Thousands of people wait in long queues outside St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, to bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II. In the evening the coffin is transferred to London.
Mourners from Scotland and the UK have already queued for miles into the night to say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022). They want to pay their last respects to the closed casket which has been kept at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh. As the “Mail Online” further reportsDozens had also traveled from London, believing it would be easier to see the Queen in Scotland as 30-hour queues were predicted in the English capital.
“I was surprised how much the news affected me”
A heartbroken Londoner told a British newspaper she made the nearly 1,300km journey because she felt “strange” without Her Majesty. The coffin scene is “surreal” and “one of the most emotional moments of my life”.
A man who joined his stepdaughter at the back of the queue at 2:30 explained: “We wanted to say goodbye to the boss. I’m in the army, I work on submarines. I was shocked by the news.” Mara. I didn’t know her personally, but I had met her as a kid. It impressed me so much, it was quite shocking.
A couple queuing after 3am said: “We tried queuing all night to avoid the crowds – to no avail”.
Thousands of people arrived at the coffin on Monday evening as the new King Charles III. (73) and his three siblings stood with their heads bowed in silent devotion around Her Majesty’s oak casket (the “Prince’s Vigil” ceremony).
The coffin is taken to London in the evening
The Queen, who died on Thursday (8/9) at her Scottish country home, Balmoral Castle, is staying in the Scottish capital until her coffin is moved from Edinburgh Airport to London at 6pm on Tuesday. The funeral will take place on Monday 19 September at Westminster Abbey.
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