The people of Ballater who described The Queen as their 'neighbour' watched in silence as she passed through their town for the last time. The Queen, who died on Thursday at the age of 96, was deeply beloved by the community and others like it in Royal Deeside.
Locals stood in silence as the coffin left Balmoral and turned onto the main road leading east, through many of the towns where her family were a frequent sight in the summer months.
Some bowed their heads, bearing flowers and roses. Others openly wept as the cortege passed through the town, which has a unique affinity with the Royals. One man on the road held a sign simply reading: "Thank you."
Fettercairn family Lisa Gibbons-Wood, her husband David and their son Guy, were among those who came out to line the route and to say a final farewell to the Queen.
They watched silently as the cortege, accompanied by several police motorcycles, passed by, the hearse bearing the coffin leading the way. The Royal Standard was draped over the coffin, and a wreath delicately placed on top.
Lisa, 48, said: "We wanted to pay our respects to someone who was the figurehead for the UK for such a long time. It was strange, almost, to see the coffin go by. We went to London last year and had hoped to see the Queen - today was our final chance to see her, in a way."
David, 49, said: "It's so nice that she is going on this final journey across Scotland by car, passing by so many places. It's a nice opportunity for people to turn out and say goodbye."
For young Guy, 13, the occasion was more about looking forward, rather than reflecting on the 70 year reign of Her Majesty.
He said: "I always saw her as the figurehead of the nation - it's almost going to be a bit weird and a big change to start addressing the King. The 50 pence coin is going to change.
"I don't think I realise how big a moment this is. I think I will look back in ten years and think, what a big moment that was here and for the country."
A squadron of soldiers who observed the coffin passing through Ballater say they are in mourning - not only for the Queen as a monarch, but the woman to whom they swore an undying oath of loyalty and duty.
Private John Forsyth, 53, who stays near Birkhall on the edge of Balmoral estate, said: "We swore an allegiance to the Queen - she served all her life, and it has been quite hard to deal with the fact she has now left Deeside for the last time. It's a great loss.
"We all had our stories from seeing them, whether it was walking on the hills by Loch Muick or seeing the Queen in one of her Land Rovers flying by."
Robin Phillips, 56, chairman of the Ballater branch of the Royal British Legion, added: "We were driving back from Edinburgh when we heard the news - it was quite a shock.
"We knew something was amiss on Thursday morning but it is still a shock. We're all ex military and swore an oath to her - that is binding for life. It was a pleasure to serve her."
Sgt Robb Cumming, 57, from Aberdeen, said: "It's quite an emotional day for everyone concerned. Quite a few tears shed today. It shows how popular she was as a Queen, as a mother, and as a grandmother."
This morning, her Majesty’s coffin was transferred from the Ballroom at Balmoral Castle into a waiting hearse, and departed from the main entrance at the Aberdeenshire estate at 10am.
The convoy is now winding its way south through Angus towards Dundee, and will pass over the Friarton Bridge in Perth on its way into Fife, from where it will cross the Firth of Forth on its way into Edinburgh.
The Queen’s coffin is expected to arrive at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in the capital at approximately 4pm. It will remain there until Monday afternoon, after which a procession will convey the Queen to St Giles’ Cathedral.
It is there that she will rest for a day to allow Scots to pay their respects. The monarch is then expected to be flown to RAF Northolt from Edinburgh Airport, accompanied by the Princess Royal, and will rest at Buckingham Palace from Tuesday into Wednesday.
She will then lie in state at Westminster Hall until the day of the state funeral on Monday, September 19.
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