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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Laura Elston

What happens next? Day by day after the death of the Queen

PA Wire

The Queen’s coffin has arrived at the royal residence in Edinburgh after a six-hour journey from Balmoral.

The coffin remained in the Throne Room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse overnight, where staff have been able to pay their final respects.

Here is a day-by-day account of what will happen next, leading up to and including the Queen’s funeral on Monday September 19.

Monday September 12

King Charles III and the Queen Consort are to visit Westminster Hall in London where both Houses of Parliament will express condolences to the new monarch.

Later on Monday, Charles and Camilla will fly to Edinburgh where they will attend a Ceremony of the Keys and the King will inspect the guard of honour.

Charles will then lead the royal family in procession as the Queen’s coffin is taken from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to nearby St Giles’ Cathedral for a service of thanksgiving.

(PA Graphics) (PA Graphics)

Members of the public will be able to view the coffin at the cathedral and pay their respects from 5pm for a period of 24 hours.

The King will then hold audiences with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Alison Johnstone, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.

Later in the evening, the King and other members of the royal family will mount a vigil at the cathedral in honour of their mother.

The hearse carrying the coffin arrived at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, on Sunday after a six-hour journey from Balmoral (PA) (PA Wire)

Tuesday September 13

The King and Queen Consort are to fly to Northern Ireland on Tuesday to visit Hillsborough Castle, where they will view an exhibition about the late Queen’s long association with the province.

The King will then meet Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and party leaders, and receive a message of condolence led by the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

After a short reception at Hillsborough, the King and Queen Consort will travel to St Anne’s Cathedral for a service of prayer and reflection. Before the event Charles will meet leaders from all the major faiths in Northern Ireland and then later the royal couple will return to London.

The Princess Royal will accompany the Queen’s coffin when it is to be flown to London by RAF aircraft to RAF Northolt on Tuesday evening, it will then be taken to rest at Buckingham Palace’s Bow Room.

A rehearsal for the procession of the coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster is also expected to take place.

Details about the route for the lying-in-state queue will be provided late on Tuesday September 13.

Wednesday September 14

In a tribute to his late mother, the King will lead Wednesday’s procession behind the gun carriage carrying her coffin to Westminster Hall, where the Queen’s lying in state will begin before the state funeral on September 19.

The coffin, adorned with the Imperial State Crown, be transported on a gun carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace.

The King, members of the royal family and senior staff of the late Queen and King’s households will walk slowly behind in a dignified silence without music in a route that will take 38 minutes.

(PA Graphics) (PA Graphics)

The Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct a short service following the coffin’s arrival.

Those wishing to pay their respects will be able to file solemnly past the Queen’s coffin 24 hours a day from 5pm on Wednesday September 14 until 6.30am on the day of the funeral – Monday September 19.

Senior royals are also expected to pay their own moving tribute, standing guard at some stage around the coffin – the tradition known as the Vigil of the Princes.

Thursday September 15

Lying in state continues and a rehearsal is likely to take place for the state funeral procession.

Friday September 16

The King and Queen Consort are expected to travel to Wales while lying in state continues.

Saturday September 17 – Sunday September 18

The lying in state continues and heads of state will begin to arrive for the funeral.

Monday September 19

There will be a national bank holiday to allow as many people as possible to watch the Queen’s funeral.

Lying in state will continue until 6.30am.

The coffin will be taken in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral.

Senior members of the family are expected to follow behind – just like they did for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The military will line the streets and also join the procession.

(PA Graphics) (PA Graphics)

Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000.

The service will be televised, and a national two minutes’ silence is expected to be held.

After the service, the coffin will be taken in procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch and then travel to Windsor.

Once there, the hearse will travel in procession to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle via the Long Walk, after which a televised committal service will take place in St George’s Chapel.

Later in the evening, there will be a private interment service with senior members of the royal family.

The Queen’s final resting place will be the King George VI memorial chapel, an annex to the main chapel – where her mother and father were buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.

Philip’s coffin will move from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join the Queen’s.

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