Queen’s coffin to be moved to London as crowds gather to pay their respects
Queen #Queen
39m ago / 2:19 PM UTC
King and the queen consort arrive at St. Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast
The king and the queen consort arrived at St. Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to take part in a memorial service for the late queen.
Their arrival was met by cheers from crowds outside the cathedral, with Charles waving to mourners.
The royals are expected to later take a walkabout at Writers’ Square, near the cathedral, before departing Belfast, a release from the British government said.
1h ago / 1:53 PM UTC
King Charles III, flanked by Camilla, the Queen Consort, makes a speech after receiving a message of condolence following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast on Tuesday, during his visit to Northern Ireland.Niall Carson / AFP – Getty Images
1h ago / 1:41 PM UTC
Tony Blair on how the queen handled the death of Princess Diana
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said, despite the many times people asked him, he didn’t know what the queen’s personal politics were. “She was above it, above politics,” he told NBC’s Savannah Guthrie.
Blair also talked about discussing the death of Princess Diana with the queen. “She was trying to balance what she had to do as a queen and what she had to do as a grandmother,” he said. “In the end, she understood, because always her duty came first, that she had to respond to this extraordinary outpouring of grief about Princess Diana.”
On the future of the monarchy, Blair predicted that King Charles III will be a “great monarch” and called him a “very caring person.”
2h ago / 1:14 PM UTC
Queen ‘never ceased to pray for best of times’ for Northern Ireland, king says
Queen Elizabeth “never ceased to pray for the best of times” for Northern Ireland, King Charles said, speaking at Hillsborough Castle after receiving messages of condolence from officials.
Acknowledging the “troubles” in his address, the king said: “In the years since she began her long life of public service, my mother saw Northern Ireland pass through momentous and historic changes.”
“Through all those years, she never ceased to pray for the best of times for this place and its people, whose stories she knew, whose sorrows our family had felt, and for whom she had great affection and regard,” he said.
After the end of the “troubles” — the three decades in which pro-British loyalists and unionists clashed with Irish nationalists who wanted Northern Ireland to break free from the U.K. — the queen traveled to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, becoming the first British monarch in a century to do so.
The king said his mother knew the significance of the role she herself played in “bringing together those whom history had separated and in extending a hand to make possible the healing of long-held hurts.” He vowed to follow her “shining example.”
2h ago / 12:37 PM UTC
Saudi authorities arrest man who made Mecca pilgrimage for the queen
Authorities in Saudi Arabia have arrested a Yemeni man after he unfurled a banner in the Grand Mosque in Mecca saying he performed a pilgrimage to the holy city on behalf of the queen.
A viral video circulating on social media showed the man unfurling a white banner with words that read “Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, we ask God to enter heaven, and from the righteous.”
The special forces for the security of the Grand Mosque arrested the man for “violating the regulations and instructions of Umrah,” the Emirate of Makkah and Saudi Arabia’s public security forces said in separate tweets on Tuesday. Only Muslims are allowed into the holy city of Mecca.
An Umrah is a visit to the Grand Mosque in Mecca that can be performed at any time, as opposed to the Hajj which draws millions of Muslims from across the world once a year.
3h ago / 12:10 PM UTC
Line outside St. Giles’ Cathedral closes after more than 26,000 pay respects
The line outside St. Giles’ Cathedral is now closed to mourners who want to file past the queen’s coffin Tuesday, the Scottish Government said.
“We’re doing everything we can to ensure that those currently queuing can do so before 3pm (10 a.m. ET) when the Lying at Rest will end,” it said, adding that more than 26,000 had already paid their respects.
Members of the public queue to enter St Giles’ Cathedral, in Edinburgh, Scotland on Tuesday, to pay their respects before the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II lying at rest.Odd Andersen / AFP – Getty Images
3h ago / 12:04 PM UTC
King arrives at Hillsborough Castle
A 21-gun salute began as the king and the queen consort arrived at Hillsborough Castle on Tuesday.
The king is expected to hold a private audience with the secretary of state for Northern Ireland and will meet with representatives from political parties, the British government said in a release.
They will also receive a message of condolence delivered on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland, the release said.
King Charles III and Camilla view floral tributes outside Hillsborough Castle, Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday.Niall Carson / AP
Charles and Camilla are also expected to take part in a reception where they will “have the opportunity to meet representatives drawn from a diverse range of Northern Ireland life,” it said.
Representatives for Sinn Fein, the Irish nationalist party with historic links to the IRA, are also expected to meet the king and attend the memorial events for the queen.
