Queen Elizabeth’s coffin leaves Buckingham Palace to lie in state

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Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi waved to well-wishers as they followed the Queen’s coffin as it left Buckingham Palace this afternoon for the last time to lie in state.

Members of the Royal Family led by King Charles walked behind the coffin in a poignant procession to Westminster Hall for the lying in state.

Beatrice and Edoardo were among royals who travelled behind by car.

The couple looked solemn as they waved to crowds who gathered in central London.

The King walked in line with the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex.

Behind the late monarch’s children were her grandsons Prince William, Prince Harry and Peter Phillips.

They were followed by Princess Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of Gloucester, the late Queen’s cousin, and her nephew the Earl of Snowdown.

Pulled on a gun carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the coffin was draped with a Royal Standard and adorned with the priceless, glittering Imperial State Crown.

Taking the lead was the pomp and pageantry of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and military bands.

Thousands of mourners gathered to see the moving sight of the late Queen departing the official residence where she spent so much of her working life at the heart of the nation during her historic 70-year reign.

The nation’s longest reigning monarch had arrived at the royal residence on Tuesday evening in the rain but for her departure the weather was bright.

The late Queen’s coffin was transported on the George Gun Carriage, which carried King George VI’s coffin from Sandringham Church to Wolferton Station in February 1952 and was used during the funeral of the Queen Mother in 2002.

The journey from the palace to the ancient Westminster Hall is expected to take 38 minutes – passing landmarks the Queen knew well like Horse Guards Parade, the Cenotaph and Downing Street.

A number of people could be seen wiping away tears as the coffin made its way down The Mall.

Accompanied by her family, the Queen is effectively being handed over to the nation for her lying in state over four days ahead of the state funeral on Monday.

The bearer party who will carry the Queen’s coffin into Westminster Hall and provide an escort are soldiers who were flown back from Iraq to take part in the procession, because of their unique association with the monarch.

The Guardsmen are from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards whose Company Commander is the Queen, and although a senior officer took day-to-day control, the former sovereign’s connection with her men was strong.

Members of the public already started queuing yesterday to attend the late Queen’s lying in state at Westminster Hall which begins at 5pm today.

Tt will continue until 6.30am on September 19 – the day of the state funeral.

People are expected to queue for hours to pay their respects to the beloved royal matriarch.

Beatrice and Edoardo were among royals who received the late Queen’s coffin at Buckingham Palace last night following a journey from Scotland.

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