London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Mar 14, 2026

Queen Elizabeth II's cortege met by huge crowds in Edinburgh

Queen Elizabeth II's cortege met by huge crowds in Edinburgh

Queen Elizabeth II's coffin has been brought to Edinburgh following a six-hour journey from Balmoral.

Mourners lined the streets as the hearse travelled from Aberdeenshire to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where her coffin will rest overnight.

A respectful silence fell as people waited for the procession to pass by before they burst into polite applause and cheers.

Crowds also gathered to hear King Charles III proclaimed across the UK.

He will travel up to Scotland on Monday and will be joined by members of the Royal Family as he accompanies his mother's coffin to the cathedral in the Scottish city.

The Queen's cortege left her home at Balmoral at around 10:00 BST, winding through Aberdeen and Dundee among other villages and towns, on its way to Edinburgh.

Her coffin will lie under vigil in St Giles' Cathedral on Monday before heading to London ahead of her funeral on Monday 19 September.

In Ballater, Aberdeenshire, near Balmoral, flowers were thrown into the road ahead of the cortege by mourners.

Down the road in Aboyne, pipes played as a hush fell over the village and the procession passed by, with one voice saying "you're on your way now".

In a field near Aberdeen farmers paid tribute by lining up their tractors.

As the cortege drove through Edinburgh city centre silence fell before there was applause from the crowd that had gathered.

Thousands of people lined Edinburgh's Royal Mile, waiting sombrely to pay their respects.

There was applause from mourners as the Queen's cortege travelled through the city centre

People lined streets in cities, towns and villages as the sombre journey continued

Pallbearers carried the coffin into Holyroodhouse - the monarch's official Scottish residence


The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, travelled in the second car of the cortege on the 175-mile journey, accompanied by her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

She curtsied as her mother's coffin was carried into Holyroodhouse - the monarch's official residence in Scotland - where it will lie at rest in the throne room.

The Duke of York and Earl and Countess of Wessex, who were there to receive the coffin, also bowed and curtsied respectively, alongside palace staff.

The country is in a period of national mourning until after the Queen's funeral next Monday.

A series of constitutional and ceremonial events will take place over the coming days following her death aged 96 on Thursday.

Earlier at the start of the journey, six gamekeepers from her Balmoral estate placed the Queen's oak coffin into a hearse before she left Balmoral, her beloved private Scottish estate, for the final time.

The wreath on top of the coffin featured some of the Queen's favourite flowers, all cut from the estate - white heather, dahlias and sweet peas, phlox and pine fir.

When the cortege reached Ballater, Aberdeenshire - the closest village to Balmoral - flowers were thrown in the road by mourners, many of whom regard the Queen and the Royal Family as neighbours.


The coffin will remain under continuous vigil for 24 hours at St Giles' Cathedral, with the public able to pay their respects.

A service will be held at the cathedral in the evening.

The following day, Princess Anne will accompany her mother's coffin as it travels by plane from Edinburgh Airport back to Buckingham Palace, via RAF Northolt in north-west London.

Crowds watch the funeral cortege of the Queen travel over the Queensferry Bridge

The cortege's six-hour journey came to an end in Edinburgh


Among those in the crowds was Dillion Hay, who was visiting Edinburgh from Bangor in Northern Ireland, said he had a flight to catch later but had come to pay his respects while he could.

"I've actually found it emotional on behalf of my nanny, I rang her and she was in floods of tears," he said.

Linda McKichen, 60, arrived four hours early to see the cortege and said it was a "heart-breaking" occasion.

"It's like losing my mum. She's never not been in my life. This is a historic event, we'll certainly never have another queen like her," she said.

Meanwhile, in Windsor, thousands gathered in the town to pay tribute to the Queen.

Roads were closed, as floral tributes and cards continued to be placed outside the castle gates.

And in Green Park, near Buckingham Palace, thousands more floral tributes were placed in memory of the Queen.

