While other members of the
royal family were at Buckingham Palace, Princess Anne accompanied her coffin
down from Edinburgh after it had been laid at rest in St Giles’ Cathedral.
The coffin had been moved there on Monday, after previously spending four
nights at rest at her Balmoral residence, where the monarch passed away
“peacefully” on 8 September.
The Princess Royal and her
husband Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence had accompanied the coffin down, as it
was flown to RAF Northolt.
King Charles and the Queen
Consort also returned from Northern Ireland for an emotional moment. The new
King had been in the country as he tours the nations of the United Kingdom.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan
Markle were seen looking incredibly solemn as they arrived at Buckingham Palace
by car.
The coffin will lie in the Bow
Room, until it is moved to Westminster Hall on Wednesday where it will lie in
state until the Queen’s state funeral on 19 September.
The coffin arrived in London,
where it was loaded into a hearse to be transported to Buckingham Palace. Prime
Minister Liz Truss and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace where present when the
procession landed at RAF Northolt.
As the state hearse passed,
Anne gabe a curtsey, while her husband bowed his head in respect.
The state hearse arrived back
at Buckingham Palace shortly after 8 pm. As it passed, crowds who had gathered
cheered “hip hip hooray” in her honour. Others were seen wiping their
tears.
On Monday, Charles, Anne,
Prince Andrew and Prince Edward led the procession as the Queen was moved to St
Giles’ Cathedral.
The Queen’s four children held
a vigil, which lasted for ten minutes between 7.46 to 7.56pm, the Queen Consort
and the Countess of Wessex sat on seats opposite the coffin while the vigil
took place as a show of support.