Thousands of people paid their respects to the dead Queen Elizabeth II on her final journey through Scotland. A hearse brought the mortal remains of the monarch from her country home of Balmoral Castle in the Highlands to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh on Sunday.
Queen's daughter Princess Anne and her husband Admiral Sir Tim Laurence traveled in a support car. The new King Charles III had previously spoken of his mother's "last great journey". spoken. The Queen died at Balmoral on Thursday at the age of 96.
People cry on the side of the road
Especially in villages and towns, numerous people silently lined the streets. Some cried, some threw flowers on the street as the column rolled past at a slow pace. Six hours were estimated for the route to the south, which actually only takes around two and a half hours by car. Among other things, it led through the cities of Aberdeen and Dundee.
Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute to the Queen. "A sad and poignant moment as Her Majesty the Queen leaves her beloved Balmoral for the last time," Sturgeon wrote on Twitter. "Today, as she travels to Edinburgh, Scotland will pay tribute to an extraordinary woman." The head of the Scottish National Party SNP wants independence from Great Britain, but Scotland should remain a monarchy.
Hundreds of bouquets of flowers in front of the castle
The royal standard for Scotland was draped over the oaken coffin visible through the windows of the carriage. On it rested a wreath of plants native to the royal estate: dahlias, sweet peas - one of the Queen's favorite flowers - phlox, fir and white heather. Hundreds of bouquets of flowers that people had laid there lay at the gate of the castle.
Hours before departure, hundreds of people had gathered along the route, some equipped with camping chairs, to pay their last respects to their queen. Many had flowers and messages for the monarch with them.
Traditionally, the Queen withdrew to her Scottish country estate in the summer, this year she wanted to stay for around two months. She used to do a lot of hiking in the Highlands, chatting with local residents and tourists alike. She was considered a neighbor by the residents of the nearby town of Ballater.
Laying out in Edinburgh
The coffin will first be taken to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, the Queen's residence in Scotland. There he will be laid out in the throne room for almost 24 hours before being led by the king in a procession to St. Giles Cathedral this Monday. There, the monarch, his wife Queen Camilla and other royals attend a thanksgiving service. Afterwards, Scots have the opportunity to say goodbye to the Queen in the church. The transfer to London is planned for Tuesday.
The Queen's eldest son was also officially crowned King Charles III in Edinburgh on Sunday lunchtime. called out. A boo was also heard as the cry of "God save the King" rang out. Just before the announcement, a protester held up a sign that read, among other things, "Abolish the monarchy." She was taken away by police officers.
