Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Thursday (September 8). While the plan of action following her death was carefully laid out, there is uncertainty over the fate of her cherished dogs: the famous corgis.
An enduring symbol of her legacy, the corgi breed has come to be associated with Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year-long reign. She had a lifelong love for her pet corgis, who accompanied her during vacations and official events in Buckingham Palace, her honeymoon, and even featured in her official photos and portraits. Fed gourmet meals of rabbit, steak and vegetables made by royal chefs, the corgis were even given their own stockings on Christmas by the Queen, filled with toys and doggy treats.
EXPRESS EXPLAINED | What will happen to Queen Elizabeth’s corgis and other dogs?
If the British monarchy has survived into the 21st century, that has a lot to do with the manner in which Queen Elizabeth II carried the crown. It was a manner singularly free of the turbulence that surrounded the late Queen’s seven decades on the throne. The basic reason is that from her tutor at Eton who groomed her to become the symbol of her nation, she learned well the distinction that the 19th century British political scientist, Walter Bagehot, had drawn between a British monarch’s “dignified” and “efficient” duties. Had she deviated from that distinction and allowed the crown to get caught in a swirl of controversy, it is doubtful that King Charles III would so smoothly be stepping into the succession.
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II was carried out of St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh on Tuesday to begin her final journey through Scotland to a Royal Air Force plane that will carry her back to London.
A bagpiper played as the flag-draped coffin was carried out of the cathedral and crowds again lined the Royal Mile through the historic heart of Edinburgh to watch as the coffin, accompanied by the queen's daughter, Princess Anne, was driven away.
Crowds again lined the Royal Mile through the historic heart of Edinburgh as the coffin, accompanied by the queen's daughter, Princess Anne, was driven away. (AP)
King Charles III, who visited Northern Ireland today, has left the nation for London to receive his mother's coffin. (AP)
Hotel prices in London and airfares to the British capital are soaring as hundreds of thousands of people flock there ahead of Queen Elizabeth's funeral on Monday, potentially providing some respite to the city's tourism business amid economic woes.
The death of the queen, 96, on Sept. 8 ended a 70-year run on the throne that made her Britain's longest-reigning monarch and one of the world's most recognisable faces as the only British monarch most living people have ever known.
Since the announcement of her death, the average rate for a hotel in London increased to $384 per night from $244 per night, according to Hayley Berg, lead economist at travel startup Hopper. (AP)
In a country famed for irreverence, some worry a new code of silence has taken hold.
Since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a handful of people in Britain have been detained by police for expressing - often bluntly - anti-monarchy views.
A woman in Edinburgh holding a sign reading "F-- imperialism, abolish the monarchy" was charged with a breach of the peace. A man faced the same charge after he heckled Prince Andrew as the queen's hearse travelled through the Scottish capital.
In Oxford, peace activist Symon Hill was put in handcuffs after he shouted his opposition during a ceremonial proclamation of the new king. (AP)
Britain's King Charles said on Tuesday he would seek the welfare of the people of Northern Ireland, taking up the example of his mother late Queen Elizabeth.
"I take up my new duties resolved to seek the welfare of all the inhabitants of Northern Ireland," Charles said, recalling the "shining example" set by his mother.
"At the very beginning of her life of service, The Queen made a pledge to dedicate herself to her country and her people and to maintain the principles of constitutional government. This promise she kept with steadfast faith." (Reuters)
King Charles III landed in Northern Ireland on Tuesday on the latest leg of his tour of the four parts of the United Kingdom, where crowds of well-wishers gathered to greet him in a region with a deeply contested British and Irish identity divided over the British monarchy. (AP)
British officials say some 500 foreign dignitaries will attend Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral, but invitations have not been sent to the leaders of Russia, Belarus or Myanmar.
Officials said the funeral next Monday, to be held at London's Westminster Abbey, will be the biggest international event Britain has hosted in decades.
US President Joe Biden was among the first to announce that he would be flying in with his wife, Jill Biden. The leaders of most Commonwealth countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Canada, are also expected to attend.
France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italy's Sergio Mattarella, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro are among the presidents attending.
Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, as well as former Spanish monarch Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia, are also due to travel to London for the occasion. (AP)
King Charles heads to Northern Ireland on Tuesday, leading the mourning for Queen Elizabeth in the four parts of the United Kingdom before his mother's coffin is flown to London ahead of four days of lying in state.
