queen journey update

Queen Elizabeth II 1926–2022

The final journey London to Windsor, follow the route to the Queen's resting place

By Ivana Kottasová, Lauren Said-Moorhouse and the Visuals Team, CNN

The Queen will be laid to rest at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images

A kingdom united in grief will mourn the loss of their revered Queen on Monday. Pomp and pageantry will be on display as tens of thousands line the streets of the British capital and hundreds of millions tune in for the state funeral of Elizabeth II.

Monday’s ceremonial events are the culmination of nearly two weeks of public arrangements, codenamed “Operation London Bridge,” honoring Elizabeth’s remarkable life -- from a young princess who was not born to be Queen, to a sovereign who redefined the role and won almost universal admiration.

Following the Queen’s death at Balmoral on September 8, her coffin was flown back from Scotland and moved to London’s Westminster Hall in a somber procession. She will lie in state there until the morning of her funeral.

Crowds of mourners will flood the capital in the hopes of witnessing the coffin -- draped in the Royal Standard and carrying the Instruments of State -- one last time before the Queen makes the journey to her final resting place within St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. Here’s everything you need to know about Britain’s farewell to one its greatest ever monarchs.

Monday, September 19 The day of the funeral and the final journey to Windsor

Westminster Hall At around 10:35 a.m. (5:35 a.m. ET), the coffin will be lifted from the catafalque. A bearer party founded by the Queen's Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards will carry it from Westminster Hall to the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy. The gun carriage will set off at 10:44 a.m. (5:44 a.m. ET) on the short journey from New Palace Yard to Westminster Abbey, where the funeral service will take place. The route will be lined by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. King Charles III and members of the royal family will walk behind the coffin.

Westminster Abbey The service will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster, starting at 11 a.m. (6 a.m. ET). The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will deliver a sermon. Towards the end of the service, at around 11:55 a.m., the Last Post will sound before a two-minute silence is observed. World leaders, politicians, public figures and European royals, as well as more than 500 dignitaries from around the world, will be at the service, which will be attended by up to 2,000 people.

Click below for a 360 view inside Westminster Abbey

Procession through London Following the roughly one-hour service, the coffin will be conveyed from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch -- again with the King leading some of the family on foot, while Camilla, the Queen Consort and others follow by car.

Whitehall The route -- lined by the Armed Forces -- will pass Parliament Square and go onto Whitehall, the street that cuts through London’s government district. It will pass the Cenotaph, the site of the annual National Service of Remembrance, which the Queen personally attended most years, and Downing Street.

Click below for a 360 view of Whitehall by Downing Street

Horse Guards Parade The procession moves through Horse Guards Parade, the setting for the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony held to mark the monarch’s official birthday. Here, the King’s Life Guard will turn out and give a royal salute as the coffin passes.

The Mall On The Mall, the royal procession will pass by royal residences Clarence House and St James's Palace.

Click below for a 360 view of The Mall

Buckingham Palace As the coffin moves past Queen Victoria Memorial for the last time, the King’s Guard will turn out in the forecourt and give a royal salute.

Click below for a 360 view of The State Rooms in Buckingham Palace

Wellington Arch The procession is expected at Wellington Arch around 1 p.m. (8 a.m. ET), where the bearer party will transfer it from the State Gun Carriage to the state hearse for the journey to Windsor.

Windsor The Queen’s coffin will be driven to Windsor, around 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of the capital. Windsor Castle is where the Queen lived for the last two years of her life.

The Long Walk Once in Windsor, the state hearse will be driven just after 3 p.m. (10 a.m. ET) along The Long Walk, a picturesque avenue leading to the castle where thousands will be waiting to bid the Queen farewell as she passes.

Windsor Castle The King and other royals will join the procession on foot as it passes through the castle’s quadrangle at around 3:40 p.m. (10:40 a.m. ET). Minute guns will be fired by the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery from the East Lawn throughout the royal cortege.

Click below for a 360 view inside the grounds of Windsor Castle

St George’s Chapel The Queen’s coffin will be greeted by an honor guard founded by the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards mounted in Horseshoe Cloister at the foot of the West Steps of St. George’s Chapel. Soldiers from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment will line the steps as the bearer party carries the coffin inside for the committal service.

A more intimate committal service will take place at St. George’s Chapel at about 4 p.m. (11 a.m. ET), conducted by the Dean of Windsor. The royal family will gather there along with a congregation made up of members of the Royal Household, past and present, as well as personal staff who have worked on the private estates.

St. George’s should be a familiar location to many as it is where Prince Philip's funeral service was held last April, as well as more jubilant occasions like the nuptials of the Queen's grandchildren.

At the service's conclusion, the Queen's coffin will be lowered into the Royal Vault, set below the chapel, where many royal family members have been laid to rest.

The service concludes the public arrangements for the late monarch, however, a private burial service will be held for the family later Monday evening. The Queen is to be buried with her late husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, located elsewhere within St. George's.

The memorial chapel is where the Queen's father and mother were interred. A casket containing the ashes of the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, is also there.

The Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, said last week that orchestrating the event was "both humbling and daunting.” He added that Monday’s event aimed to "unite people across the globe" and "pay a fitting tribute to an extraordinary reign.”

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‘Her final journey begins’: the front pages as Queen’s coffin arrives in Edinburgh

Same scenes fill UK front pages: the Queen’s coffin, draped in the royal standard, being borne to Holyroodhouse

• Latest updates as the Queen’s final journey begins

Scenes of the late Queen’s coffin being borne towards the Palace of Holyroodhouse after a slow journey from Balmoral feature on the newspaper front pages on Monday.

Scotland’s Daily Record says “Ma’am of the people – 1000s line streets for monarch’s final journey”. Crowds are shown flanking Edinburgh’s Royal Mile as the hearse passes.

In tomorrow's Daily Record: Thousands lined the streets as Scotland said goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II @hendopolis #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/TXENNHZh8b — The Daily Record (@Daily_Record) September 11, 2022

The Guardian’s front page, like most others, has a large photograph of the Queen’s coffin draped in the royal standard, carried by pallbearers. The headline is “The Queen begins her final journey”. Further down the page, the lead story is Russian “revenge” attacks in Ukraine.

Guardian front page, Monday 12 September 2022: Russia launches 'revenge' attacks as Ukraine offensive gathers pace pic.twitter.com/W7ZKjF2rtb — The Guardian (@guardian) September 11, 2022

The Financial Times banners its picture with “Queen’s coffin begins journey south as King Charles prepares for whistle-stop tour across Britain” – it also makes a Ukraine report its lead story.

Just published: Front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, for Monday 12 September pic.twitter.com/jGS8TMjeFt — Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) September 11, 2022

“Queen’s final journey begins” says the i , and most others have some version of that wording.

Monday's front page: Queen's final journey begins #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/nogkhvuOjW — i newspaper (@theipaper) September 11, 2022

The Mirror calls it the “Final journey home”.

Sunday's front page: The Final Journey Home #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/jfLR7fdFTu — The Mirror (@DailyMirror) September 11, 2022

The Telegraph and the Sun echo King Charles III, calling it her “last great journey”.

The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: 'Her last great journey' Read Judith Wood's moving piece here: https://t.co/tlrHgdsVUc Sign up for the Front Page newsletter https://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/cGAE53d95i — The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 11, 2022

… while it’s the “saddest journey” according to the Express .

Monday's front page: Queen's saddest journey begins. https://t.co/DVAv0uaFpc #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/IO5ImoGXLc — Daily Express (@Daily_Express) September 11, 2022

“Her final journey begins” says the Times on the front of its wraparound; the inside front says “Five-mile queue for Queen” as mammoth crowds for her lying in state are anticipated.

Monday’s TIMES (inside wrap): “Five-mile queue for Queen” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/yowrbqyQdU — Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) September 11, 2022

The Metro finds its own words: “Our gracious queen”.

Tomorrow's paper today 📰 OUR GRACIOUS QUEEN #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/wMFDxZCwOU — Metro (@MetroUK) September 11, 2022

The Daily Mail says “The saddest journey … now the long goodbye” and it can’t resist plugging a gossipy take about the Sussexes and the now-Waleses: “Bombshell text that sparked an unexpected show of family unity”.