Well-wishers view floral tributes to the Queen left in Green Park near Buckingham Palace


Crowds had also gathered to hear King Charles III officially proclaimed monarch in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

While he became king the moment his mother died, at a meeting of the Accession Council at St James's Palace on Saturday, he was formally confirmed in the role.

The proclamation has now been read in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as in other parts of England and in overseas territories.

Crowds gathered in the Royal Mile in Edinburgh for the proclamation


The King was cheered by hundreds of well-wishers as he travelled to Buckingham Palace from nearby Clarence House to carry out audiences with representatives of the Commonwealth.

There he met with the Commonwealth Secretary General Baroness Scotland - who publicly represents the association of 56 countries with historical ties to the UK.

King Charles met Baroness Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth secretary general, at Buckingham Palace


Later, the King hosted a reception for High Commissioners - ambassadors - from the 14 Commonwealth realms where he is also head of state, before meeting with the Dean of Windsor.

On Monday, he will visit Westminster Hall where both Houses of Parliament will express their condolences, before beginning his first trip around all four nations of the UK as monarch by flying to Scotland.

In his new role as Prince of Wales, Prince William spoke of his honour at being asked to serve the Welsh people in a call with First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford.


Watch: The Queen’s coffin travels from Balmoral to Edinburgh

Aerials show the Queen's last journey from Balmoral


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Middle East War Highlights Strategic Importance of Strong UK–Ireland Cooperation
Weak Growth Signals UK Economy Was Faltering Even Before Middle East Energy Shock
Marks & Spencer Tops UK Fashion Retail Rankings as Most Considered Brand
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Royal Navy to Acquire Twenty Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Autonomous Warfare Testing
Russia Summons British and French Envoys After Ukrainian Storm Shadow Strike on Strategic Facility
Starmer Confirms Britain Will Maintain Sanctions on Russia Despite U.S. Policy Shift
UK Moves to Refine AI Definition in Investment Security Reform
UK Economy Stalls in January as Growth Unexpectedly Falls to Zero
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Tesla Secures Approval to Supply Electricity Directly to Homes Across Britain
Prince William Delivers Tribute to Australia’s Naval Alliance Amid Renewed Royal Spotlight on the Country
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ May Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With Trump, UK Defence Secretary Warns
UK Sets April Deadline for Tech Platforms to Strengthen Online Protections for Children
Elon Musk Moves Into Britain’s Energy Market as Tesla Wins Licence to Supply Power
UK Watchdog Warns Fuel Retailers Against Profiteering Amid Iran War Price Surge
Report Claims Iran Used UK Charity Network to Expand Influence
United States and United Kingdom Establish Joint Standards for Counter-Drone Technology
Iran May Be Laying Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz, UK Warns Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
British Troops in Iraq Intercept Iranian Drones Targeting Coalition Base
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
Global Energy Agency Announces Record Release of 400 Million Barrels to Stabilize Oil Markets Amid Hormuz Disruption
British Airways Suspends UK Repatriation Flights as Middle East Travel Disruption Deepens
US Forces Prepare Ordnance at RAF Fairford as Strategic Bombers Deploy for Middle East Operations
Nigel Farage Faces Criticism After Saying Britain Should Stay Out of Iran War
Landmark UK Trial Begins Over Sony’s PlayStation Store Pricing
UK High Court Rejects Bid to Challenge Britain’s Chagos Islands Agreement With Mauritius
Finnish Duo Triumphs in England’s Annual Wife-Carrying Race, Winning a Barrel of Ale
How U.S. and UK National Security Strategies Are Reshaping the Global Business Landscape
Green Party Gains Momentum as Labour Shifts Toward the Political Centre
Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon Sets Sail for Eastern Mediterranean as Regional Tensions Rise
UK Homebuilder Persimmon Warns Iran Conflict Could Dent Property Buyer Confidence
Roman Abramovich Signals Legal Fight if UK Seeks to Seize Chelsea Sale Funds
×