After a silent vigil attended by Charles, his sister Anne and brothers Andrew and Edward at St Giles' Cathedral in the Scottish capital Edinburgh on Monday, people queued overnight to file past the queen's coffin, some with sleeping children.
Charles, 73, is travelling to the four parts of the United Kingdom before the queen's funeral on Sept. 19. In Northern Ireland, people started to line the streets at Hillsborough Castle, the monarch's official residence, ahead of his visit. (Reuters)
Britain has not invited representatives from Russia, Belarus and Myanmar to attend Queen Elizabeth's state funeral due to be held next Monday, a Whitehall source said on Tuesday.
Britain, along with its Western allies, has sought to isolate Russia and its ally Belarus on the world stage with economic sanctions and other measures in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Myanmar and its military have also been the subject of British sanctions as London steps up support for the Southeast Asian country's Rohingya community. (Reuters)
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 on Monday 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.
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. (Read more)
King Charles III built his own empire long before he inherited his mother’s.
Charles, who formally acceded to the British throne Saturday, spent half a century turning his royal estate into a billion-dollar portfolio and one of the most lucrative moneymakers in the royal family business.
While his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, largely delegated responsibility for her portfolio, Charles was far more deeply involved in developing the private estate known as the Duchy of Cornwall. Over the past decade, he has assembled a large team of professional managers who increased his portfolio’s value and profits by about 50%. (Read more)
As Queen Elizabeth II's four children walked silently behind, a hearse carried her flag-draped coffin along a crowd-lined street in the Scottish capital Monday to a cathedral, where a service of thanksgiving hailed the late monarch as a “constant in all of our lives for over 70 years.”
Four days after the 96-year-old queen died at her beloved Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands, a military bagpiper played as her oak coffin, draped in the red-and-yellow Royal Standard of Scotland, was borne from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh under late-summer sunshine.
King Charles III, dressed in army uniform, and Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walked behind as the hearse traveled to St. Giles’ Cathedral, flanked by a bearer party of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and a detachment of the Royal Company of Archers, the king's ceremonial bodyguard in Scotland. (AP)
A line has already started forming to view Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin when she lies in state in London, even though that won’t start till Wednesday evening.Security staff are preparing for millions of people to pay their respects to the late monarch, whose coffin will be in London’s Westminster Hall until her state funeral on September 19.
The line is expected to stretch from Parliament along the bank of the River Thames.Officials have advised commuters in the city to change their working patterns because London is expected to be extremely busy in coming days. (Reuters)
The royal invitation sent to the White House to attend Queen Elizabeth's funeral was for President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden only, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday. Her statement suggested Biden would not be assembling a U.S. delegation to attend the Sept. 19 funeral in London. He is to depart for London on Saturday. (Reuters)
Queen Elizabeth II has been likened to the invisible glue holding the United Kingdom together. Some think the reign of King Charles III will see those bonds come unstuck, giving new momentum to Scotland's push for independence. But the fact the queen died last week at her beloved Highland retreat, Balmoral Castle, has made Scotland the focus of commemorations watched around the globe in the first days after her death.
That has served as a reminder of the monarchy's deep ties to Scotland — and could provide a boost for the union. Scottish historian Tom Devine said because by “extraordinary serendipity” the queen died in Scotland, “it was possible for the world to see the relationship between the queen and this country.” “It was a fitting end to a life of service and a life of concern for the four nations — not simply one nation — of the UK,” he said. (AP)
King Charles III and his three siblings marched behind their mother’s coffin Monday in a solemn procession along the Royal Mile in the historic heart of the Scottish capital of Edinburgh.
A military bagpiper played the national anthem as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the royal standard, was carried from the Palace of Holyroodhouse and placed in a hearse. The king, dressed in an army uniform, and Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walked behind as the hearse rolled to St. Giles’ Cathedral.
The hearse was flanked by a bearer party of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and a detachment of The King’s Body Guard in Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers. The coffin will remain at the cathedral until Tuesday so members of the public can pay their respectEarlier, Charles and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, were driven from the airport to the palace, where the coffin lay overnight in the Throne Room. (AP)
King Charles arrived in Edinburgh on Monday to accompany his late mother’s coffin on an emotion-charged procession through the historic heart of the Scottish capital to a cathedral where it will lie for 24 hours to allow the public to pay their last respects.