Monday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/sbf2R11LEc — Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) September 11, 2022

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Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin takes long road through Scotland

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have joined Prince William and his wife Kate at Windsor Castle to view floral tributes left by the public in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. (Sept. 10)

The hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, passes the City Chambers on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022 on the journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it will lie in rest for a day. (Jane Barlow/Pool Photo via AP)

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The hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, passes along Canongate towards the Royal Mile as it completes its journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it will lie in rest for a day, Sunday Sept. 11, 2022. (Jacob King/Pool Photo via AP)

People watch the Queens cortege with the hearse containing her coffin on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. The coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II is being transported Sunday on a journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it will lie at rest before being moved to London later in the week. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

The hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, passes down the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022 on the journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it will lie in rest for a day. (Jane Barlow/Pool Photo via AP)

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, as it arrives at Holyroodhouse, where it will lie in rest for a day, in Edinburgh, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. (Alkis Konstantinidis/Pool Photo via AP)

The coffin containing the body of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II leaves Balmoral Castle in Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. The Queen’s coffin will be transported Sunday on a journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it will lie at rest before being moved to London later in the week. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Members of the public line the streets in Ballater, Scotland, as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II passes through as it makes its journey to Edinburgh from Balmoral in Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. The Queen’s coffin will be transported Sunday on a journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it will lie at rest before being moved to London later in the week. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

People watch the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, after it crossed Friarton Bridge as it continues its journey to Edinburgh from Balmoral, in Perth, Scotland, Sunday Sept. 11, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Spectators watch as the cortege with the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II drives on the M90 motorway as it makes its journey to Edinburgh from Balmoral in Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. The Queen’s coffin is being transported Sunday on a journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it will lie at rest before being moved to London later in the week. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Members of the public await the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, passing through Dundee, Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, as it continues its journey to Edinburgh from Balmoral. (Michael Boyd/PA via AP)

The hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, passing over the Queensferry Crossing in Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, as it continues its journey to Edinburgh from Balmoral. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

Members of the public at Friarton Bridge in Perth, Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022 wait for arrival of the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, as it continues its journey to Edinburgh from Balmoral. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

From left, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, Sophie the Countess of Wessex and Prince Edward watch as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, completes its journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will lie in rest for a day, in Edinburgh, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)

From second right, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Sophie, Countess of Wessex watch as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, completes its journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will lie in rest for a day, in Edinburgh, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)

CAPTION CORRECTS BYLINE Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence and Princess Anne stand solemnly as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, as it arrives at Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, where it will lie in rest for a day, Sunday Sept. 11, 2022. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)

A man holds up a sign among members of the public attending a public Proclamation to announce the Accession of King Charles III, outside St Giles Cathedral, on the Royal Mile, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Crowds of people walk to Windsor Castle to bring flowers, in Windsor, England, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Lance Corporal Shenkin IV, the regimental mascot goat, accompanies the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Welsh regiment at the Accession Proclamation Ceremony at Cardiff Castle, Wales, publicly proclaiming King Charles III as the new monarch, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (Ben Birchall/PA via AP)

The Union Jack is set on half-mast at a church outside Windsor Castle, in Windsor, England, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

King Charles III during a reception with Realm High Commissioners and their spouses in the Bow Room at Buckingham Palace, London, Sunday Sept. 11, 2022. (Victoria Jones/Pool Photo via AP)

Flowers and posters for Queen Elizabeth II in front of Buckingham Palace, in London, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

People wait in line to lay flowers for Queen Elizabeth II in front of Buckingham Palace, in London, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

Neil Pollard arrives with his three year old son Bruce, dressed as a King’s Guard, at Windsor Castle to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, in Windsor, England, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace, London, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Sunday Sept. 11, 2022. (James Manning/PA via AP)

People gather at flowers and messages to tribute Queen Elizabeth II, in front of Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, died Thursday Sept. 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. She was 96. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) — In a somber, regal procession, Queen Elizabeth II’s flag-draped coffin was driven slowly 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 had 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 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 favorites.

The procession was a huge event for Scotland as the U.K. takes days to mourn its longest-reigning monarch, the only one most Britons have ever known. People turned out hours early to grab a space by the police barricades in Edinburgh. By afternoon, the crowds were 10 people deep.

“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. “I think it is going to take a lot of adjusting that she is not here.”

Silence fell on the packed Royal Mile in Edinburgh as the hearse carrying the queen arrived. But as the convoy vanished from view, the crowd spontaneously started clapping.

“A very historic moment. I am quite speechless actually,” said Fiona Moffat, a 57-year-old office manager from Glasgow. “She was a lovely lady. Great mother, grandmother. She did well. I am very proud of her.”

When the hearse reached Holyroodhouse, members of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, wearing green tartan kilts, carried the coffin past the queen’s youngest three children —Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward — into the throne room, where it was to remain until Monday afternoon so staff can pay their last respects.

King Charles III and his Queen Consort Camilla will travel Monday to Edinburgh to join another solemn procession that takes the queen’s coffin to St. Giles Cathedral on the city’s Royal Mile. There the coffin will remain for 24 hours so the Scottish public can pay their respects before it is flown to London on Tuesday.

The first village the cortege passed through was Ballater, where residents regard the royal family as neighbors. Hundreds of people watched in silence. Some threw flowers in front of the hearse.

“She meant such a lot to people in this area. People were crying, it was amazing to see,” said Victoria Pacheco, a guest house manager.

In each Scottish town and village, the entourage was met with respect. People stood mostly in silence; some clapped politely, others pointed their phone cameras at the passing cars. In Aberdeenshire, farmers lined the route with an honor guard of tractors.

Along the route, the cortege passed through locations laden with House of Windsor history. Those included Dyce, where in 1975 the queen formally opened the U.K.’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 United Kingdom: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It came a day after a pomp-filled accession ceremony in England.

“I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty, which have now passed to me,” Charles said Saturday.

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 by police. Reaction was mixed. One man shouted, “Let her go! It’s free speech!” while others shouted: “Have some respect!”

Still, there was some booing in Edinburgh when Joseph Morrow, Lord Lyon King of Arms, finished his proclamation with “God save the king!”

That upset Ann Hamilton, 48.

“There’s tens of thousands of people here today to show their respect. For them to be here, heckling through things, I think it was terrible. If they were so against it, they shouldn’t have come,” she said.

Still, it was a sign of how some, including people in Britain’s former colonies, are struggling with the legacy of the monarchy — and its future.

Earlier in the day, proclamations were read in other parts of the Commonwealth, including Australia and New Zealand.

Charles, even as he mourned his late mother, got to work at Buckingham Palace, meeting with the secretary-general and other Commonwealth envoys. Many in those nations are grappling with both affection for the queen and lingering bitterness over their colonial legacies , which ranged from slavery to corporal punishment in African schools to looted artifacts held in British cultural institutions.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is in favor of an Australian republic, said Sunday that now was not the time for a change but for paying tribute to the late queen. India, a former British colony, observed a day of state mourning, with flags lowered to half-staff.

Amid the grief enveloping the House of Windsor, there were hints of a possible family reconciliation. Prince William and his brother Harry , together with their respective wives, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, delighted mourners near Windsor Castle with a surprise joint appearance Saturday.

The queen’s coffin was taking a circuitous journey back to the capital. After it is flown to London on Tuesday, the coffin will be moved from Buckingham Palace on Wednesday to the Houses of Parliament to lie in state until a state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19.

In Ballater, the Rev. David Barr said locals consider the royal family as neighbors.

“When she comes up here, and she goes through those gates, I believe the royal part of her stays mostly outside,” he said of the queen. “And as she goes in, she was able to be a wife, a loving wife, a loving mum, a loving gran and then later on a loving great-gran — and aunty — and be normal.”

Elizabeth Taylor, from Aberdeen, had tears in her eyes after the hearse passed through Ballater.

“It was very emotional. It was respectful and showed what they think of the queen,” she said. “She certainly gave service to this country, even up until a few days before her death.”

Corder reported from London.

Follow AP coverage of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii

Queen Elizabeth updates: State funeral ends 11 days of ceremonies

Queen Elizabeth was buried with her husband, Prince Philip.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II "died peacefully" on Thursday, Sept. 8, at Balmoral Castle, the British royal family's estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace. She was 96.

Elizabeth was Britain's longest-reigning monarch. She ascended to the throne in 1952 and, in June, celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years as queen.

Latest headlines:

Coffin descends into royal vault, committal service begins at st. george’s chapel, coffin arrives at st. george's chapel for committal service.

• Coffin departs London for final time
• Procession underway from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch
• Prince George, Princess Charlotte walk behind coffin with parents

Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has descended into the royal vault at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, marking the end of the queen’s public funeral services. The service concluded with the singing of "God Save The King."

