Members of the Royal family are to pay their last respects to the Queen Mother at St James Palace on Wednesday, after thousands watched in silence as her coffin made the solemn journey from Windsor to London on Tuesday. The Queen mother died in her sleep on Easter Saturday aged 101.
Draped in her own standard, the Queen Mother’s coffin was carried from the chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park to the strains of the late matriarch’s favourite lament, The Dark Island, played by the Queen’s piper Jim Motherwell. A crowd of about 200 fell silent as the coffin was then placed into a hearse and driven away, flanked by police outriders, on the hour-long journey to the Queen’s Chapel at St James’s Palace in London.
A sprinkling of mourners lined the route into the capital, but at Buckingham Palace the crowds had been growing all morning. By the time the hearse made its way down Constitution Hill and The Mall, more than 1,000 people had gathered. A further 1,000 watched as the cortege arrived at St James’s Palace. As the coffin passed, the crowds fell silent and people bowed their heads. Some onlookers were seen to cross themselves and those wearing medals stood to attention and saluted.
The coffin will be moved to Westminster Hall in a ceremonial procession on Friday, where it will lie in state until the funeral, which will take place at Westminster Abbey on April 9. Buckingham Palace have announced that senior royals – including the Prince Of Wales and the Princess Royal – will walk behind the coffin as it is moved by horse-drawn gun carriage to the hall. The public will then be able to able to pay their respects as the coffin lies in state in Westminster’s medieval hall. Officials expect 400,000 people.
As the coffin was being moved away to London, the British monarch remained at Windsor Castle where she went riding briefly. The Princess Royal has cancelled all her engagements until after the funeral to be with her mother.
Parliament is to pay tribute to the Queen Mother on Wednesday as MPs return early from their Easter break. Prime Minister Tony Blair will lead the tributes to the Royal matriarch’s life followed by speeches from opposition leader Iain Duncan Smith and the Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy.
Former Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher is due to attend the recalled House of Lords sitting, despite the recent announcement that she would be making no further public appearances because of ill health. The former Tory Party leader was also among the thousands of people who visited St James’s Palace on Tuesday to sign books of condolence.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