Charles and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, were driven from the airport to the royal family's official residence in Edinburgh, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where Queen Elizabeth II's coffin lay overnight in the Throne Room. On their way, they passed large crowds of people who were packed behind metal barriers along the Royal Mile, the road between Holyroodhouse and St. Giles' Cathedral.
Onlookers clapped and waved as the king's limousine passed.Charles and Camilla got out of their car at Holyroodhouse and greeted people, and looked at floral tributes before a gun salute boomed from Edinburgh Castle. Earlier, in London, Charles received condolences at Parliament and told lawmakers he would follow his late mother’s example of “selfless duty.” Earlier, Elizabeth II's grandson, Prince Harry, hailed her as a “guiding compass” and praised her “unwavering grace and dignity.
"The government, meanwhile, 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 8 p.m. (1900 GMT). People were encouraged to mark the silence at home or at community events. (AP)
Britain will on September 18 hold a national moment of reflection - a one minute silence - Prime Minister Liz Truss's spokesman said on Monday following the death of Queen Elizabeth last week.
The minute's silence will be held at 8pm (1900 GMT) on Sunday, ahead of the late queen's funeral on Monday. (Reuters)
King Charles III's plane on Monday took off from London to Scotland for taking part in procession of mother's coffin. (AP)
King Charles called parliament on Monday "the living and breathing instrument of our democracy", addressing lawmakers and peers in Westminster Hall which he said offered connections to his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
"Parliament is the living and breathing instrument of our democracy," King Charles said before lawmakers and peers stood to sing the national anthem.
"As I stand before you today, I cannot help but feel the weight of history which surrounds us, and which reminds us of the vital parliamentary traditions, to which members of both Houses, dedicate yourselves with such personal commitment for the betterment of as all." (Reuters)
Britain's Prince Harry paid a highly personal tribute on Monday to his "granny", the late Queen Elizabeth, saying how he cherished the time he had spent with her and how he would honour his father as the new king. In a statement, Harry, who stepped down from royal duties with his wife Meghan in 2020, praised the queen's service as head of state and monarch, and also spoke emotionally of her role as a grandmother.
"I cherish these times shared with you, and the many other special moments in between. You are already sorely missed, not just by us, but by the world over." He praised her "unwavering grace and dignity" and her commitment to duty, saying she was globally admired and respected.
"We, too, smile knowing that you and grandpa are reunited now, and both together in peace," he said, a reference to her husband of 73 years Prince Philip who died last year. (Reuters)
King Charles will meet lawmakers in parliament in London on Monday before flying to Edinburgh to join his siblings in a solemn procession when the coffin of his mother Queen Elizabeth is taken to the city's historic cathedral. The new monarch will also join senior royals for a vigil at St Giles' Cathedral where the coffin will lie at rest before being flown to London on Tuesday.
Since Elizabeth's death aged 96 at Balmoral Castle, her Scottish holiday home, a choreographed series of plans to mourn Britain's monarch of 70 years has been put into operation. (AP)
In his first official since the death of Queen Elizabeth's death, her grandson Prince Harry hailed her as a “guiding compass” and praised her “unwavering grace and dignity.
The personal statement, posted Monday on Harry and his wife Meghan's Archwell website, said he cherished their times together “from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved greatgrandchildren.” (AP)
King Charles III will address Parliament for the first time as Britain’s monarch on Monday when he responds to the condolences offered by the House of Commons and Lords at Westminster Hall, PTI reported. Around 900 members of Parliament and peers are expected for this stage of the constitutional ritual of State Mourning, as they also pledge loyalty to the new sovereign.
The 73-year-old monarch will then fly to Edinburgh with Queen Consort Camilla to lead a royal procession behind the late Queen’s coffin as it makes its journey from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles’ Cathedral in the Scottish capital. Following a special service to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s life, the coffin will lie-at-rest at the cathedral for 24 hours to allow members of the public to pay their respects. (PTI)
Britain’s new monarch is named King Charles III — but that was not inevitable. Charles Philip Arthur George could have chosen another royal name when he took the throne after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday. While the queen used her first given name, her father, King George VI, was named Albert Frederick Arthur George and called Bertie by friends and family.
Some observers thought the new king might prefer a different name because of the historical baggage associated with the two previous British monarchs called Charles. Read the full explainer here
The death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, at the age of 96 is being grieved by many people in the UK and around the world. She passed away at her Balmoral residence in Scotland on September 8, leading her son Charles to take the throne and become King Charles III. Amid all the cheering for the new monarch, people are also taking a moment to cherish the sweet details of the queen’s life, by closely following her funeral procession.
Queen Elizabeth‘s coffin began its final journey after it left Balmoral — her Scottish summer home — yesterday, September 11. It appeared to be draped in the Scottish royal standard, and a wreath made of dahlias, sweet peas, phlox, white heather, and pine fir was placed on top of the coffin as it was loaded onto a hearse. Read more
New Zealand has announced it will mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II with a public holiday on Sept 26. The nation will also hold a state memorial service in the capital, Wellington, on the same day. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Elizabeth was an extraordinary person and many people would appreciate the opportunity to mark her death and celebrate her life.
“As New Zealand's queen and much-loved sovereign for over 70 years, it is appropriate that we mark her life of dedicated public service with a state memorial service and a one-off public holiday,” Ardern said. She also said she would be leaving this week for Britain to attend Elizabeth's funeral. (AP)
Queen Elizabeth II’s death has highlighted many royal protocols that are initiated after the death of a monarch, in this case, the longest reigning one in the history of the British royal family.
The passing away of the queen at the age of 96 — after ruling and serving for 70 years — brought her mourning family together, too, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who had flown in just some days prior, along with the swift ascension of her son Charles to the throne, making him King Charles III. Read more
Following the passing of his mother Queen Elizabeth II at 96, King Charles III made his first address to the nation on Friday and paid tribute to his “darling wife’ Camilla. “I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla. In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage 17 years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort,” he said.
King Charles III, who was officially proclaimed as Britain’s new monarch on Saturday, added: “I know she will bring to the demands of her new role the steadfast devotion to duty on which I have come to rely so much.” Read more
Did you know that Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away on Thursday at 96, preferred a simple and structured diet for her daily life? In his 2020 book, Long Live the Queen! 13 Rules for Living from Britain’s Longest Reigning Monarch, royal author Bryan Kozlowski noted that “straightforward” and “simplicity” marked Queen‘s dining habits since childhood. However, there’s one food item that she ate consistently throughout her life – scones with afternoon tea, along with her favourite jam sandwiches.
Darren McGrady, who was a chef to the queen for 11 years, had earlier revealed that she liked to top the scones with jam, made with strawberries picked from the garden at Balmoral Castle, followed by clotted cream. “The queen was always jam first,” he said. “The jam went on followed by that delicious, clotted cream.” Read more
People wanting to pay their final respects to Queen Elizabeth II as she lies in state at the Houses of Parliament in London need to be prepared for a long wait and forget about trying to take a selfie with her coffin. The government has published guidelines for people wishing to file past the late queen's closed coffin as it lies in state at the Palace of Westminster from 5 pm (1600 GMT) Wednesday until 6:30 am (0530 GMT) on September 19. Thousands are expected to want to pay tribute to the only monarch that many in the United Kingdom have ever known.
The rules were made public a day after thousands of people lined roads and bridges Sunday as a hearse carried the queen's coffin across the Scottish countryside from her beloved Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh.
“If you wish to attend the Lying-in-State, please note that there will be a queue, which is expected to be very long. You will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down as the queue will be continuously moving,” the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said in its guidelines.
The closed coffin of the monarch who died Thursday at 96 will rest on a raised platform called a catafalque in Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament.
“Large crowds are expected, and there are likely to be delays on public transport and road closures around the area,” the ministry warned.
Visitors will have to pass through airport-style security and can only bring one small bag with one zipper opening. Larger bags can be stowed at a special facility — but only if there is space available. (AP)
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have announced that King Charles III, who succeeded his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to the British throne on Saturday (September 10), will be their head of state as well. “On behalf of the Government of Canada, we affirm our loyalty to Canada’s new King, His Majesty King Charles III, and offer him our full support,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.
In New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern participated in the Proclamation of Accession for the King on the steps of the country’s Parliament along with Governor General Cindy Kiro and Speaker Adrian Rurawhe. Read the full explainer here
Mourners in their thousands will be able to file past the coffin of Britain's late Queen Elizabeth in a round-the-clock lying-in-state from Wednesday evening to early on the day of her funeral, Reuters reported. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch ahead of her state funeral on Sept. 19, which will be attended by world leaders.
The ministry said members of the public would be able to file past the coffin for 24 hours a day from 5pm local time (1600 GMT) on Wednesday Sept. 14 until 6.30am on Sept. 19. "Those wishing to attend will be required to queue for many hours, possibly overnight," Britain's culture ministry said.
"Large crowds are expected and people are encouraged to check ahead, plan accordingly and be prepared for long wait times," it added on Monday. (Reuters)
If the British monarchy has survived into the 21st century, that has a lot to do with the manner in which Queen Elizabeth II carried the crown. It was a manner singularly free of the turbulence that surrounded the late Queen’s seven decades on the throne. The basic reason is that from her tutor at Eton who groomed her to become the symbol of her nation, she learned well the distinction that the 19th century British political scientist, Walter Bagehot, had drawn between a British monarch’s “dignified” and “efficient” duties. Had she deviated from that distinction and allowed the crown to get caught in a swirl of controversy, it is doubtful that King Charles III would so smoothly be stepping into the succession. Mani Shankar Aiyar writes
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro accepted an invitation to attend the funeral for Britain's Queen Elizabeth, the country's foreign ministry said on Sunday.
In a note to Reuters, the ministry said Bolsonaro will travel to London to attend the queen's funeral on Sept. 19. (Reuters)
United States President Joe Biden on Sunday accepted the British invitation to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. “This morning, President Biden formally accepted an invitation to attend the State Funeral Service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on September 19,” the White House said in a statement on Sunday, PTI quoted. “He will be accompanied by the First Lady,” it said.
Earlier, the White House had announced that Biden would travel to New York on September 18 and attend the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 19 and 20.
King Charles III will fly to Edinburgh to join his siblings on Monday when the coffin of his mother Queen Elizabeth is taken in a solemn procession from one of her Scottish palaces to the city’s historic St. Giles cathedral. The King will also join senior royals for a vigil at the church where the coffin will lie at rest before being flown to London on September 13.
Britain’s longest-standing monarch Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin arrived at the Edinburgh Palace on Sunday after a six-hour journey from her summer home in the Scottish Highlands, past tens of thousands of mourners lining the route, many in sombre silence, some applauding and others in tears. Her coffin was moved from Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire to her official Scottish residence of Holyroodhouse Palace in Edinburgh. Queen Elizabeth passed away on Sept 8, aged 96.
Good morning! Welcome to today's live blog. We bring to you the latest news updates on Queen Elizabeth's procession in Scotland, and more details on the Queen's funeral. Stay tuned!
In a slow, sombre and regal procession, Queen Elizabeth II's flag-draped coffin was driven through the Scottish countryside Sunday from her beloved Balmoral Castle to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh.
Mourners packed city streets and highway bridges or lined rural roads with cars and tractors to take part in a historic goodbye to the monarch who reigned for 70 years.
The hearse drove past piles of bouquets and other tributes as it led a seven-car cortege from Balmoral, where the queen died Thursday at age 96, for a six-hour trip through Scottish towns to Holyroodhouse palace in Edinburgh.
The late queen's coffin was draped in the Royal Standard for Scotland and topped with a wreath made of flowers from the estate, including sweet peas, one of the queen's favourites.
The procession was a huge event for Scotland as the UK takes days to mourn its longest-reigning monarch, the only one most Britons have ever known.
Hours before the coffin's arrival in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, people turned out early to grab a space by police barricades. By afternoon, crowds were 10 people deep in places, eager to be part of the occasion.
“I think she has been an ever-constant in my life. She was the queen I was born under, and she has always been there,” said Angus Ruthven, a 54-year-old civil servant from Edinburgh as he awaited the arrival of the coffin.
“I think it is going to take a lot of adjusting that she is not here. It is quite a sudden thing. We knew she was getting frailer, but it will be a good reign for King Charles,” he predicted.
Before reaching the Scottish capital, the cortege travelled down what is effectively a royal memory lane — passing through locations laden with House of Windsor history.
Those included Dyce, where in 1975 the queen formally opened the UK's first North Sea oil pipeline, and Fife, near St Andrews University, where her grandson Prince William, now the Prince of Wales, studied and met his future wife, Catherine.
Sunday's solemn drive came as the queen's eldest son was formally proclaimed the new monarch — King Charles III — in the rest of the nations of the United Kingdom: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It came a day after a pomp-filled accession ceremony in England for that king that was steeped in ancient tradition and political symbolism.
Just before the proclamation was read Sunday in Edinburgh, a protester appeared with a sign condemning imperialism and urging leaders to “abolish the monarchy." She was taken away soon afterward by police. Reaction to the protest was mixed. One man shouted, “Let her go! It's free speech!” while others shouted: “Have some respect!” Still, there was also some booing in Edinburgh when Joseph Morrow, Lord Lyon King of Arms, finished his proclamation with the words “God save the king!” (AP)
Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a message of congratulation to Britain's King Charles III on his accession to the throne, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday.
“I am willing to work with King Charles III to enhance mutual understanding and friendship ... and strengthen communication on global issues, so as to benefit the two countries,” Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.
The Chinese president also commemorated the 50th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations. The message comes amid strained relations over trade, human rights and China's crackdown on the democratic opposition in the former British colony of Hong Kong. (AP)
The national flag flies at half-mast at the Red Fort and Rashtrapati Bhavan as one-day state mourning is being observed in India as a mark of respect to Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away on September 8.
(Express photos by Amit Mehra)
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in Britain, his office announced on Sunday.
Wickremesinghe visited the British High Commission in Colombo on Sunday morning to sign the book of condolence placed there. The monarch, who celebrated her 70th year on the throne this year, passed away on September 8 at Balmoral Castle.
The state funeral for the Queen will be held at Wesminster Abbey on September 19.
As a mark of respect to Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Sri Lanka's national flag is flown at half-mast at all state buildings while a day of mourning has been declared for September 19.
Queen Elizabeth II was Sri Lanka's head of state until May 1972 when the island left the British sovereign to become a republic.
The Queen had visited Sri Lanka twice in 1954 and 1981 and later was represented by Prince of Wales at visits in 1998, 2004 and 2013 for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting hosted here in Colombo.
The Queen's body will be brought down from Scotland to lie in state in Wesminster Hall for four days, from September 14 until 6.30am on the morning of the funeral, to give the public an opportunity to pay their respects. (PTI)
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had started laying the groundwork for an Australian republic after elections in May, said Sunday that now was the time not for a change but for paying tribute to the life of Queen Elizabeth II.
Many regarded Australians' respect and affection for the late monarch as the biggest obstacle to the country becoming a republic with its own head of state.
Albanese, who describes himself as the first candidate with a “non-Anglo Celtic name” to run for prime minister in the 121 years that the office has existed, had created a new position of Assistant Minister for the Republic and appointed Matt Thistlethwaite to the role in June.
Thistlethwaite had said there would be no change in the queen's lifetime.
“Now is not a time to talk about our system of government,” Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Sunday. “Now is the time for us to pay tribute to the life of Queen Elizabeth, a life well lived, a life of dedication and loyalty including to the Australian people and for us to honour and grieve.” Albanese has said previously that a republic referendum is not a priority of his first three-year term in government. (AP)
With the demise of Queen Elizabeth II in England, the Princess of the erstwhile Mysuru Royal family, Kamakshi Devi Wadiyar recollected the fond memories of her visit to Bengaluru in 1961.
A video 'made in colour' now doing rounds in the social media brought back the memories her maiden visit to India post-independence.
"We are extremely saddened by the demise of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was a dignified lady," recollected Kamakshi Devi.
"I was only eight when Her Majesty visited Bengaluru. My father, the Rajya Pramukh of the state, Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadeyar, received the queen at the airport. Along with my mother and siblings, I stood watching her arrival from a distance," Kamakshi Devi recalled.
Later, Queen Elizabeth II was taken to the 'Residency', now known as Raj Bhavan which is the palatial house of the Governor of Karnataka, the princess of erstwhile Mysore Royal family recalled.