The final event is Queen Elizabeth's private burial at St. George’s Chapel. She will be buried with her husband, Prince Philip, and her parents.

Queen Elizabeth’s committal service is underway at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Guests at the service include United Kingdom Prime Minister Liz Truss and former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

At the end of the service, Queen Elizabeth’s coffin will be lowered into the royal vault.

Queen Elizabeth’s coffin has arrived at St. George's Chapel in Windsor for the final ceremony of the week, a committal service. Elizabeth will be reunited with her husband, Prince Philip, and her coffin will be lowered into the royal vault.

The hearse is draped with flowers thrown by onlookers.

Minister recounts conversations with queen in her final days

Rev. Dr. Iain Greenshields, moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, recounted to ABC News the weekend he spent with Queen Elizabeth in Balmoral in her final days.

“She was 96 and you could see her fragility, but as soon as she started talking and as soon as she was engaged with you, a different kind of person emerged,” Greenshields said.

Reverend speaks about recent, final meal with Queen Elizabeth II

She was still filled with her signature humor, he noted.

“I was staying in a place called the Tower Rooms and she said, ‘Your queen is sending you to the tower. She just smiled at me as she said that, and she made sure that I understood, that I got the joke,” he said.

“I asked her what I could possibly give to somebody who has everything, and she smiled at me. I offered her the cross, and she took it very graciously and she wished me the very best in my year ahead as the moderator of the Church of Scotland,” he said.

For Queen Elizabeth, faith was “fundamental,” he said.

“ She said right at the beginning of her time, when she was becoming queen, that she was going to ask God for wisdom,” he said, “and that’s something that persisted throughout her life.”

“When I was chatting to her about her faith, she spoke about it and said she had no regrets about starting that journey of faith. She had no regrets at all,” Greenshields said.

Greenshields called her death “astonishing,” noting that she’d been “so vital, so alive, so engaging.”

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Queen begins final journey RECAP: Updates as monarch travels to Edinburgh to lie in state

Her Majesty will today start her journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh in a trip expected to take more than five hours.

• Updated 21:28, 11 SEP 2022

The Queen will today begin her final journey as her body is moved from Balmoral.

Her Majesty’s coffin will depart Balmoral around 10am this morning and will making its way down to Edinburgh in a trip expected to take around 5 hours.

The cortege will be brought by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will rest overnight.

Viewing locations for those who wish to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch are in Ballater, Aberdeen, Dundee.

Huge crowds are then expected to turn out to pay respect to the late monarch in the capital after she passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday.

There will be temporary closures of laybys and access to roads along the route the convoy will travel. Transport networks are likely to be busy and delays are expected along the route.

Regular traffic reports will be provided via Traffic Scotland and travel bulletins on TV and radio.

You can follow along for all updates with us here as we begin saying our final goodbyes to Queen Elizabeth II.

• Queen's coffin carried into Palace 16:51
• Queen's coffin arrives in Edinburgh after final journey from Balmoral 16:27
• Queen's coffin leaves Balmoral 10:08

This concludes our live blog coverage for this evening.

We will be back tomorrow to continue the coverage in Edinburgh ahead of the Queen's funeral.

Prince Andrew confirms what will happen to Queen's beloved pet corgis

Everyone knew that the Queen absolutely adored her pet corgis and following her death many fans have been worried about what will happen to them - and it seems we now have an answer. The Duke of York and his ex-wife have confirmed they will look after the dogs. A spokeswoman for Prince Andrew said he and Sarah, the Duchess of York will take on Muick and Sandy – two dogs the late monarch received as gifts from her son.

Queen's coffin carried into Palace

Pallbearers carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Her Majesty's coffin will lie at rest in the throne room of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Mourners wishing to pay their respects to the late Queen will be able to view her coffin from 5pm on Monday, September 12, it has been confirmed.

Queen's children wait to receive her coffin

Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, alongside Sophie Countess of Wessex wait outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse for the funeral cortege to arrive.

Queen's coffin passes through crowds

Thousands of people gather on the Royal Mile to bid her Majesty farewell.

Queen's coffin arrives in Edinburgh after final journey from Balmoral

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II has arrived in Edinburgh City Centre after a six-hour journey from Balmoral.

The hearse carrying Her Majesty's coffin, followed by The Princess Royal and her husband Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, passed thousands of people on the Queen's route to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Members of the public lined the city's Royal Mile and some applauded as a sombre silence fell over crowds, who stood behind barriers erected on the street.

Corgis in Edinburgh ahead of Queen's arrival

Thousands of people have lined the streets of the Scottish capital to pay tribute to the late Queen as the official cortege makes its way from Ballater.

Among them is West Lothian youngster Nicholas Brown and his three corgis, who have come to Edinburgh to pay their respects to the monarch.

Hearse carrying Queen Elizabeth II arrives in Dundee

The hearse carrying the body of Queen Elizabeth II has arrived in Dundee as people watched from the roadside.

The funeral cortege passed through the city on its way to Edinburgh, making a final stop before the last leg of the journey through Perth.

Members of the public clapped as Her Majesty's coffin passed as crowds lined the route of the procession. Many had Union Jacks draped over railings by the side of the road.

Thousands line streets of Edinburgh

Thousands of people have already lined the streets of Edinburgh as they await the arrival of Her Majesty the Queen’s coffin . Despite the massive crowds, which started forming from around 10am, there is a remarkably sombre mood amongst those waiting to pay their respects the the late monarch.

Hundreds of mourners, both young and old, continue to pour through the gate near the Palace of Holyroodhouse where they are being allowed to leave bouquets of flowers and other tributes for the 96-year-old.

Several people have been spotted sitting on deck chairs in the Cannongate after bagging a prime spot to see the Royal convoy as it makes its way to Her Majesty’s official Scottish residence in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat.

READ MORE: Edinburgh 'sombre' as thousands await arrival of the Queen’s coffin

Queues at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to leave flowers

Official cortege leaves Aberdeen

The official cortege has left Aberdeen as the hearse carrying the body of Queen Elizabeth II continues its journey to Edinburgh.

Thousands lined the streets to watch Her Majesty's coffin pass through the city.

The Princess Royal and her husband Admiral Sir Tim Laurence travelled behind the hearse as the Queen makes her final journey through Scotland.

Ballater residents bid emotional farewell

The people of Ballater who described The Queen as their 'neighbour' watched in silence as she passed through their town for the last time. The Queen, who died on Thursday at the age of 96, was deeply beloved by the community and others like it in Royal Deeside.

Locals stood in silence as the coffin left Balmoral and turned onto the main road leading east, through many of the towns where her family were a frequent sight in the summer months.

Some bowed their heads, bearing flowers and roses. Others openly wept as the cortege passed through the town, which has a unique affinity with the Royals. One man on the road held a sign simply reading: "Thank you."

Fettercairn family Lisa Gibbons-Wood, her husband David and their son Guy, were among those who came out to line the route and to say a final farewell to the Queen.

READ MORE: Ballater residents who described Queen as 'neighbour' bid emotional farewell for final time

Queen's final days at Balmoral

Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully aged 96 on Thursday, surrounded by her family at Balmoral Castle.

Her Majesty has been placed under medical supervision, with a statement released in the afternoon saying that royal doctors were worried for her health.

Senior royals rushed to the Scottish Highlands to be by her side, with the now King Charles III , Queen Consort, and Princess Anne arriving first and later joined by the the monarch's other children and grandsons Prince William and Prince Harry.

Her death was later confirmed in a statement issued by the Palace at 6.30pm, with the country entering a 10-day national period of mourning.

READ MORE: The Queen's final days at Balmoral 'full of fun' with precious family moments

Proclamation read out in Edinburgh

The Lord Lyon King of Arms has read the proclamation of the new King to the people of Scotland at Mercat Cross in Edinburgh following the death of the Queen.

His Majesty's State Trumpeters also sounded a fanfare on the Royal Mile.

Lord Lyon King of Arms ending by saying "God Save the King".

Politicians such as Anas Sarwar and Alex Cole-Hamilton were also in attendance at the event.

Nicola Sturgeon outside St Giles' Cathedral

Floral tributes left on Holyrood Palace

Floral tributes have been left for the Queen at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh.

Among the flowers, heartfelt messages were left in tribute to the monarch as one thanked Queen Elizabeth II for supporting the NHS and sent love from Canada.

Many gathered outside Holyroodhouse ahead of the cortege arrival later this afternoon.

Hearse passes through Banchory

The hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II has driven through Banchory as it makes the 175-mile journey to Edinburgh.