3h ago / 11:46 AM UTC
Corgi greets king in Belfast
King Charles III appeared to take an extra beat to greet a pet corgi while meeting mourners in Belfast.
The new king could be seen gesturing toward the pup before patting the corgi on the head.
King Charles III accompanied by Camilla is greeted by members of the public, including a woman with her pet corgi called Connie, outside Hillsborough Castle on Tuesday in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland. Charles McQuillan / Getty Images 
Charles greets well-wishers as he arrives at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast on Tuesday.Niall Carson / AFP – Getty Images
The moment broadcast on national television brought a smile to Charles’ face amid a difficult time for the royal family. For its part, Connie the corgi wiggled and licked the monarch’s hand.
3h ago / 11:39 AM UTC
King and the queen consort meet crowds in Belfast
King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, could be seen getting out of a vehicle Tuesday to meet with crowds who gathered as the couple arrived in Belfast.
The couple could be seen shaking hands with children who reached over a barrier to meet the new king in a territory that has an often fraught relationship with the British crown.
Crowds cheered as Charles and Camilla passed by, with the king scheduled to meet dignitaries and attend a prayer service at St. Anne’s Cathedral before returning to London.
4h ago / 11:11 AM UTC
King Charles lands in Northern Ireland
King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, have arrived in Belfast for their visit to Northern Ireland.
The trip marks Charles’ first to Northern Ireland as king. He will meet with representatives of Sinn Fein, the Irish nationalist party with historic links to the Irish Republican Army, in a mark of how far relations have come since the height of the “troubles.”
Camilla is greeted by Lord Lieutenant of Belfast Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle as King Chares III is greeted by, left to right, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris, Chief Executive of Belfast City Airport Matthew Hall, Ella Smith, age 10, and Lucas Watt, age 10, as they arrive at Belfast City Airport, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday. Liam McBurney / WPA Pool AP
Members of the public could be seen lining streets in Belfast and outside Hillsborough Castle awaiting the king’s arrival.
5h ago / 10:20 AM UTC
Mourners in Northern Ireland await King Charles
Crowds of people lined the streets of Belfast and outside Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland on Tuesday morning as they waited for King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, to arrive.
Young girls holding flowers await the arrival of King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, at Hillsborough Castle on Tuesday.Charles McQuillan / Getty Images
Charles will visit Northern Ireland for the first time since ascending the throne following the queen’s death. He is expected to meet political leaders, receive condolences and attend a prayer service during the visit.
Members of the public line the streets as they wait for Charles and Camilla to arrive in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday.Charles McQuillan / Getty Images
5h ago / 9:53 AM UTC
What will happen to floral tributes after queen’s funeral?
Mourners hoping to leave flower tributes for the queen are being asked to remove all packaging and place them at allocated gardens in Green Park and Hyde Park, according to the Royal Parks, the charity which manages royal parkland in London.
Flowers left outside of the allotted zones, such as at the gates of Buckingham Palace, will be relocated to the specified area if they are in good condition, the charity said. Tributes that have deteriorated will be moved to the Hyde Park nursery to be processed for composting, according to its website.
The tribute zones will remain until all ceremonial proceedings have taken place, and are expected to be removed within 14 days of the funeral next Monday.
Floral tributes laid by the public in memory of Queen Elizabeth II are seen outside the gates of Balmoral Castle on Sept. 11, 2022, in Aberdeen, Scotland.Samir Hussein / WireImage
5h ago / 9:49 AM UTC
‘It doesn’t matter if you’re a royalist or not,’ mourners say
Brothers Cameron and Reece Wilkins, and their cousin Calvin Wilkins, all joiners working at a site nearby, were undeterred by the prospect of waiting for hours to pay their respects to the queen.
“We’re supposed to be working, but we wanted to come and see this piece of history,” said Calvin Wilkins, 25. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a royalist or not, she was the longest-serving monarch, so it’s something you’ve got to see.”
Brothers Cameron and Reece Wilkins, and their cousin Calvin Wilkins, were willing to wait for hours to pay their respects to the queen in Edinburgh, Scotland. Alexander Smith
5h ago / 9:31 AM UTC
‘Succession’ creator Jesse Armstrong gets mixed response after joke at Emmys about Charles’ ascension
Writer for the hit HBO series “Succession” Jesse Armstrong appeared to joke about the ascension of King Charles during his Emmys acceptance speech Monday.
“Big week for successions, new king in the U.K., this for us. Evidently a little bit more voting involved in our winning than Prince Charles,” Armstrong, who is British, said to a mixture of laughs, boos and cheers.
