LONDON (AP) – King Charles landed in Edinburgh on Monday to accompany his late mother’s coffin in an emotional procession through the historic center of the Scottish capital to a cathedral where it will remain for 24 hours to allow the public to pay the last one you respect
Charles flew to Scotland after receiving condolences in Parliament and telling lawmakers he would follow his late mother’s example of “selfless duty”.
Earlier, Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson Prince Harry praised her as a “guiding compass” and praised her “unwavering grace and dignity”.
The government, for its part, announced that the nation will observe a minute of silence on Sunday, the evening before the Queen’s funeral. The “moment of reflection” will take place at 20:00 (1900 GMT). People were encouraged to observe silence at home or at community events.
Hundreds of lawmakers packed into the 1,000-year-old Westminster Hall of the Houses of Parliament for the lavish service, in which Parliament offered its condolences to the king, and he responded.
A trumpet fanfare greeted the king and his wife Camilla, the queen consort, as they entered the hall, packed with hundreds of lawmakers.
Charles told members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords that he would follow his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in upholding the “precious principles of constitutional government” that underpin the UK’s political system.
He paid tribute to his mother, saying: “As Shakespeare said of Queen Elizabeth of yore, she was a pattern to all princes that live.”
The hall, with its magnificent hammer-beamed ceiling, is the oldest part of the parliamentary complex, a remnant of the medieval Palace of Westminster that once stood on the site.
“As I stand before you today, I cannot help but feel the weight of history that surrounds us and that reminds us of the vital parliamentary traditions to which you as members of both houses are dedicated, with such a personal commitment to the betterment of all We”. Charles said.
The ceremony was held at Westminster Hall because monarchs cannot enter the House of Commons. This rule dates back to the 17th century, when King Charles I tried to break in and arrest lawmakers. That confrontation between the crown and Parliament led to a civil war that ended with the king’s beheading in 1649.
Earlier on Monday, a personal statement posted on the Archwell website by Harry and his wife Meghan said he cherished their time together “from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as a commander in none, until the first moment he met my beloved wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren.
Amid acrimony at the House of Windsor, Harry stepped down as senior royal and moved to the United States two years ago. On Saturday, there was a possible sign of a reconciliation as Harry and Meghan joined their brother Prince William and sister-in-law Catherine to meet mourners outside Windsor Castle.
National mourning continued on Sunday as thousands lined streets and roadsides as the oak coffin emerged from the late queen’s beloved summer retreat at Balmoral Castle, where she died on Thursday, in Edinburgh .
In Edinburgh, the King will walk behind his mother’s coffin as it is slowly carried from Holyroodhouse to St. Giles, where the crown of Scotland will be placed on the coffin before a service of prayer and reflection on the life and 70-year reign of the much-loved monarch.
The Queen’s coffin will remain in the cathedral for 24 hours, giving members of the public a chance to stop by and pay their respects. On Tuesday, it will be moved to London where the coffin will lie in state at the Houses of Parliament from Wednesday afternoon until the morning of the funeral on September 19.
Authorities have already issued rules and guidelines for people wishing to pay their respects in London, with a long queue expected.
After visiting Scotland, Charles embarks on a tour of the other nations that make up the United Kingdom – visiting Northern Ireland’s capital Belfast on Tuesday and Wales on Friday.
Harry’s statement ended on a poignant note alluding to the death last year of his grandfather Prince Philip, saying that “We too smile to know that you and Grandad are reunited now, and both together in peace”.
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