Members of the public gathered in the street to watch the historic moment, with some wiping away tears and others clapping at the sight of the cortege.

While applause was heard in some areas, the street was mainly silent as her Majesty's coffin passed.

David Cameron recalls time he apologised to Queen

Former Prime Minister David Cameron has recalled the time he had to apologise to the Queen after he broke protocol when he was heard claiming she "purred down the line" after he told her the result of the independence referendum.

The 55-year-old was caught on camera in 2014 telling the former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg about his conversation with the monarch.

Cameron was asked about the apology on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show. The presenter asked him what it was like.

He replied: "Well, it was a very upfront and very fulsome apology, done very quickly at the beginning of an audience. And I think that's all I should say.

"From ever onwards, I've been more careful when cameras and microphones are around and I learned my lesson."

READ MORE: David Cameron recalls time he apologised to Queen after being caught claiming she 'purred' over independence result

Queen's coffin leaves Ballater

The Queen's coffin has now passed through Ballater after leaving Balmoral this morning.

Members of the public, many dressed in black, lined the streets as the funeral cortege passed in silence.

Her Majesty's coffin will now continue the journey by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will rest overnight.

Nicola Sturgeon describes Queen as 'extraordinary woman'

Nicola Sturgeon has described the moment the Queen's funeral left Balmoral as a "sad and poignant moment".

The First Minister tweeted: "A sad and poignant moment as Her Majesty, The Queen leaves her beloved Balmoral for the final time.

"Today, as she makes her journey to Edinburgh, Scotland will pay tribute to an extraordinary woman."

A sad and poignant moment as Her Majesty, The Queen leaves her beloved Balmoral for the final time. Today, as she makes her journey to Edinburgh, Scotland will pay tribute to an extraordinary woman. https://t.co/pZ6uMoqfOn — Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) September 11, 2022

Queen's coffin leaves Balmoral

The Queen's coffin has left her beloved Scottish estate after her death at the age of 96.

The final journey of Queen Elizabeth II is underway as the official funeral cortege has left Balmoral and is now on its way to Edinburgh.

The cortege is expected to arrive into the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the foot of the Royal Mile in the city around 4pm and will lie at rest in the throne room.

Members of public line the street

Members of of the public have lined the street ahead of the Queen's funeral cortege arriving in Ballater this morning.

The hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II will pass through Ballater, as it continues its journey to Edinburgh from Balmoral.

Members of the public anticipated the arrival, with some sitting on camping chairs waving the Union Jack and others standing behind the railings.

Viewing times for Queen's coffin in Edinburgh confirmed

Mourners wishing to pay their respects to the late Queen will be able to view her coffin in Edinburgh from 5pm on Monday, September 12, it has been confirmed.

A queuing system will be in place with security checks and restrictions on mobile phones will apply. Photography and recording is strictly prohibited.

Officials say weather conditions may be challenging and members of the public who wish to pay their respects should expect to be standing for a number of hours due to anticipated demand.

The Queen's cortege is expected to arrive into the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the foot of the Royal Mile in the city around 4pm on Sunday and will lie at rest in the throne room.

READ MORE: Viewing times for Queen's coffin in Edinburgh confirmed as mourners prepare to pay respects

Travel warning as Scots gather on cortege route

People are being warned of road closures and busy routes ahead of the official cortege leaving Balmoral this morning.

Traffic Scotland urged the public to plan ahead and use public transport.

People are being urged to allow extra time, take account of local and city centre road closures, weather conditions, limited facilities and the likelihood of spending many hours at the roadside.

Significant numbers of stewards are being drafted in, alongside police officers, to help keep the public safe. The stewards will provide advice on routes from car parks, identified crossing points and safe viewing areas.

More information can be found on the Traffic Scotland website: https://www.traffic.gov.scot/royal-cortege-route-to-pay-respects-information

Knitted topper placed on Ballater post box

Queen's coffin cortege to travel from Balmoral to Edinburgh - here are the times

An official cortege will leave Balmoral Castle this morning in a journey through Scotland which is expected to take more than five hours. Her Majesty's coffin will leave Balmoral at 10am to be brought by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will rest overnight.

There will be viewing locations for those who wish to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning monarch in Ballater, Aberdeen, Dundee and finally Edinburgh.

The cortege will follow the A93 and enter Aberdeen at around 11am, arrive in Dundee shortly before 2pm and is expected to make it to Edinburgh around 3.30pm.

There will be temporary closures of laybys and access to roads along the route the convoy will travel. Transport networks are likely to be busy and delays are expected along the route. Regular traffic reports will be provided via Traffic Scotland and travel bulletins on TV and radio.

READ MORE: Queen's coffin cortege to travel from Balmoral to Edinburgh tomorrow - here are the times

Alex Salmond claims Queen said David Cameron should get 'six of best' after Indy Ref 'purring'

The Queen was so furious over claims she was delighted when Scotland voted against independence that she said PM David Cameron should get “six of the best”.

An angry Monarch said the-then Tory leader, caught on microphone claiming she had “purred” down the phone after the 2014 result, should get the traditional punishment of six strokes with a cane for making up nonsense. The revelation, from former first minister Alex Salmond, comes just days after the 96-year-old died at Balmoral Castle.

A member of the privy council who yesterday confirmed her heir Charles as King, said she angrily denied the story at a meeting with him days later.

READ MORE: Alex Salmond claims Queen said David Cameron should get 'six of best' after Indy Ref 'purring'

Queen in Scotland

Elizabeth was not born in 1926 to be a Queen but merely to be another relatively minor princess within the extensive Windsor clan. She did, however, always have strong Scottish connections.

Apart from anything else, she was a direct descendant, not of the English Tudors but of the Scottish royal house, the Stuarts.

Her mother, of course, was Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the ninth child of the 14th Earl and Countess of Strathmore who lived at Glamis Castle in Angus when in Scotland.

READ MORE: Queen in Scotland: How regular childhood trips helped shape an inspirational woman

What time is the coffin expected to leave?

The Queen's cortege is due to set off from Balmoral around 10am.

It will then pass through Ballater, Aberdeen, Dundee before finally arriving in the capital around 5 hours later.

Huge crowds are expected to greet its arrival in Edinburgh, where the coffin will lie overnight at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Good morning and welcome

Good morning and welcome to our live blog as we begin to say our final goodbyes to Her Majesty The Queen.

We'll be bringing you all the latest updates on her coffin's journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh today.

Keep locked in and don't miss a moment.

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Queen's coffin arrives at Buckingham Palace as crowds gather to pay their respects

Live coverage on this blog has ended, please  click here  for the latest updates.

LONDON — Thousands of mourners lined up through the night to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II in Edinburgh, Scotland, as the United Kingdom continued a week of pageantry to mark the death of its longest-serving monarch.

The queen's coffin arrived at London's Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night. More than a day before, a line began forming there of those who want a chance to bid farewell to the queen when she lies in state at Parliament later this week.

Meanwhile, her eldest son, King Charles III , is already undertaking the task of shoring up the monarchy throughout the U.K. He traveled to Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday to meet political leaders, receive condolences and attend a prayer service.

In a sign of how far the territory has come since the height of the "troubles," representatives of Sinn Fein — the Irish nationalist party with historical links to the Irish Republican Army — met the king and attended the memorial events for a queen whose rule they sought to cast off.

Here’s what to know for Tuesday:

• Members of the public viewed the queen's coffin as she lay at rest in Edinburgh's St. Giles' Cathedral.
• The coffin was taken by car to Edinburgh Airport before it was flown to RAF Northolt near London.
• A state hearse took the queen's coffin to Buckingham Palace, where mourners have continued to gather to pay their respects.
• The king met dignitaries in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he was due to attend a prayer service at St. Anne's Cathedral before he returns to London.
• A 4-mile queue route was announced for mourners to line up to pay their respects to the queen at the Palace of Westminster from Wednesday evening to Monday morning.

Follow here for live coverage.

London expecting more than 500 foreign dignitaries for funeral

The Associated Press

LONDON — 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.

U.S. 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.

Canada makes queen's funeral day a holiday for federal employees

TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that Sept. 19 will be a holiday so federal employees can mourn Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her state funeral.

Trudeau also said he’s working with the provinces on a possible public holiday for other workers, but Ontario and Quebec, Canada’s two most populous provinces, declined to make it a holiday.

“Ontario will mark September 19, 2022 as a provincial Day of Mourning in lieu of a provincial holiday. The people of Ontario may observe a moment of silence at 1:00 p.m. on that day,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement.