The entire event was made grand with whatever limited resources available that time, Kamakshi Devi recalled.
Elizabeth II spent her night in the Cubbon Bungalow on the Nandi Hills, she added.
Recalling the Queen's visit, elderly Bengalury resident Anand Sirur, said the entire event marked with grandeur.
"I was 30 at that time. I recall the government and private organisations had announced a holiday in honour of the Queen's visit. The oil mills, which never closed, were shut for the day so that the employees could see the historic event," Sirur, now 91, recollected.
He said he stood on 'Cubbon Road' next to the Capitol Hotel to see the slow-moving cavalcade and the Queen greeting the people who were waving at her.
The video that is widely circulating in the social media showed the Queen alighting from the aeroplane and the Mysore Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadeyar presenting her a bouquet.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Bangalore airport to see her. Later, the queen was presented a copy of the Bible, translated in Hindi.
The video also shows the present day MG Road, where a Metro Station has come up now. (PTI)
Thousands are lining the route to catch a glimpse as Queen Elizabeth II's coffin begins its journey on Sunday from Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire to the late monarch's official Scottish residence of Holyroodhouse Palace in the capital city of Edinburgh.
The coffin will rest in the Throne Room of Holyroodhouse until Monday afternoon for the royal household to pay their respects to Britain's Queen, who died peacefully aged 96 at Balmoral on Thursday evening.
Buckingham Palace has unveiled plans for the State Funeral, which will take place at Westminster Abbey London on Monday, September 19 – declared a Bank Holiday in the UK. Prior to the funeral, the late monarch will lie-in-state at Westminster Hall within the Houses of Parliament complex for four days, to allow the British public to pay their respects.
On Saturday, members of the royal family viewed the several thousand floral tributes and messages left for the late Queen at her residences at Windsor, Balmoral and London.
In a show of royal unity, Prince William and Kate – now the Prince and Princess of Wales – joined Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle for a walkabout at Windsor to speak to members of the public gathered at the gates of Windsor Castle.
A social media video clip shows Kate telling one group how her youngest son, Prince Louis, had said that his great grandmother was “now with great grandpa” – a reference to the Queen's husband Prince Philip, who died last April aged 99.
It followed Charles, the former Prince of Wales, being formally proclaimed King in an ancient ceremony at St. James's Palace during which he pledged to follow the "inspiring example" set by his late mother.
Flags atop all palaces and government buildings in the UK were brought up to full mast to mark the proclamation and will be lowered back to half-mast for the State Mourning on Sunday.
Buckingham Palace has released a schedule for the new monarch, King Charles III, who will host several audiences and travel to all parts of the United Kingdom as is customary during the State Mourning for a monarch.
After a meeting with the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, at Buckingham Palace, the King will host Realm High Commissioners and their spouses in the Bow Room of the Palace on Sunday.
On Monday, Charles and Queen Consort Camilla will travel to Westminster Hall where both Houses of Parliament will meet to express their condolences at the demise of the Queen.
The royal couple will then travel to Scotland for an audience with the Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and to attend the devolved Scottish Parliament. They are scheduled to travel to Northern Ireland on Tuesday and then later in the week to Wales.
On Monday, a procession will be formed on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse to convey the Queen's coffin to St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, where King Charles III and members of the royal family will attend a service to receive the coffin.
It will then lie at rest at St Giles' Cathedral, guarded by Vigils from the Royal Company of Archers, to allow the people of Scotland to pay their respects, Buckingham Palace has said.
The journey from Scotland to England will be undertaken by air on Tuesday, when the Queen's daughter – Princess Anne – will accompany the coffin on its journey to the Bow Room at the monarch's London residence of Buckingham Palace.
A day later, on Wednesday, it will be borne in procession to the Palace of Westminster for lying-in-state until the day of the funeral. Members of the royal family, politicians and world leaders are expected to attend the State Funeral at 11am local time on September 19. (PTI)
King Charles III on Saturday signed the declaration which officially made him the new British Monarch using ink from a silver pot gifted to him by his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
King Charles was on Saturday proclaimed Britain’s new monarch in a historic ceremony of the Accession Council. He was joined by his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, and his son and heir Prince William – the new Prince of Wales, who added their signatures to the formal proclamation documents. Read more
Upon taking the throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II inherited millions of subjects around the world, many of them unwilling. Today, in the British Empire's former colonies, her death brings complicated feelings, including anger. Beyond official condolences praising the queen's longevity and service, there is some bitterness about the past in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and elsewhere. Talk has turned to the legacies of colonialism, from slavery to corporal punishment in African schools to looted artifacts held in British institutions. For many, the queen came to represent all of that during her seven decades on the throne.
