The Queen's body will leave Balmoral in a hearse today and be driven for six hours through Scotland to her residence in Edinburgh before being taken to London on Tuesday.
The cortege will leave Balmoral Castle, on the Aberdeenshire estate loved by Queen Elizabeth II, at 10am and head to the nearyby town of Ballater. It will travel through Aboyne, Banchory and Drumoak before arriving in Aberdeen, where a tribute will be heard.
There will be “overwhelming emotion” when the Queen’s coffin passes through the Aberdeenshire village of Ballater, where many local people knew her, the local minister has said.
Read more: Permanent memorial to Queen Elizabeth II being considered in Northumberland
Reverend David Barr said locals regarded the Windsors as “like neighbours”, particularly as the Queen had been coming to Balmoral Castle since she was a girl, and people in the area had long-standing relationships with the estate.
He said: “When she comes up here, and she goes through those gates, I believe the royal part of her stays mostly outside.
“And as she goes in, she was able to be a wife, a loving wife, a loving mum, a loving gran and then later on a loving great gran – and aunty – and be normal.
“Now 70 years, she’s given her life, even up to the very last day, she’s given us service.
“So, here in the village, we want to give back, (and) by allowing the royal family to come here and go into the shops and have a cup of coffee and not be bothered.
“That’s what this community has done for 70 years.”
He added: “As you stand here today and you watch Her Majesty pass, that will be very tangible and be very real for people, and I think that will bring on an overwhelming amount of emotion.”
The cortege is expected to arrive in Dundee at 2pm, before heading south to Edinburgh, where it is due to arrive at 4pm. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and other political leaders in Scotland are expected to observe the coffin as it goes past the Scottish Parliament, which is close to the Royal residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
On Monday the coffin will be taken to St Giles' Catherdral and will be carried inside at 2.55pm, before a service at 3pm.
On Tuesday the Queen's coffin is due to be driven to Edinburgh Airport, where it will depart to RAF Northolt in North London at 6pm, arriving in the capital just before 7pm. The coffin will then be driven to Buckingham Palace, with an expected arrival time of 8pm.
The coffin will be taken to the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday, where the Queen will lie in state until her funeral on Monday September 19.
Read next:
