The Queen’s extended family show their support for The Firm
The Queen‘s distant cousins and extended family said a farewell to the monarch today as they arrived at Westminster Hall.
These extended members of the royal family have always shown their unwavering support for the late Monarch, and have appeared at several events, including the service of Thanksgiving held in honour of her reign in June during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The Queen’s cousins Prince Michael of Kent, the Duke of Kent and the Duchess of Gloucester were all spotted at the event today.
Meanwhile younger royals including sisters Lady Amelia and Marina Windsor, and Flora Vesterberg, stood in line alongside their relatives at the event.
Others pictured at the sombre event included Lord Frederick Windsor, who was accompanied by his wife Sophie Winkleman.
The Queen’s extended family came out in force to honour the monarch today, including (L-R) the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, and Prince Michael of Kent
Sisters Lady Amelia (left) and Lady Marina Windsor (centre) and the Queen’s cousin Flora Vesterberg (right) were all seen paying their respects to the late Queen
Lord Frederick Windsor (centre) attends the service with his wife Sophie Winkleman, and his mother Princess Michael of Kent (left)
Prince Michael of Kent, who is the younger son of Prince George and the Duke of Kent looked serious, wearing military suit for the occasion.
He manages his own consultancy firm, but has occasionally represented the late Queen Elizabeth II at some functions in outside the United Kingdom.
He was joined by his wife, Princess Michael, who is known for her nickname ‘Princess Pushy.’
The Duke of Kent wore a dark suit for the historical moment today. Prince Edward, who was the Queen’s first cousin, is involved with over 140 different charities, organisations and professional bodies on behalf of the Royal Family.
A peripheral royal happy to lead a life largely under the radar, Lady Helen, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, wore a smart black suit for the a solemn moment.
She was accompanied by her son Cassius, whom she shares with art dealer Timothy Taylor.
Princess Michael, who is married to Prince Michael of Kent, appeared sombre during the sad event, paying tribute to the monarch
Cousin to Lady Amelia Windsor and Lord Edward Downpatrick, 25-year-old Cassius also donned a beard, alongside a black suit as he took his seat four rows back from the front.
Lord Frederick, who appeared downcast as he entered the service with his mother Princess Michael and wife Sophie Winkleman, is the son of the Queen’s first cousin Prince Michael of Kent and 53rd in line to the throne.
Meanwhile his wife Sophie, who is the half sister of TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, is an actor who famously starred as Big Suze in Peep Show.
Meanwhile, Prince Richard, the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary, looked sombre.
Britain’s King Charles III, Britain’s Prince William, Britain’s Princess Anne, salute the coffin. Prince Harry and Prince Andrew – no longer frontline royals, did not, bowing instead
The Queen is placed in Westminster Hall to lie in state for the nation to pay their respects
Camilla, Queen Consort, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at the coffin procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
The Duke is a paternal cousin of the Queen. He carries out duties on behalf of the royal family and is patron of many societies.
Also present at the service was Lady Amelia Windsor, 27. The third cousin of Prince Harry and Prince William is currently 42nd in the line of succession to the British throne. She was accompanied by her older sister Lady Marina, 29.
The sisters were pictured standing with Flora Vesterberg, a cousin of the monarch, and the daughter of James Ogilvy.
Flora wed her Swedish beau last year in 2020, in a service attended by the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Peter Phillips, the Duke of Sussex, the Prince of Wales, the Earl of Wessex, the Earl of Snowdon, the Duchess of Sussex, the Princess Royal, King Charles III, the Duke of York, the Princess of Wales and the Countess of Wessex follow the bearer party carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into Westminster Hall, London
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla led members of the royal family at the ceremony this afternoon (pictured)
Today’s service followed the procession of the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Hall.
Her Majesty’s children, King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, followed the casket on foot during its 38-minute journey, alongside Prince William and Prince Harry.
Lady Sarah’s brother, the Earl of Snowdon, followed behind with the Queen’s grandson Peter Phillips, Princess Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Queen’s cousin the Duke of Gloucester.
The Queen’s coffin entered Westminster Hall as the choir of Westminster Abbey and the choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, sang Psalm 139. The Archbishop of Canterbury then read the opening prayer, which the King led the royals in reciting.
Her Majesty’s coffin will lie in state in Westminster Hall underneath its ancient hammer-beam roof.
Queen’s flowers from her personal gardens: Coffin is adorned with lavender and rosemary from the gardens of Windsor and pine from Balmoral during funeral procession
The Queen‘s coffin was today adorned with lavender and rosemary from the gardens of Windsor and pine from her Scottish home of Balmoral.
The Queen’s final and saddest journey to Westminster Hall is underway today with King Charles, his three siblings and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry following her coffin as the Royal Family hands her coffin to the nation.