Scottish actor Brian Cox, who was also onstage, could be heard saying, “keep it royalist” following the writer’s comments. Armstrong then appeared to backtrack on his comments. “I’m not saying we’re more legitimate in our position… we’ll leave that to other people.”
“Succession” won best drama series at Monday’s Emmys Awards.
6h ago / 9:10 AM UTC
‘It was a nice atmosphere,’ mourner says of 5-hour wait to pay respects to queen
Mandy Mitchell lined up for five hours Monday night, finally seeing the queen’s coffin at 1:30 a.m. (8:30 p.m. ET Monday).
“One steward told us it was going to be 12 hours, so in that respect it wasn’t too bad,” said Mitchell, who came with her husband from St. Andrews.
“It was a nice atmosphere, everyone was chatting, getting coffees from a Salvation Army stall that had been set up,” she added, referring to the Christian charity. “There were portaloos and later on we got some chips from the kebab shop.”
Mandy Mitchell lined up for hours overnight to pay respects to the queen in Edinburgh, Scotland.Alexander Smith
6h ago / 8:59 AM UTC
‘Actually seeing her in there just makes it … so real,’ mourner says
Charlotte Morrison was one of a few mourners exiting St. Giles’ Cathedral wiping away tears.
“I have been sad about it but actually seeing her in there just makes it so… real,” said Morrison, 20, who is from Aberdeen but studies at college in Edinburgh.
“I wasn’t sure whether to come down but my mum phoned me and said it didn’t look too busy on TV and urged me to go. I didn’t think I’d get emotional, sorry,” she added through more tears. “I just feel like we all knew her.”
Charlotte Morrison, 20, emerges from St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, in tears after paying her respects to Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday morning.Alexander Smith
6h ago / 8:55 AM UTC
Inside St. Giles’ Cathedral, an ethereal stillness as crowd files through
Inside the cathedral there was an ethereal stillness, its high vaulted ceilings bathed in a soft, golden light from the stain glass windows of this building dating to the 14th century.
Only around two dozen visitors were allowed in at any one time, the only sounds being the echoes of their slow footsteps on the building’s flagstone floor, occasionally punctuated by the bleep of a security guard’s radio.
Unlike outside, where all police and security wear high-visibility jackets, in here they all wear black jackets and ties, the closest officers to the coffin wearing white gloves.
The casket itself was draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, and had placed upon it a Balmoral wreath and the Crown of Scotland.
Around it were four members of the Royal Company of Archers, the monarch’s ceremonial bodyguard in Scotland. They faced away from the coffin, their heads bowed and both hands on their longbows.
6h ago / 8:47 AM UTC
Papua New Guinea proclaims King Charles head of state
Papua New Guinea pronounced King Charles as its head of state on Tuesday, in a ceremony that also honored the late queen in its capital Port Moresby.
“In reflection of the life she lived, the exemplary performance of duties as the head of the state of Papua New Guinea, it is in this connection that we all gather here this morning to acknowledge her passing and to acknowledge and witness the ascension of the throne of King Charles III,” Prime Minister James Marape said.
Marape is expected to meet the King along with other world leaders on Friday, according to local media. The British crown is also the head of five other Pacific states: Australia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
7h ago / 8:18 AM UTC
Crowds continue to line up in Edinburgh to pay final respects
Under clear, crisp fall skies, crowds began to line up once again Tuesday morning outside Edinburgh’s St. Giles’ Cathedral to pay their final respects to the queen, who is lying at rest there for 24 hours.
Just after 8:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. ET) the scene was less busy than Monday evening, when some people reported waiting for six hours in lines of more than a mile long. However, the line still stretched across blocks, with one steward saying some mourners could face a nearly two-hour wait.
“It’s a historic opportunity,” said Jeremy Maiden, 60, who had just seen the coffin with his wife Jessica, also 60. “It was very quiet, very peaceful. I would urge anyone to go now before it gets busy — this won’t happen again.”
7h ago / 8:18 AM UTC
Queen’s coffin to be moved to Buckingham Palace
Queen Elizabeth’s coffin will be transported from St. Giles’ Cathedral by car to Edinburgh Airport before being flown to London on Tuesday.
A state hearse will then take the queen’s coffin to Buckingham Palace, where mourners have continued to gather to pay their respects.
Meanwhile, the king is will visit Belfast, Northern Ireland, to meet dignitaries and attend a prayer service at St. Anne’s Cathedral before returning to London.