In Kenya, where decades ago a young Elizabeth learned of her father's death and her enormous new role as queen, a lawyer named Alice Mugo shared online a photograph of a fading document from 1956. It was issued four years into the queen's reign, and well into Britain's harsh response to the Mau Mau rebellion against colonial rule. “Movement permit,” the document says. While over 100,000 Kenyans were rounded up in camps under grim conditions, others, like Mugo's grandmother, were forced to request British permission to go from place to place.
“Most of our grandparents were oppressed,” Mugo tweeted in the hours after the queen's death Thursday. “I cannot mourn.” (Reuters)
Queen Elizabeth II’s death has highlighted many royal protocols that are initiated after the death of a monarch, in this case, the longest reigning one in the history of the British royal family.
The passing away of the queen at the age of 96 — after ruling and serving for 70 years — brought her mourning family together, too, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who had flown in just some days prior, along with the swift ascension of her son Charles to the throne, making him King Charles III. Read more
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth will be taken from her home in the Scottish Highlands on a slow, six-hour journey to Edinburgh on Sunday, giving the public a chance to line the roads in tribute to the monarch who died after seven decades on the throne. The death of the 96-year-old has provoked tears, sadness and warm tributes, not just from the queen's own close family and many in Britain, but also from around the globe - reflecting her presence on the world stage for the last 70 years.
On Sunday at 0900 GMT, Elizabeth's oak coffin, which has been in the ballroom of Balmoral Castle covered with the royal standard of Scotland and with a wreath of flowers on top, will be placed in a hearse by six gamekeepers, Reuters reported.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II breathed her last on September 8 afternoon at the Balmoral, her estate in the Scottish Highlands. She was 96. Following this, the British government declared the start of a period of national mourning for the Queen. and published the 'national mourning guidance'. Check out the gallery here
The Canadian Parliament will sit on Thursday to allow members to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday.
After her father, King George VI died in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne five years after India attained independence from colonial rule, becoming the first British ruler to take the throne after the empire lost its ‘jewel in the crown’. During her reign she undertook three state visits to India, in 1961, 1983, and 1997. Read more on Queen Elizabeth's three visits to India
After a seven-decade reign, the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022, has resulted in a number of changes to the British monarchy and the titles of the royals. While the queen’s eldest child Charles became the king as King Charles III, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – Prince William and Kate Middleton – have now inherited the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. These were earlier used by William’s father and his wife Camilla, as the latter will now use the title Queen Consort. Not just these, William and Kate also have an additional change to their official titles — they are now officially Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales, respectively. Read more
When she was crowned in 1952, it was already an outstanding event. News arrived that Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay had climbed Mount Everest. There were wishes expressed that given her name, perhaps a second Elizabethan Age — comparable to the first one (around the 16th century) — would be her great contribution. Back then, it looked like just a pious wish. Today, without a doubt, we can say that Queen Elizabeth II — who died at the age of 96 after a record 70 years on the throne, celebrated just recently in a spectacular ceremony — did rule over an efflorescence of British art, culture, literature, music, theatre that no one could have predicted. Meghnad Desai writes
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday announced a public holiday on September 22, to mourn the demise of Britain's longest-standing monarch Queen Elizabeth II.
On Saturday, King Charles III was officially proclaimed the head of state in Australia.
Though Queen Elizabeth II was revered by many in Africa, her death also reignited a different sort of conversation — one that touched on the legacy of the British Empire and the brutality the monarchy meted out to people in its former colonies.
In a younger generation of Africans growing up in a post-colonial world, some lamented that the queen never faced up to the grim aftermath of colonialism and empire, or issued an official apology. They said they wanted to use the moment to recall the oppression and horrors their parents and grandparents endured in the name of the Crown, and to urge for the return of crown jewels — rare massive diamonds — taken from the continent. Read the New York Times report here