin of her husband Prince Philip, who died in 2021, will be moved there to be placed by his side.