Quebec Premier François Legault said Monday also would be a day of commemoration but not a public holiday in the French-speaking province.

However, the province of Prince Edward Island said that it will treat Monday like other statutory holidays for all provincially regulated employees and that provincial government offices and public schools will be closed. New Brunswick also said that it will observe the national day of mourning by closing schools and government offices but that the holiday will be optional for private-sector businesses and employers.

The late queen was the head of state for 45% of Canada’s existence, and she visited the country 22 times as monarch.

King Charles III was officially proclaimed Canada’s monarch Saturday in a ceremony in Ottawa attended by Trudeau and Governor General Mary Simon, who is the representative of the British monarch as head of state, a mostly ceremonial and symbolic position.

London flight and hotel fares surge ahead of funeral

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 Monday, potentially providing some respite to the city’s tourism business amid economic woes.

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.

The rush for accommodation comes as members of the public visit the capital to pay their respects and foreign delegations arrive for the funeral Monday, with authorities preparing for a huge turnout.

High-end hotels — Claridge’s, the Connaught, The Dorchester and the Berkeley in the upmarket Mayfair district — were sold out for Sunday night, their websites showed.

Rates had topped 1,200 pounds ($1,388) for a five-star hotel Monday and were expected to double in the next five days as the city’s hotel system reaches 95% occupancy levels, HotelPlanner said.

More than 60% of travelers were foreign visitors, it added.

Standard hotel chains have also been inundated. More than a dozen hotels operated by Premier Inn owner Whitbread in the city center were booked, a Reuters search showed.

Average prices for a return flight from the U.S. to London leaving Thursday, Friday and Saturday were $1,120, $1,054 and $967, respectively, Hopper’s data showed. That compares with an average price for a trans-Atlantic round trip of $710.

Prince Harry and Prince William will walk in procession to Westminster Hall

Tim Stelloh

Prince Harry and Prince William will walk together Wednesday in a procession carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin to Westminster Hall, where she will lie in state.

The procession will leave Buckingham Palace at 2:22 p.m. and arrive at Westminster at 3 p.m.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex; Camila, the queen consort; and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, will travel by car.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will lead a 20-minute service at Westminster before the queen is left to lie in state for four days.

Queue route announced for mourners paying their respects at the Palace of Westminster

Mirna Alsharif

Thousands of mourners are expected to line up Wednesday to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II , who will lie in state at Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster until Monday.

A queue route was announced for the approximately 4-mile line, which will start at the Albert Embankment on the south side of the River Thames and continue all the way to Southwark Park, according to the U.K.'s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, or DCMS.

Once mourners have passed through the start of the line, they'll be led across Lambeth Bridge into Victoria Tower Gardens, where they'll be put through airport-style security before they enter the palace. There will also be a separate accessible route for those who need it.

"Once inside the Palace of Westminster, people will be able to walk past the Coffin which will be raised on a catafalque and draped in the Royal Standard, with the Orb and Sceptre placed on top," DCMS said in a news release. "It will be guarded around the clock by a vigil of units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division or Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London."

The state viewing will open to the public Wednesday at 5 p.m. (12 p.m. ET), and it will be open 24 hours a day until 6:30 a.m. Monday, when her funeral is expected to take place in Westminster Abbey.

Those planning to attend the viewing, especially those with medical conditions, "are encouraged to check the guidance, plan accordingly and be prepared for significant wait times, including possibly overnight." Over 1,000 volunteers and Metropolitan Police officers will be on the ground to assist mourners and keep them safe, DCMS said.

London's Metropolitan Police welcome hundreds of officers to assist with large crowds

"Hundreds of police officers" from other forces have joined London's Metropolitan Police to assist in the policing operation after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the department said in a statement.

"This is welcomed as it enables us to continue a highly visibly policing presence in central London as well as maintaining neighbourhood policing and response in other London boroughs," Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said.

The Metropolitan Police have been implementing "a well-planned policing operation" since the queen's death "to keep all those who are visiting London and attending events safe."

The department expects large crowds of people to come to pay their respects, and it will have officers in areas where people are lining up to ensure their safety.

Speaking of potential protesters, Cundy said, "People have a right to freedom of expression and we must balance the rights of protesters with those of others who wish to grieve and reflect."

London's Heathrow Airport announces flight disruptions for Wednesday

London's Heathrow Airport tweeted that some flights Wednesday will be disrupted to ensure silence during Queen Elizabeth II's ceremonial procession.

On Wednesday, a ceremonial procession will take place to transport the queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where Elizabeth will lie in state.

Flights from 1:50 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. local time Wednesday are expected to be disrupted, and airlines will notify passengers of flight changes, the statement said.

"We anticipate further changes to the Heathrow operation on Mon 19 Sept, when Her Majesty’s funeral is due to take place," the airport said , apologizing for the disruption. "We will communicate more details over the coming days."

Queen's coffin arrives at Buckingham Palace

Daniel Arkin

LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II completed the last leg of her final journey .

The late British monarch’s coffin was flown from Edinburgh, Scotland , back to London on Tuesday and was then driven in a state hearse to her official home, Buckingham Palace — six days before her state funeral at Westminster Abbey .

A massive crowd was assembled at the palace Tuesday evening ahead of the hearse’s arrival. A light rain was falling as the crowd looked on in near silence, with some seen tracking the coffin’s movements on their phones.

People craned their necks, hoping to catch a glimpse of the vehicle, saying they were there to bear witness to what they believe was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, regardless of how they feel about the queen and the monarchy.

Read the full story here .

Anne, Princess Royal, was with Queen Elizabeth II on her final day

Anne, the Princess Royal, spent her mother's final hours with her, she said in a statement.

"I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest Mother’s life," she said about Queen Elizabeth II . "It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys."

Anne also offered her thanks to those sharing in her family's loss, adding that it's "both humbling and uplifting" "witnessing the love and respect shown by so many."

"We may have been reminded how much of her presence and contribution to our national identity we took for granted," she said.

Anne also said she was grateful for the support her elder brother, King Charles III, has received as he's stepped up in his new role as monarch.

"To my mother, The Queen, thank you," Anne ended the statement.

Millions track final flight of queen's coffin

Nearly 6 million people logged on to Flightradar24's real-time map to follow the aircraft carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin as it traveled Tuesday from Edinburgh, Scotland, to London.

The flight tracking service said the number of viewers — roughly the same as the population of Scotland — was so high it caused disruption to its platform.

Plane with queen's coffin lands in London

The plane carrying Queen Elizabeth II 's coffin landed Tuesday evening at RAF Northolt, a Royal Air Force station near London.

The queen's coffin will be driven to London's Buckingham Palace, where it will stay until Wednesday. Elizabeth will then be taken to the Palace of Westminster, where she will lie in state until her funeral Monday at Westminster Abbey.

King Charles and Camilla arrive at Buckingham Palace

King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, the Queen Consort, reached Buckingham Palace in London on Tuesday evening, ahead of the expected 8 p.m. (3 p.m. ET) arrival of the queen's coffin.

Queen’s coffin loaded onto plane headed for London

Queen Elizabeth II 's coffin has been loaded onto a plane headed for London.

The queen’s coffin is due to arrive at London’s Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. (3 p.m. ET). A line has already begun forming for those  who hope to bid farewell  to the queen when she lies in state at Parliament later this week.

Anne, Princess Royal, and her husband, Timothy Laurence, are accompanying the queen on the flight back to London.

King appears annoyed at leaky pen during signing ceremony

Chantal Da Silva

King Charles III appeared frustrated at a leaky pen during a signing ceremony in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, saying he couldn't "bear this bloody thing."

The king was signing a visitors' book at Hillsborough Castle near Belfast as cameras rolled after ink appeared to leak onto his hand.

“Oh, God, I hate this,” Charles said as he stood up and handed it over to his wife, Camilla, so she could sign the book.

“I can’t bear this bloody thing ... every stinking time,” he said, before walking off.

Queen's coffin carried onto plane bound for London

Pallbearers from the Queen’s Color Squadron of the Royal Air Force could be seen carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, onto a RAF C17 aircraft at Edinburgh airport Tuesday.

The coffin will now be moved to Buckingham Palace in London.

Queen's coffin leaves cathedral in Edinburgh to head to London

F. Brinley Bruton

The body of Queen Elizabeth II was carried from St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Tuesday to begin the journey back to London.

The crowds along the way were largely silent, although occasionally clapping erupted as the coffin was transported by hearse to Edinburgh Airport.

It will then be flown to RAF Northolt near London, and then driven to Buckingham Palace.

On Wednesday, it will be transported to the Palace of Westminster where Elizabeth will lie in state until her funeral Monday in Westminster Abbey.

Royal family shares poet laureate's poem honoring the queen

The royal family's Twitter account shared a poem Tuesday written by Britain's poet laureate, Simon Armitage, in memory of the queen.

The poem spells out the late monarch's name acrostically, with the first letter of each line coming together to spell "Elizabeth."

Armitage was appointed national poet laureate in 2019, according to his website .

King and the queen consort arrive at St. Anne's Cathedral in Belfast

The king and the queen consort arrived at St. Anne's Cathedral in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to take part in a memorial service for the late queen.

Their arrival was met by cheers from crowds outside the cathedral, with Charles waving to mourners.

The royals are expected to later take a walkabout at Writers' Square, near the cathedral, before departing Belfast, a release from the British government said.

Tiny tributes to Queen Elizabeth II

Some of Queen Elizabeth's youngest subjects left heartfelt, hand-drawn tributes to the late monarch at Green Park near Buckingham Palace on Monday.

Tony Blair on how the queen handled the death of Princess Diana

Emma Thorne

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said, despite the many times people asked him, he didn’t know what the queen’s personal politics were. “She was above it, above politics,” he told NBC’s Savannah Guthrie.

Blair also talked about discussing the death of Princess Diana with the queen. “She was trying to balance what she had to do as a queen and what she had to do as a grandmother,” he said. “In the end, she understood, because always her duty came first, that she had to respond to this extraordinary outpouring of grief about Princess Diana.”

On the future of the monarchy, Blair predicted that King Charles III will be a “great monarch” and called him a “very caring person.”

Queen 'never ceased to pray for best of times' for Northern Ireland, king says

Queen Elizabeth "never ceased to pray for the best of times" for Northern Ireland, King Charles said, speaking at Hillsborough Castle after receiving messages of condolence from officials.

Acknowledging the "troubles" in his address, the king said: "In the years since she began her long life of public service, my mother saw Northern Ireland pass through momentous and historic changes."

"Through all those years, she never ceased to pray for the best of times for this place and its people, whose stories she knew, whose sorrows our family had felt, and for whom she had great affection and regard," he said.

After the end of the "troubles" — the three decades in which pro-British loyalists and unionists clashed with Irish nationalists who wanted Northern Ireland to break free from the U.K. — the queen traveled to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, becoming the first British monarch in a century to do so.

The king said his mother knew the significance of the role she herself played in "bringing together those whom history had separated and in extending a hand to make possible the healing of long-held hurts." He vowed to follow her "shining example."

Saudi authorities arrest man who made Mecca pilgrimage for the queen

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have arrested a Yemeni man after he unfurled a banner in the Grand Mosque in Mecca saying he performed a pilgrimage to the holy city on behalf of the queen.

A viral video circulating on social media showed the man unfurling a white banner with words that read “Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, we ask God to enter heaven, and from the righteous.”

The special forces for the security of the Grand Mosque arrested the man for "violating the regulations and instructions of Umrah," the Emirate of Makkah and Saudi Arabia's public security forces said in separate tweets on Tuesday. Only Muslims are allowed into the holy city of Mecca.

An Umrah is a visit to the Grand Mosque in Mecca that can be performed at any time, as opposed to the Hajj which draws millions of Muslims from across the world once a year.

Line outside St. Giles' Cathedral closes after more than 26,000 pay respects

The line outside St. Giles' Cathedral is now closed to mourners who want to file past the queen's coffin Tuesday, the Scottish Government said.

“We’re doing everything we can to ensure that those currently queuing can do so before 3pm (10 a.m. ET) when the Lying at Rest will end,” it said, adding that more than 26,000 had already paid their respects.

King arrives at Hillsborough Castle

A 21-gun salute began as the king and the queen consort arrived at Hillsborough Castle on Tuesday.

The king is expected to hold a private audience with the secretary of state for Northern Ireland and will meet with representatives from political parties, the British government said in a release.

They will also receive a message of condolence delivered on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland, the release said.

Charles and Camilla are also expected to take part in a reception where they will "have the opportunity to meet representatives drawn from a diverse range of Northern Ireland life," it said.

Representatives for Sinn Fein, the Irish nationalist party with historic links to the IRA, are also expected to meet the king and attend the memorial events for the queen.

Corgi greets king in Belfast

King Charles III appeared to take an extra beat to greet a pet corgi while meeting mourners in Belfast.

The new king could be seen gesturing toward the pup before patting the corgi on the head.

The moment broadcast on national television brought a smile to Charles' face amid a difficult time for the royal family. For its part, Connie the corgi wiggled and licked the monarch's hand.

King and the queen consort meet crowds in Belfast

King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, could be seen getting out of a vehicle Tuesday to meet with crowds who gathered as the couple arrived in Belfast.

The couple could be seen shaking hands with children who reached over a barrier to meet the new king in a territory that has an often fraught relationship with the British crown.

Crowds cheered as Charles and Camilla passed by, with the king scheduled to meet dignitaries and attend a prayer service at St. Anne's Cathedral before returning to London.

King Charles lands in Northern Ireland

King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, have arrived in Belfast for their visit to Northern Ireland.

The trip marks Charles' first to Northern Ireland as king. He will meet with representatives of Sinn Fein, the Irish nationalist party with historic links to the Irish Republican Army, in a mark of how far relations have come since the height of the "troubles."

Members of the public could be seen lining streets in Belfast and outside Hillsborough Castle awaiting the king's arrival. 

Mourners in Northern Ireland await King Charles

Crowds of people lined the streets of Belfast and outside Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland on Tuesday morning as they waited for King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, to arrive.

Charles will visit Northern Ireland for the first time since ascending the throne following the queen’s death. He is expected to meet political leaders, receive condolences and attend a prayer service during the visit.

What will happen to floral tributes after queen's funeral? 

Mourners hoping to leave flower tributes for the queen are being asked to remove all packaging and place them at allocated gardens in Green Park and Hyde Park, according to the Royal Parks, the charity which manages royal parkland in London.

Flowers left outside of the allotted zones, such as at the gates of Buckingham Palace, will be relocated to the specified area if they are in good condition, the charity said. Tributes that have deteriorated will be moved to the Hyde Park nursery to be processed for composting, according to its website.

The tribute zones will remain until all ceremonial proceedings have taken place, and are expected to be removed within 14 days of the funeral next Monday.

'It doesn’t matter if you’re a royalist or not,' mourners say

Alexander Smith

Brothers Cameron and Reece Wilkins, and their cousin Calvin Wilkins, all joiners working at a site nearby, were undeterred by the prospect of waiting for hours to pay their respects to the queen.

“We’re supposed to be working, but we wanted to come and see this piece of history,” said Calvin Wilkins, 25. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a royalist or not, she was the longest-serving monarch, so it’s something you’ve got to see.”

'Succession' creator Jesse Armstrong gets mixed response after joke at Emmys about Charles' ascension

Writer for the hit HBO series "Succession" Jesse Armstrong appeared to joke about the ascension of King Charles during his Emmys acceptance speech Monday.

"Big week for successions, new king in the U.K., this for us. Evidently a little bit more voting involved in our winning than Prince Charles,” Armstrong, who is British, said to a mixture of laughs, boos and cheers.

Scottish actor Brian Cox, who was also onstage, could be heard saying, “keep it royalist” following the writer's comments. Armstrong then appeared to backtrack on his comments. “I’m not saying we’re more legitimate in our position... we’ll leave that to other people.”

"Succession" won best drama series at Monday's Emmys Awards.

'It was a nice atmosphere,' mourner says of 5-hour wait to pay respects to queen

Mandy Mitchell lined up for five hours Monday night, finally seeing the queen's coffin at 1:30 a.m. (8:30 p.m. ET Monday).

“One steward told us it was going to be 12 hours, so in that respect it wasn’t too bad,” said Mitchell, who came with her husband from St. Andrews.

“It was a nice atmosphere, everyone was chatting, getting coffees from a Salvation Army stall that had been set up,” she added, referring to the Christian charity. “There were portaloos and later on we got some chips from the kebab shop.”

'Actually seeing her in there just makes it ... so real,' mourner says

Charlotte Morrison was one of a few mourners exiting St. Giles' Cathedral wiping away tears.

“I have been sad about it but actually seeing her in there just makes it so… real,” said Morrison, 20, who is from Aberdeen but studies at college in Edinburgh.

