There was a powerful historic moment as the king and his siblings stood watching their queen’s coffin as it lay in Edinburgh on Monday – reports James Mates King Charles III paused for a public vigil by his mother’s coffin as she lay in state in Edinburgh. For ten minutes, and in front of the world, the grieving monarch stood gravely by the Queen’s coffin, flanked by his brothers, beside the Queen’s coffin in St Giles’ Cathedral. Charles, Duke of York, and his siblings, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex, stood around the coffin as the first members of the public to pay their respects to Her Majesty, paying their last respects. Watch King Charles and his siblings stand by the Queen’s coffin as the public record passes in silence The cathedral had opened earlier in the evening for people to pass by the monarch as she lay in Rest, and they continued to pass in silence as the royals stood. The Queen’s coffin, carried by the Royal Scots, will lie in the cathedral for 24 hours to allow members of the public to pay their respects. Watch as the first mourners pass the Queen’s coffin Among the first people to see the coffin were wheelchair users, some of whom had queued for hours. People who saw the coffin spoke of their experiences, with some well-wishers queuing from 7am for the service, which was scheduled to start at 7.20pm on Monday. Wheelchair users were among the first to enter St Giles’s Credit: PA Karen Whitehouse left her home in Lowwater, Cumbria at 2am today to start queuing to pay her respects to the late monarch in the Scottish capital. Speaking about her moment with the royal coffin tonight, the 64-year-old said: ‘It was surreal. The first members of the public enter St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Credit: PA “It was very quiet, everyone was very still. It was as if they were all statues. I can’t believe I’ve done it and I was so close. I paid my respects, it was just beautiful.” Ms Whitehouse said the Queen’s coffin was on a high plinth inside the cathedral. A woman had to be supported as she wept past the Queen’s coffin, ITV News reports He added: “The crown was on the top, and a pillow, and the crown on top. There are many officials in there, in their robes. Everyone is very still, it’s a beautiful experience. It was worth the 12 hours to get here.” Later, expressionless and staring straight ahead, Charles was joined by the Princess Royal, the Earl of Wessex and the Duke of York as they followed the hearse carrying the Queen’s oak coffin into the cathedral to join mourners. Charles and his brothers each stood by a corner of the raised dais on which the coffin rested, as they held the public vigil at St. Giles’s. The procession of Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles’ Cathedral. Credit: PA Earlier in the day, the new king and Camilla, the Queen Consort, arrived at the Scottish Parliament, where tributes were paid to the Queen as part of a condolence proposal in the debating chamber. The King met with leaders of Scotland’s main political parties, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, of the SNP, and Douglas Ross of the Scottish Conservatives. Nicola Sturgeon during the service of prayer and reflection for the life of Queen Elizabeth II at St Giles Cathedral. Credit: PA Ms Sturgeon said Scotland “stands ready” to support King Charles as he continues his mother’s legacy of public service. “We are honored by the presence today of His Majesty King Charles III and The Queen Consort,” he said. “Your Majesty, we stand ready to support you as you continue your own life of service – and as you build on the extraordinary legacy of your beloved mother, our Queen. “Queen Elizabeth, Queen of Scots – we are grateful for her life. May he now rest in peace.” The king spoke to the Scottish Parliament after party leaders paid tribute to the queen in a special session. Credit: PA Afterwards, addressing the Scottish Parliament, the King spoke of how many people in Scotland shared “a deep sense of sadness” with him at Her Majesty’s death. “Throughout her reign, the Queen, like so many generations of our family before her, found in the hills of this land and in the hearts of its people, a refuge and a home,” he said. “If I may paraphrase the words of the great Robert Burns, my dear mother was the friend of man, the friend of truth, the friend of age, and the guide of youth. Few hearts like hers, warmed with virtue, few heads with knowledge so informed.’ The king then said his other Scottish titles, including Duke of Rothesay, had now passed to his son William. Also on Monday afternoon, the new King and his three siblings, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, walked the route to the cathedral to attend a thanksgiving service. The Queen Consort and the Countess of Wessex followed in a car – but William, the new Prince of Wales, and his brother Harry did not join the procession. The coffin, which traveled from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the sovereign’s official home in Edinburgh, was draped in the Royal Standard in Scotland and draped in a wreath of flowers as the Queen was carried to St Giles. She was lifted from the hearse and brought to the place of worship. A memorial service was held before mourners were allowed to pay their respects. As the coffin passed through the cathedral, the choir sang Thou Wilt Keep Him In Perfect Peace, Whose Mind Is Stayed On Thee. Those attending the service were caught singing Psalm 23, Lord’s My Shepherd, a hymn said to be the Queen’s favorite and sung at her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947. The national anthem, God Save The King, was sung near the end of the service. The Queen Consort, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex, the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, were seen singing as they stood alongside the King in front of the late Queen’s coffin. Members of the Royal Family during a service of prayer and reflection on the life of Queen Elizabeth II at St Giles’ Cathedral. Credit: PA During the service, Priest Dr. Iain Greenshields said in his homily: “Much has been said about the Queen’s contribution to the life of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, which meant so much to her. “But here in Scotland we gratefully acknowledge her deep ties to our land and its people. Her love of the Balmoral estate is well known and being there lately has brought her great comfort. “There she was valued as a neighbor and a friend and there she drew strength and renewal in the summer months.” The Queen will lie in state at the cathedral until Tuesday afternoon. This means members of the public will be able to view the coffin to pay their respects for 24 hours before it is taken to London ahead of a period of lying in state. Earlier, King Charles was given the ceremonial keys to the city of Edinburgh as part of the Ceremony of the Keys. In keeping with tradition, he handed them back, entrusting their custody to the elected officials of the city. Members of the public traveling to Edinburgh to pay their respects were asked to allow extra time as the Scottish capital welcomed thousands of people. King Charles III inspects the Guard of Honor as he arrives at the Palace Keys Ceremony. Credit: PA People could be seen climbing to the top of the barricades on the Royal Mile to catch a glimpse of the King and Queen Consort as they arrived in Edinburgh. Visitors described the atmosphere in the area as lively. Strict road closures were in place around the Mile, which runs from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to Edinburgh Castle. An officer looks through binoculars before the service of prayer and reflection on the life of Queen Elizabeth II at St Giles’ Cathedral. Credit: PA It was announced on Monday that a minute’s silence will be observed nationwide at 8pm on Sunday, the night before the Queen’s funeral to be held at Westminster Abbey. The moment of reflection will be held to bring the public “together and watch a national moment of reflection to mourn and reflect on the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II,” the prime minister’s official spokesman said in a statement. ITV News’ James Mates reports on the fourth day since the Queen’s death Earlier on Monday, during an event at Westminster Hall in London, where both Houses of Parliament gathered to offer their condolences to the new monarch, the king promised to “faithfully follow” his mother’s example. The new King quoted Shakespeare when responding to official condolences from MPs and colleagues and spoke movingly of the tributes to his mother. He described the “weight of history” as he stood inside the historic hall. The Queen’s remarkable life was recalled in our latest episode of What You Need To Know
