Charles wears full-day ceremonial uniform with the rank of Field Marshal and carries the Field Marshal Baton given to him by his mother when he was awarded the rank in 2012. The procession moves through crowds of spectators who stand in almost complete silence through the streets of Edinburgh. Elizabeth’s coffin is draped in the Royal Standard in Scotland and draped in a wreath of flowers, which includes dried white heather from Balmoral. The hearse is flanked by a party of the Royal Regiment of Scotland as well as a detachment of the King’s bodyguard in Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers. After processing along the Royal Mile, where, once again, thousands of people have gathered to pay their respects, the coffin will receive a guard of honor from the Royal Company of Archers at the cathedral. The royal family will then attend a short service of prayer and reflection, together with a congregation made up of “all sectors of Scottish society”, according to Buckingham Palace. The coffin will then remain there for 24 hours for the Scottish public to view. After the service, the King will have an audience with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, in addition to meeting the Speaker of the Scottish Parliament. He will also go to the Scottish Parliament to receive a condolence offer. On Monday afternoon, the king and members of the royal family will hold a vigil at the queen’s coffin. Earlier, the king promised to continue the queen’s “dedicated service” to the British people in his first speech to the British parliament. Camilla, the Queen Consort, accompanied Charles on his first visit to the Palace of Westminster since becoming king. In the ancient hall of Westminster, both Houses of Parliament expressed their condolences on the death of his mother. “We gather today to commemorate the Queen’s remarkable time of dedicated service to her nations and people,” the King said. “When she was very young, Her late Majesty pledged herself to serve her country and her people. “This oath he kept with unsurpassed devotion. He set an example of unselfish duty which, with God’s help and your counsels, I am determined to follow faithfully,” continued Charles. As he finished his short speech, there was a rendition of “God Save the King,” the British national anthem. After the visit, the monarch and his wife flew to Edinburgh, Scotland, where the Queen has been resting since Sunday. The couple headed straight to the Palace of Holyroodhouse for the Ceremony of the Keys — a tradition in which the Lord Provost offers the monarch the keys to the city.
