Well-wishers in Scotland have been saying goodbye to the Queen, with some throwing flowers into the path of her coffin, which was seen for the first time as it makes its slow journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh.
Draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland and featuring a wreath of Balmoral flowers on top, the oak coffin is travelling from the royal castle, through the Aberdeenshire countryside, to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
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As the hearse left the Balmoral estate in bright sunshine, members of the public lined the road and stood silent to pay their respects and one mourner threw flowers at the vehicle, as police officers bowed their heads.
The gentle rush of flowing water through the River Dee could be heard as the seven-car cortege crossed a bridge, as well-wishers gathered at the end of the route out of Balmoral.
See the cortege as it continues its journey to Edinburgh
Princess Anne travelled behind the hearse
The Queen’s only daughter, the Princess Royal, and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, were part of the royal procession, travelling in a limousine directly behind the hearse.
Onlookers described the “emotional moment” as they bade a quiet farewell to “the only Queen we’ve ever known”.
Cortege passed through villages and towns
The cortege, with a police escort, slowly made its way towards the Scottish capital, as thousands of people turned out to see it pass, including hundreds in Ballater, Aberdeenshire.
Crowds three or four deep watched as the cortege drove through the village, including past the local church.
Some mourners threw flowers at the hearse.
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Flowers thrown at Queen’s coffin
Ballater is the village closest to the Balmoral estate, where many locals considered the royal as a neighbour.
One woman told Sky News she had driven eight hours from Cheshire to get to Ballater. She said: “I just wanted to be here today to wave her off. She’s been the constant figure in the whole of my life.”
She added: “It’s brought together all the losses of the last few years.”
The coffin made its way through Ballater
Clapping the cortege
In the town of Banchory, crowds again came out in large numbers, with some people clapping the cortege as it went by.
Sky’s royal commentator Alastair Bruce said: “A wonderful salute from Banchory, quiet gentle applause and a few of them throwing flowers into the path of the hearse.”
Some people in Banchory clapped as the coffin travelled through the town
Around two hours into its journey, it arrived in the city of Aberdeen, where large crowds fell silent as they watched the cortege pass. Many people brought their children, so they could bear witness to the historic moment.
Elizabeth Taylor, from Aberdeen, had tears in her eyes as she considered what she had just seen.
She said: “It was very emotional. It was respectful and showed what they think of the Queen. She certainly gave service to this country, even up until a few days before her death.”
Some of the biggest crowds were seen in the city of Dundee.
Following the Queen’s death on Thursday, the coffin had remained at rest in the Balmoral ballroom to give estate workers there the chance to say goodbye for the last time.
Six of the estate’s gamekeepers lifted the coffin into a hearse at 10am, marking the start of the cortege’s six-hour journey to Edinburgh.
The wreath sat atop the coffin is made from some of the Queen’s favourite flowers picked from the garden of Balmoral.
Sky News understands these include phlox, dahlias, sweet pea, limonium, white heather, and pine fur.
Nicola Sturgeon, the country’s first minister, said the “poignant” journey would give people in Scotland the chance to come together to “mark our country’s shared loss”.
Today’s road journey (times can vary) will:
• Head towards Perth, across the Friarton Bridge and down the M90
• Go over the Queensferry Crossing towards Edinburgh
• Enter Edinburgh from the west, skirting by Edinburgh Castle
• Travel down the full length of the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse by about 4pm
Meanwhile, proclamation ceremonies for King Charles III have been taking place in Edinburgh, as well as at Cardiff Castle and Hillsborough Castle.
Proclamation ceremonies for King Charles III have been taking place, including in Edinburgh
An “unprecedented” amount of preparation has gone into planning the coffin route, planning bosses said.
Ms Sturgeon and other party leaders in Scotland are expected to observe the coffin as it makes its way past the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
After arriving at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, it will rest in the throne room until Monday afternoon, when it will be moved to St Giles’ Cathedral.
There it will lie for 24 hours, so the public can pay their respects.
More on the Queen:
What happens between now and the Queen’s funeral?
How the Queen adapted to Scotland’s shifting politics
The secrets behind some of the Queen’s most famous photos
Public viewing of the coffin begins at 5pm on Monday, but people have been warned of long waits, and photography and recording is strictly prohibited.
Princess Anne will fly to London with her mother’s body on Tuesday.
The events in Scotland are the first meticulously planned steps leading to the funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday 19 September – a day that will be a bank holiday.
