The ladies of the Royal Family maintained royal protocol as they each performed a curtsey towards the Queen’s coffin following Her Majesty’s procession today.
The Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Sussex, the Countess of Wessex, and Sophie’s daughter Lady Louise, 18, all gave the moving tribute when leaving Westminster Hall.
Meanwhile, the Duke of York’s daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice wiped away tears as they stood in front of the Queen’s coffin. They were supported by their husbands Jack Brooksbank and Edo Mapelli Mozzi.
Solemn members of the Royal Family gathered today as they accompanied the Queen for her poignant final journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where she will lie in state underneath its ancient hammer-beam roof.
The Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex each performed a curtsey towards the Queen’s coffin following Her Majesty’s procession today
The Countess of Wessex (pictured) also gave the moving tribute when leaving Westminster Hall earlier today
During the occasion today, Lady Louise followed in her mother’s footsteps and performed a curtsy when stepping forward to say goodbye to her grandmother, alongside her 14-year-old brother James, Viscount Severn
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 Queen’s grandchildren – including Lady Louise and Princess Beatrice – appear emotional as they attend the service today in London
Other members of the royal family including Zara Tindall, with her husband Mike, Princess Eugenie, with her husband Jack Brooksbank, and Princess Beatrice, with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi also attended
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla led members of the royal family at the ceremony this afternoon (pictured)
The Queen is placed in Westminster Hall to lie in state for the nation to pay their respects
Mother-of-three Kate, 40, has been by her husband Prince William’s side since it was announced his grandmother had died last Thursday, and looked sombre as she took part in the short service at Westminster Hall, before performing the curtsey upon leaving.
She paid tribute to her mother-in-law Princess Diana by wearing her earrings for the Queen‘s procession. The royal donned pearl earrings that were gifted to Diana before her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981.
The new Princess of Wales paired the earrings, made by Collingwood, with a pearl brooch which belong to the Queen.
William and Harry stood together with their wives Kate and Meghan today as they put aside their bitter feud to honour the Queen for her lying in state service.
While the brothers walked side-by-side for the poignant 38-minute procession from Buckingham Palace, their spouses travelled in separate cars, with Meghan accompanied by the Countess of Wessex and Kate joined by Camilla, the Queen Consort.
During the service, the ‘Fab Four’ 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 in the heart of Westminster Hall – the backdrop of some of the most famous moments in British history.
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
The King and his Queen Consort led the Royal Family into Westminster Hall
Camilla, Kate, Sophie and Meghan watch as the Queen’s coffin is carried into her resting place for the next four days
Catherine, Princess of Wales and Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales reassure one another as they leave after a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin at Westminster Hall
A sombre Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, stands during the service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, left. Pictured right: Prince Harry looks at the ancient roof alongside Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, as they stand in Westminster Hall after participating in the procession of the coffin
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 Sussexes stood at the back of the group of royals, with Harry directly behind William and Meghan behind Kate. The touching moment is the first time the couples have been seen together since their surprise walkabout together at Windsor Castle on Saturday, and a rare show of togetherness.
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. When the Queen arrived, Charles, William and Anne saluted. Harry and Prince Andrew – barred from wearing military uniform – bowed their head instead.
The Archbishop of Canterbury then read the opening prayer, which the King led the royals in reciting. The family stood silently for the short service that the late monarch had put together with the Church of England before she died aged 96.
After the congregation was dismissed, cries of ‘God save the King’ could be heard as the King and the Queen Consort left Westminster Hall as Big Ben rang out at 3.30pm. Royal couples left the building side by side, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex holding hands and the Princess of Wales rubbing her husband’s arm reassuringly.
From 5pm mourners will be able to file past the coffin to pay their respects to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch with an estimated 1million people expected to queue for up to 30 hours to see her before the state funeral on Monday.
The Queen‘s granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor joined her brother James, Viscount Severn at the service in Westminster Hall today following Her Majesty’s procession from Buckingham Palace.
Lady Louise, 18, the daughter of the Earl and Countess of Wessex, enjoyed a close relationship with her grandmother the Queen and grew up just a stone’s throw from the late monarch’s home of Windsor Castle, in Bagshot Park.
During the occasion today, Louise followed in her mother’s footsteps and performed a curtsy when stepping forward to say goodbye to her grandmother, alongside her 14-year-old brother.
It is the first time the Queen’s youngest grandchild James has been seen since Her Majesty’s death last week. His sister Louise joined other members of the royal family on a walkabout at Balmoral on Saturday following the Queen’s death at the Scottish estate on Thursday, aged 96.
Over the last two years, Lady Louise has taken on an increasingly public role as her parents Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex have been bumped up the royal food chain following the disgrace of Prince Andrew and the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
She was front and centre in the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, joined her parents at the Commonwealth Games and made her successful TV debut in a documentary about her beloved grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh.
Indeed she has become such a well-known face that she is recognised by customers of the garden centre where she has been working for £6.63 per hour since finishing her A-levels in June.
Unlike her older cousins, Princes William and Harry, Louise was able to see a lot more of her grandparents growing up because she has always lived just 11 miles from Windsor and had the benefit of being born around the time the Queen and Prince Philip scaled back their long-haul travel.
However, while Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie might not have been the royal grandchildren most frequently pictured with the Queen – the sisters were still incredibly close with their ‘Grannie’.
The girls’ deep bond with their grandmother was apparent today as they looked incredibly emotional during the occasion today.
It was their second appearance since the Queen’s death last week. Beatrice, 34, and Eugenie, 32, looked distraught as they walked hand-in-hand scanning the thousands of flowers and messages of condolence that had been left by royal fans in Balmoral at the weekend.
The Queen’s imperial state crown laid on top of a cushion, above her coffin, during the emotional funeral procession this afternoon
The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard
2.22pm: The gun carriage bearing the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II departs Buckingham Palace, transferring the coffin to The Palace of Westminster
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, arrives at the Palace of Westminster