Thousands of people have been queuing through the night to see the Queen's coffin at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, Queen Elizabeth's coffin will be flown to London on Tuesday at the end of 24 hours of lying at rest in Edinburgh's historic cathedral, where her son King Charles and his three siblings held a silent vigil. Charles was joined by his sister Anne and brothers Andrew and Edward for the 10-minute vigil at St Giles' Cathedral, where they stood, heads bowed, at the four sides of the coffin while members of the public filed past to pay their respects. The public began to gather on Monday in front of the coffin of Queen, lying in state for the first time, four days after the death of the sovereign at the age of 96. While a bagpipe lament had been the only sound as kilted soldiers bore the casket earlier in the day, the four royals left the vigil in darkness to the sound of applause from mourners lining the street. "I was awed by the fact that I was in the cathedral with Queen Elizabeth, who I have looked up to all my life," said Marie Claire Cross, 55. "It was awesome in the true sense of the word and it was so sad." Frances Thain, 63, said she had been surprised to see the four children of the late queen as she entered the cathedral. "I was just overwhelmed because there were so much to take in," she said. King Charles accompanied his late mother's coffin in a procession through the Scottish capital. He walked behind the Queen's coffin together with his siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, as it was slowly transported from Holyroodhouse to St. Giles' Cathedral. There, the crown of Scotland was placed on the casket draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland and adorned with the Queen's favorite flowers ahead of a service of prayer and reflection on the life and 70-year reign of the widely cherished monarch. The Queen's coffin is to lie in state in the Scottish capital for 24 hours, after which it will be flown to London and will then lie in state at the Palace of Westminster from Wednesday afternoon until the morning of the funeral on 19 September. Queen Elizabeth II was Britain's longest-serving monarch, having ascended the throne 70 years ago. Elizabeth died on Thursday in her holiday home at Balmoral, in the Scottish Highlands, plunging the nation into mourning. Charles, 73, who automatically became king of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms including Australia, Canada, Jamaica and New Zealand, is traveling to the four parts of the United Kingdom before the funeral, and will visit Northern Ireland on Tuesday. In Belfast he will meet senior politicians and faith leaders and attend a service at the city's St Anne's Cathedral before returning to London. — Agencies