“I wasn’t sure whether to come down but my mum phoned me and said it didn’t look too busy on TV and urged me to go. I didn’t think I’d get emotional, sorry,” she added through more tears. “I just feel like we all knew her.”

Inside St. Giles' Cathedral, an ethereal stillness as crowd files through

Inside the cathedral there was an ethereal stillness, its high vaulted ceilings bathed in a soft, golden light from the stain glass windows of this building dating to the 14th century.

Only around two dozen visitors were allowed in at any one time, the only sounds being the echoes of their slow footsteps on the building’s flagstone floor, occasionally punctuated by the bleep of a security guard’s radio.

Unlike outside, where all police and security wear high-visibility jackets, in here they all wear black jackets and ties, the closest officers to the coffin wearing white gloves.

The casket itself was draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, and had placed upon it a Balmoral wreath and the Crown of Scotland.

Around it were four members of the Royal Company of Archers, the monarch’s ceremonial bodyguard in Scotland. They faced away from the coffin, their heads bowed and both hands on their longbows.

Papua New Guinea proclaims King Charles head of state

Associated Press

Papua New Guinea pronounced King Charles as its head of state on Tuesday, in a ceremony that also honored the late queen in its capital Port Moresby.

“In reflection of the life she lived, the exemplary performance of duties as the head of the state of Papua New Guinea, it is in this connection that we all gather here this morning to acknowledge her passing and to acknowledge and witness the ascension of the throne of King Charles III,” Prime Minister James Marape said.

Marape is expected to meet the King along with other world leaders on Friday, according to local media. The British crown is also the head of five other Pacific states: Australia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

Crowds continue to line up in Edinburgh to pay final respects

Under clear, crisp fall skies, crowds began to line up once again Tuesday morning outside Edinburgh’s St. Giles’ Cathedral to pay their final respects to the queen, who is lying at rest there for 24 hours.

Just after 8:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. ET) the scene was less busy than Monday evening, when some people reported waiting for six hours in lines of more than a mile long. However, the line still stretched across blocks, with one steward saying some mourners could face a nearly two-hour wait.

“It’s a historic opportunity,” said Jeremy Maiden, 60, who had just seen the coffin with his wife Jessica, also 60. “It was very quiet, very peaceful. I would urge anyone to go now before it gets busy — this won’t happen again.”

Queen's coffin to be moved to Buckingham Palace

Queen Elizabeth’s coffin will be transported from St. Giles’ Cathedral by car to Edinburgh Airport before being flown to London on Tuesday.

A state hearse will then take the queen’s coffin to Buckingham Palace, where mourners have continued to gather to pay their respects.

Meanwhile, the king is will visit Belfast, Northern Ireland, to meet dignitaries and attend a prayer service at St. Anne’s Cathedral before returning to London.

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King Charles to Return to Public Duties as Palace Shares Major Update on His Health amid Cancer Treatment

The King, 75, will visit a cancer treatment center with Queen Camilla as the palace says he is "greatly encouraged to be resuming some public-facing duties"

Stephanie Petit is a Royals Editor, Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE.

King Charles is gearing up for a return to public-facing royal duties after revealing his cancer diagnosis in February.

Buckingham Palace shared an encouraging update about the monarch's health on April 26, announcing that King Charles, 75, will visit a cancer treatment center to meet medical specialists and patients with Queen Camilla , 76, on April 30. It's understood that the center has not been directly involved with the King's medical care.

The palace added that the outing will be the first of several engagements planned for the King in the coming weeks, including hosting a state visit at Buckingham Palace for the Emperor and Empress of Japan in late June.

After beginning cancer treatment, King Charles postponed public duties but continued to work behind the scenes and undertake meetings including small audiences at Buckingham Palace . However, a royal source previously told PEOPLE that the monarch's desire to work was "wholly undiminished" with his nephew Peter Phillips revealing in an interview that his uncle was "frustrated" by his limitations .

Buckingham Palace/PA Wire 

“He is always pushing, his staff and everybody and his doctors and nurses to be able to say, 'Actually, can I do this? Can I do that?' " Peter said. “So the overriding message would be that he's obviously very keen to get back to a form of normality. And he's probably frustrated that, recovery is taking a little longer than probably he would want it to."

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said that King Charles' cancer treatment will continue, but "doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that The King is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties."

Hollie Adams - WPA Pool/Getty Images

The King will continue all official state business and select audiences in addition to adding public outings to his agenda, but he will not have a full summer schedule, according to the palace. His appearance at Trooping the Colour , the annual celebration and parade marking the British monarch's birthday in London, on June 15 is still unconfirmed, in addition to other highlights on the royal calendar such as Royal Ascot in June and palace garden parties in May.

"Any public-facing engagements will be announced nearer the time in the usual way and will remain subject to doctors’ advice," the palace spokesperson said.

"His Majesty is greatly encouraged to be resuming some public-facing duties and very grateful to his medical team for their continued care and expertise," the spokesperson added.

Hollie Adams - WPA Pool/Getty 

The latest health announcement was accompanied by a new portrait of King Charles and Queen Camilla, taken to mark the first anniversary of the coronation approaching on May 6. The snap was taken in the gardens of Buckingham Palace on the morning of April 10, the day after the couple's 19th wedding anniversary , by portrait photographer Millie Pilkington.

Pilkington also got behind the camera last year to snap the official birthday pictures of Kate Middleton and Prince William 's three children, Prince George ,  Princess Charlotte  and  Prince Louis . She also snapped the image of the Prince of Wales surrounded by his sons and daughter that was released last year to celebrate Father's Day.

King Charles was most recently seen spending time with Queen Camilla in Scotland. On April 21, what would have been  Queen Elizabeth 's 98th birthday, the couple were photographed in a car after attending church at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral Castle, where the royal family traditionally gathers in the summer months.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?  Sign up for our free Royals newsletter  to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

The sovereign  made his first major public appearance since his cancer revelation at Easter. After attending a church service at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle with Queen Camilla and other members of the royal family, he greeted well-wishers outside by shaking hands and wishing them a happy holiday.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

A royal source told PEOPLE last month that King Charles was " progressing well " in his cancer treatment and there is an "amplified confidence" amid the sophisticated treatment receiving.

"He is positive, the doctors are optimistic," the source said.

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Britain's King Charles III will resume public duties next week after cancer treatment, palace says

LONDON — King Charles III is back.

The 75-year-old monarch will resume some public duties next week following a three-month break to focus on his treatment and recuperation after he was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer, Buckingham Palace said Friday.

Charles will mark the milestone by visiting a cancer treatment center on Tuesday, the first of several public appearances he will make in the coming weeks, the palace said. One of his first major engagements will be to host a state visit by the emperor and empress of Japan in June.

The palace said the king’s doctors are “very encouraged” by his progress, though it is too early to say how long his treatment will last. It didn’t provide details about what type of treatment he is receiving.

Charles will continue to perform all of his state duties, including reviewing government documents and meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as he has done since his diagnosis was disclosed on Feb. 5, the palace said.

“As the first anniversary of the coronation approaches, their majesties remain deeply grateful for the many kindnesses and good wishes they have received from around the world throughout the joys and challenges of the past year,’’ the palace said in a statement.

Charles’ return will relieve pressure on other members of the royal family after the king’s absence, coupled with that of the Princess of Wales, also due to illness, highlighted the challenges faced by a slimmed down monarchy.

Amid the king’s commitment to cut costs and the decision of Duke and Duchess of Sussex — more commonly known as Prince Harry and Meghan — to walk away from royal duties, there are simply fewer family members available to carry out the endless round of ribbon cuttings, awards ceremonies and state events that make up the life of a modern royal.

Charles has been largely out of the public eye ever since he had treatment for an enlarged prostate in January. His later cancer diagnosis came as the Princess of Wales — one of the most popular royals — underwent abdominal surgery and later announced that she, too, had cancer. Prince William took time off to support his wife and their young family.

That left Queen Camilla, the king’s sister Princess Anne and his younger brother, Prince Edward, to shoulder the load.

Camilla, once shunned by the public for her role in the breakup of Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana, played a particularly prominent role during the king’s absence, standing in for her husband at major events such as the annual Royal Maundy service on the Thursday before Easter.

The return of the king will be a chance for him to reinvigorate his reign, which began in September 2022 amid expectations that he would modernize the monarchy, while reaching out to young people and minority groups to cement the royal family’s role in the 21st century.

Charles’ challenges include strengthening ties to the Commonwealth and the 14 independent countries outside the United Kingdom where the British monarch is still head of state, an unwelcome reminder to some people of Britain’s colonial history.

