EDINBURGH: After queuing for hours to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth, the first members of the public to file past the coffin of Britain's longest-serving monarch on Monday spoke of their sadness and a sense of peace within the cathedral.
Queen Elizabeth died on Thursday in her holiday home at Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands, and her coffin was taken along the Royal Mile in the Scottish capital on Monday to lay at rest in the city's St. Giles Cathedral for 24 hours.
"It was very beautiful, very peaceful and quiet," said Marie Claire Cross, 55, who works in the National Health Service and had been queuing since 11am to enter the cathedral, before finally making it in over seven hours later.
"I was awed by the fact that I was in the cathedral with Queen Elizabeth, who I have looked up to all my life. It was awesome in the true sense of the word and it was so sad."
Television footage showed people filing slowly past the coffin, which was draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland flag and topped with a wreath of white flowers and the Crown of Scotland, historically used for the coronations of monarchs of Scotland. Some stopped to bow as they passed, others wiped away tears.
Thousands queued outside to enter the cathedral, with people due to continue paying their respects through the night.
On Tuesday, the coffin will be flown to London, where on Wednesday it will begin a period of lying in state until Sept. 19 - the day of Elizabeth's state funeral - on a catafalque at Westminster Hall.
Retired music teacher Michael Hainsworth, 70, was one of the first to enter the cathedral in Edinburgh.
"We were very upset. It was so emotional. It brought it all home. It is hard to put into words. You don’t think it will hit you but then it does," he said, as he comforted his tearful wife.
Four ceremonial guards from the Royal Company of Archers stood at the four corners of the coffin. For around ten minutes, they were also joined by King Charles and his three siblings, who held a silent, sombre vigil at their mother's side.
"It was a really surreal moment. To see the members of the royal family there really brought it home," said Peter Cliff, 66, a retired business owner. "When you see members of the royal family there grieving it really hits you."
Reuters
Tue Sep 13 2022
King Charles III and other members of the royal family hold a vigil at St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, in honour of Queen Elizabeth II. Picture date: Monday September 12, 2022. - REUTERS
Dua warga AS antara yang ditemui maut di hotel Thailand
Menurut polis Thailand, kesemua mangsa adalah berketurunan Vietnam, dengan dua daripadanya membawa pasport AS.
AWANI Pagi: Berita tumpuan & menarik di astroawani.com [17 Julai 2024]
[LANGSUNG] Fokus #AWANIpagi 17 Julai 2024 7.30 pagi,
Antara fokus Awani Pagi bersama Nursyazwani Saiful Sham & Azib Zikry
1. Keluarga Nur Farah Kartini mohon henti keluar kenyataan guris hati
2. Kim Pan-gon akui akan rindui sokongan rakyat Malaysia
3. Astro penyiar rasmi Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024
Antara fokus Awani Pagi bersama Nursyazwani Saiful Sham & Azib Zikry
1. Keluarga Nur Farah Kartini mohon henti keluar kenyataan guris hati
2. Kim Pan-gon akui akan rindui sokongan rakyat Malaysia
3. Astro penyiar rasmi Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024
Langkah menoktahkan kemiskinan tegar di Sabah antara tumpuan Dewan Rakyat
Ahli Parlimen Kinabatangan, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin meminta Menteri Ekonomi menyatakan langkah tersebut pada sesi jawab lisan.
Kerajaan cadang perkenal pembiayaan swasta pastikan kemampanan sektor air
Kerajaan menyasarkan untuk memperkenalkan pembiayaan swasta alternatif bagi memastikan kemampanan kewangan program sektor air.
[INFOGRAFIK] Tarikh-tarikh penting Istiadat Pertabalan Yang Di-Pertuan Agong ke-17
Berikut adalah info berkenaan dengan tarikh-tarikh penting Istiadat Pertabalan Yang Di-Pertuan Agong ke-17
Menendez didapati bersalah ke atas 16 pertuduhan rasuah
Juri di Mahkamah Persekutuan Manhattan membacakan keputusannya pada Selasa selepas berbincang selama lebih 12 jam selama tiga hari.
Tindakan keras terhadap penjualan racun makhluk perosak haram - CAP
CAP menggesa Lembaga Racun Makhluk Perosak segera mengambil tindakan keras terhadap penjualan racun makhluk perosak haram di negara ini dan menguatkuasakan dengan tegas Akta Racun Perosak 1974.
SDG: UTP lahir pelajar berkemahiran, tinggi tanggungjawab sosial
UTP berhasrat mendidik pelajar bukan sahaja untuk mahir dalam aspek teknikal tetapi juga untuk menjadi warganegara yang bertanggungjawab dari segi kemahiran dan keupayaan sosial.
RUU 355: Pindaan perlu untuk praktikaliti, keadilan
Apa sahaja pindaan terhadap akta itu perlu berjalan selari dengan persediaan mereka yang bertanggungjawab melaksanakannya, seperti mahkamah syariah, pegawai penguatkuasa agama dan peguam syarie.
Kerajaan teliti kaedah baharu lantikan tetap
Kerajaan sedang meneliti kaedah baharu lantikan tetap bagi memastikan pengurusan kewangan negara yang lebih mampan.
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Wilayah Persekutuan), Dr Zaliha Mustafa berkata hasil kajian tersebut akan dibentangkan kepada Jemaah Menteri untuk pertimbangan dan kelulusan.
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Wilayah Persekutuan), Dr Zaliha Mustafa berkata hasil kajian tersebut akan dibentangkan kepada Jemaah Menteri untuk pertimbangan dan kelulusan.
Mohamad Sabu ucap takziah, jangan buat spekulasi tragedi Mejar Mohd Zahir
Menteri Pertahanan, Mohamad Sabu merakam ucapan simpati berhubung pemergian Allahyarham Mejar Mohd Zahir Armaya.
Lip Eng disaran hayati sejarah tulisan Jawi - Mujahid
Ahli Parlimen Kepong, Lim Lip Eng disaran menghayati sejarah serta penggunaan tulisan Jawi di negara ini terutama melibatkan urusan Raja-raja Melayu sendiri.
Dua rakyat Malaysia terima anugerah daripada Ratu Elizabeth
Dua rakyat Malaysia menerima Anugerah Pemimpin Muda Ratu (Queens Young Leaders Awards) daripada Ratu Elizabeth dalam satu majlis khas di Istana Buckingham, London.
Ulang tahun ke-92 Ratu Elizabeth II, Twitter diraja muatnaik foto 'throwback'
Ratu Elizabeth II, raja paling lama memerintah Britain, menyambut ulangtahunnya yang ke-92 pada Sabtu.
Istana kutuk tabloid siar video Ratu Elizabeth tabik Nazi
Istana Buckingham mengutuk akhbar tabloid UK yang menyiarkan video Ratu Elizabeth memberikan tabik gaya Nazi.
Kate hadiri upacara terakhir sebelum bersalin
Isteri Putera William, Catherine pada Sabtu, menghadiri upacara rasmi hari lahir Ratu Elizabeth II yang ke 87, iaitu acara terakhirnya sebelum melahirkan anak.