At 2.22pm Her Majesty was carried down The Mall on a gun carriage – a tradition dating back to the death of her great-grandmother Queen Victoria in 1901 – as her children, grandchildren and other senior royals marched behind.
Atop the coffin, there was a wreath of flowers which contained a selection of flowers including pine from the gardens of Balmoral and lavender and rosemary from the gardens of Windsor.
The Queen ‘s coffin was today adorned with lavender and rosemary from the gardens of Windsor and pine from her Scottish home of Balmoral
It is a mark of the significance of the two residences for the late monarch.
The Queen had spent the majority of her time over the past few years at her home of Windsor Castle.
Meanwhile it was her Scottish home of Balmoral where she passed away earlier this month.
It marks a change from yesterday’s wreath, which was made up of her favourite flowers and served as a touching tribute to her late husband, Prince Philip.
Atop the coffin, there was a wreath of flowers which contained a selection of flowers including pine from the gardens of Balmoral and lavendar and rosemary from the gardens of Windsor
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with a Royal Standard and the Imperial State Crown and pulled by a Gun Carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery
The wreath, which was prepared by Balmoral staff, included sweet peas, dahlias, phlox, white heather and pine fir – all gathered from the Aberdeenshire estate.
Sweet peas – which were among the Queen’s favourite flowers – were also in the wreath laid on the Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin after his death in April last year.
Sweet peas, which are associated with April birthdays, can symbolise departures and farewells while dahlias can represent a lasting commitment between two people.
The Queen personally selected the flowers for her late husband’s coffin with a wreath that included white lilies, roses and freesias.
The Queen’s children including the King and her grandchildren, including William, Harry and Peter Phillips make the mournful journey to Westminster Hall
Hundreds of thousands of people lined the route but there was a silent reverence as the coffin appeared. There were some muted cheers and clapping and cries of God Save the Queen as well as many tears shed as the late monarch left her London home for the final time. All viewing areas on The Mall, Whitehall and Parliament Square were full by 1pm – with people turned away.
The procession left the palace at 2.22pm and is expected to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm. A service lasting around 20 minutes will be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied by the Dean of Westminster.
Princess Anne, who has remained with her mother since she dies last Thursday, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward also followed the coffin on the 1.2mile journey to Westminster Hall – the ancient heart of the Houses of Parliament where up to 1million Britons hope to see the Queen lying in state there as her father and mother did in 1952 and 2002.
Queen Consort Camilla, the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Sussex and the Countess of Wessex followed by car. Zara and Mike Tindall. Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank ar e also taking part. But Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson did not receive an invite because of their divorce.
King Charles III waves to the crowds as he is driven along The Mall to Buckingham Palace this morning
Queen Consort Camilla is seen arriving at Buckingham Palace this afternoon ahead of the procession for the Queen
The occasion is heavy with historical significance, with brothers Prince William and Prince Harry setting aside their ongoing feud to support their father by marching with him behind the coffin. For William and Harry it will bring back painful memories of when they, aged 15 and 12, walked behind the coffin of their mother Princess Diana in 1997.
Solemn members of the Royal Family gathered this lunchtime to prepare to accompany the Queen for her poignant final journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where she will lie in state for the next five nights.
The crowd burst into applause and cheers as King Charles III passed the Victoria Memorial in his state Rolls Royce as he was taken into the residence, followed later by Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice and Queen Consort Camilla.
Hundreds of thousands of well-wishers are expected to line the route as they do so. The Queen’s other children Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne will also form part of the procession through London.
The Victoria Memorial and The Mall ahead of the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II this afternoon
Her Majesty spent her final night in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace before she will be conveyed on a gun carriage to Westminster Hall – where she will lie in state until 6.30am next Monday, the day of her funeral.
More than one million people are expected to queue in Central London for up to 35 hours to walk past her coffin – but experts believe only 400,000 will make it inside meaning 600,000 people will be left disappointed.
Mourners have also been joining the queue to attend the lying in state, opening at 5pm tonight. Government guidance says the queue is expected to be very long, with people standing for ‘many hours, possibly overnight’.
The queuing infrastructure for the Queen’s lying in state is 10 miles in length, it is understood. This includes 6.9 miles from Victoria Tower Gardens to Southwark Park, with a further three miles inside Southwark Park.
The Queen arrived at the palace last night to tears and cheers from the crowds who stood in the rain to welcome her home after her death at Balmoral last Thursday. The route from RAF Northolt to the palace was packed.
There was a wave of lights as many raised their mobile phones in the air to film the hearse as it passed. As the hearse drove through the gates, Charles could be seen bowing his head with Harry and Meghan stood behind.