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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Kelly-Ann Mills

Prince Andrew walks into Westminster Hall alone - and without his military uniform

Prince Andrew walks into Westminster Hall alone - and without his military uniform - after following his mum's coffin from Buckingham Palace.

The disgraced Duke of York stepped down from public life in May 2020 amid the controversy of allegations of sexual impropriety and his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, and paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case to a woman he claimed never to have met.

The Queen stripped him of all of his honorary military roles, including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, and he gave up his HRH title.

Andrew, a former Royal Navy officer who served in the Falklands War, retained his rank as a Vice Admiral and is wearing his medals on a dress suit.

He had followed his mother's coffin alongside the King and his fellow siblings as it left Buckingham Palace for the last time.

Cutting a solemn and lonely figure, the Prince walked into Westminster Hall alone behind the King who was accompanied by Camilla, and the Princess Royal who was joined by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Prince Andrew was then followed by royal couples the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the King's children Prince William and wife Kate, and Prince Harry and wife Meghan.

He didn't wear uniform today (Getty)
Prince Andrew in October 2005 (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

He was seen looking at his order of service as he stood in line, on his own.

The royal family had followed the Queen as she left Buckingham Palace travelling along The Mall, Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard, before arriving at Westminster Hall.

A short service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury is now taking place before the Queen lies in state for four days.

You can leave your tributes to Queen Elizabeth II here

The siblings follow the coffin (BBC News)

During the service, the senior royals stood in formation facing the coffin on its purple-covered catafalque, which was flanked with a tall, yellow flickering candle at each corner of the wide scarlet platform.

The King and Queen Consort stood together a metre or so apart, with the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence behind them

The Duke of York was once again, stood alone.

The Princess of Wales travelled with the Queen Consort (AFP via Getty Images)

In the next row the Earl and Countess of Wessex and behind them were the Prince and Princess of Wales, with the Duke of Sussex behind William, and the Duchess of Sussex directly behind Kate.

The Cross of Westminster was placed at the head of the coffin.Members of the public, many of whom have already been queuing for hours, will be able to file past for 24 hours a day, until 6.30am on the day of her funeral on Monday.

The King was in full uniform (REUTERS)
Meghan travelled with the Countess of Wessex (AFP via Getty Images)

In 2002 more than 200,000 people queued to pay their respects to Elizabeth's mother while her coffin lay in state and aides have previously said there is an expectation that millions may want to visit.

A queuing system is in place with visitors given wristbands so they are able to leave the queue to get food and go to the toilet before returning to their place.

The Queen will lie in state for four days (Getty Images)
Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex (Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock)

The military and charities are on standby to give support to those in the crowd throughout the next four days ahead of the bank holiday to mark the Queen's funeral on Monday.

* You can now buy Friday's historic Daily Mirror commemorating the death of the Queen here: mirror.co.uk/commemorative

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