The king’s return is significant because it will help quell speculation about his well-being, royal historian George Gross said, citing an adage attributed to Queen Elizabeth II that the monarch needs to be seen to be believed.

“I think there is that feeling that it’s very difficult to have a functioning monarchy with the head of state away for any considerable length of time,’’ said Gross, founder of the British Coronations Project at King’s College London. “And this felt like a long time.”

Charles’ engagements over the coming months will be adapted as needed to minimize any risks to his recovery, the palace said. He won’t have a full summer program, and his attendance will be determined closer to the time of each event and with the advice of his doctors.

The summer months are normally a busy period for the royals with major events such as the monarch’s birthday parade, known as Trooping the Colour, and the horse races at Royal Ascot.

Critically for the king’s safety, most of these showpiece spectacles take place outdoors, lessening the risk of infection for a cancer patient whose immune system may be weakened.

Charles’ return will be warmly greeted by the public, partly because he chose to publicize his initial prostate issue and then his cancer diagnosis, spurring many people to consult with their doctors, Gross said.

“The monarch has seen that he can do good by discussing health and raising the awareness of cancer,” he told The Associated Press. “I think that that’s at the top end of this. And that’s a very special thing when a head of state can do good. That’s immense.”

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Robert downey jr. wants to return as iron man, but gets repulsor rays from russo brothers, breaking news.

• Breaking Baz: ‘Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert’ Movie Sequel Readying To Shoot With Original Stars; ‘Maurice’s Jubilee’ Update; Love’s Labour Not Lost On ‘Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson

By Baz Bamigboye

Baz Bamigboye

Columnist/International Editor At Large

More Stories By Baz

• Breaking Baz: ‘My Neighbour Totoro’, Smash Stage Adaptation Of Studio Ghibli Classic, Transfers To West End, With Broadway Next
• Breaking Baz: ‘Cruising’ Star Jane McDonald Cruises Into Lavish London Palladium ‘Robin Hood’ Panto Starring Julian Clary In Title Role

EXCLUSIVE:  Stephan Elliott , who directed the celebrated cult classic  The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert , tells this column that a sequel “is happening” and that the original movie’s stars Terence Stamp , Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving  are back “on board” 30 years after the film’s initial release.

“I’m not repeating myself, we’ll start the new film in Australia, but by God, we’re going on one helluva journey,” Elliott reveals.

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Since it played a midnight screening in Un Certain Regard at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, Priscilla has become a byword for glittering, extravagant excess. That was a party night to remember; except I was there and all I  can  remember is getting back to my hotel at 6 a.m. 

The film, about a transsexual and two drag queens (played by Stamp, Pearce and Weaving, respectively) who set off from Sydney in an old-school bus the trio dubbed Priscilla to perform to disco golden oldies and ABBA hits in the almost treeless, scorching desert plains of southern Australia while sheathed in glamorous frocks and bejeweled headgear atop their wigs, has enjoyed a mammoth crossover audience that has increased in the intervening years as new generations have discovered the movie.

With the mainstream success of TV shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race , it’s probably difficult for some to comprehend how revolutionary it seemed three decades ago for drag artistry to feature in a movie that wasn’t just being marketed to a niche LGBTQ audience. Elliott and his associates saw a way of enticing “the straight audience as well.”

Elliott says that for years he was resistant to making a follow-up film. ”I just was not sure, I just didn’t want to repeat myself,” he stressed.

“I thought, what am I going to do? Stick them on a cruise ship, stick them on a train? You name it, over the years I’ve been pitched Priscilla 2 in spades.”

Their passing hit Elliott hard, but his fond memories of them spurred his creativity. “I was writing and configuring after dad died in early 2020,” he says. ”Then mum died in early 2023. It was a tough one, and so I finally realized that I do have something to write about.”

The new story brings back Bernadette, Stamp’s character; Adam/Felicia, the roles played by Pearce; and Tick/Mitzi, the parts assumed by Weaving.

Tick’s character in the 1994 film had a 7-year-old son. “Well, he’s grown up now,” says Elliott. “Therefore I’ve written in a bunch of new characters to support a new generation.”

He says the new movie will feature “old disco classics, but we’ll be moving into contemporary as well.”

Elliott mentions the new  Priscilla the Party!  show that recently opened in the HERE at the Outernet in the heart of the West End. It has a 4 a.m. liquor license, “so what we’ve done now is just add alcohol.” 

He notes that “the crowd goes ballistic over Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” so Gaga numbers are a possibility for the new movie. “We’ve got to move with the times,” he adds.

PolyGram backed and propelled the original film and Gramercy distributed it; both entities have folded. MGM holds some rights, as do some other enterprises including the Australian Film Finance Corporation and the New South Wales Film & Television Office. Al Clark was the picture’s producer and Rebel Penford-Russell was an executive producer. “The bottom line is that I’ve just had everybody to the table and we’re hammering out the deal now just so everybody’s happy,” Elliott says.

Stamp’s now 85, and Elliott says he wants to get a wriggle on and “get it happening, get it shooting this year. Actually, as soon as possible.”

For several years, the 1976 Japanese-made bus, called Priscilla for the movie and which was rented during the filming in 1993, disappeared. It surfaced at a property in New South Wales but was damaged by wildfire and floods. However, the History Trust of South Australia took possession of it a year ago and launched a fundraising effort to restore it.

“I don’t know how it survived but we have a plan,” says Elliott. “Don’t worry, the bus will feature.”

Also, says Elliott, about a year ago he and his colleagues began the task of remastering for the first time and remixing the print for 30th anniversary screenings in theaters around this summer’s Pride week.

“It’s the 30th anniversary, the bus has been found, Priscilla the Party!  is about to roll out globally and it’s time for  Priscilla’s  final adventure to get made,” he says.

He will serve as director, writer and producer, though he intends to partner with another producer.

Elliott spoke with me after I reached him at his home in Portugal. Although he confirmed the sequel, he says an official announcement will be made soon once various negotiations are completed.

He would love to welcome back original creatives, “but it has to do with their availability.”

The Oscar-winning  Priscilla  costumiers Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner also collaborated with Elliott on  Priscilla the Party!

Julian Glover & Susan Hampshire Ready For Their Close-Up With ‘Maurice’s Jubilee’

It’s based on an award-winning play by Nichola McAuliffe about a master jeweler who meets the young Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace when he goes to collect the Crown Jewels the night before the coronation in 1953. They have a cup of tea and make a promise to meet again for another cuppa on the eve of her majesty’s Diamond Jubilee.

McAuliffe has adapted her story for the screen and it has been developed as a feature by director Nicholas Connor. The aim is to shoot both on-location and in a virtual production studio.

Hampshire will play Helena, Maurice’s wife.

The movie spans several decades, so clearly younger actors will be cast to play Maurice and Helena in earlier years. “But we need to get going,” says McAuliffe. “Julian and Susan aren’t getting any younger and are keen to get in front of the cameras,” she adds, noting that the production is seeking funding to get the cameras rolling.

Love’s Labour’s Not Lost On ‘Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson  

Bridgerton  star Luke Thompson reveals an appetite for for high jinks and tomfoolery as Berowne, the King of Navarre’s chief attendant and fellow scholar who, along with two fellow young lords, promises to forswear women for three years.

This is Shakespeare’s early romantic comedy Love’s Labour’s Lost , and Thompson provides just the right comic touch to pull it off. He and his fellow castmates seem very much at home in director Emily Burns’ version, which she places in a swanky spa called Navarre nestled on a South Pacific island.

It’s the perfect curtain raiser for the Royal Shakespeare Company ’s new co-artistic directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, who opened Burns’ production at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on Thursday night.

The choice of play was smart. For starters it made sense to open with a Shakespeare. Would have been a bit daft to present a Noel Coward. And that it’s one of the Bard’s lighter works rather then one of his tragedies is a good thing. There’s time enough in future seasons for heavies like Lear and Macbeth.

Thompson also shows off his romantic chops to good effect in Season 3 of  Bridgerton .

Fellow actors in Love’s Labour’s Lost include Abiola Owokoniran, Eric Stroud, Brandon Bassir, Jack Bardot, Melanie-Joyce Bermudez, Ivanna Kimbook, Amy Griffiths, Sarita Gabon, Jordan Metcalfe, Jeffrey Chekai, Tony Gardner, Kok-Hwa -Lie, Nathan Foad, Marianella Phillips, Jeffrey Chekai, Shailan Gohil, Tika Mu’Tamir and Jamie Tyler.

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