A hearse carrying the oak coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II has left her beloved Balmoral Castle.
The coffin of the late monarch begins a six-hour road trip to Edinburgh on Sunday. She died at Balmoral on Thursday after a 70-year reign and begins her final journey back to London for a state funeral on September 19.
Crowds line parts of the road as the nation mourns its longest-reigning monarch. Early on Sunday, flowers and other tributes – a small Paddington Bear toy, a hand-drawn image of the Queen – were piled up outside the gates of Balmoral.
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS:
– The former British colonies in conflict over Queen Elizabeth II
– Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin begins its journey through Scotland
– What’s next for the UK as Queen Elizabeth II rests
— King Charles III is officially proclaimed monarch in London
“What will happen to all the coins that feature the queen?”
— Explainer: The formal rules around the accession of Charles
– Mourners in the street: Heartfelt grief flows across Britain
“Will Charles be loved by his subjects as his mother was?”
– Find more AP coverage here: https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
BALMORAL CASTLE, Scotland – The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II leaves her beloved Scottish estate, Balmoral Castle, as the late monarch begins her final journey back to London for a state funeral.
Six gamekeepers from the summer retreat where the Queen died on Thursday will carry the late sovereign’s oak coffin from the castle ballroom to a hearse on Sunday. It will begin a six-hour, 280-kilometre (175-mile) journey through Scottish cities to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
Crowds are expected to line the road as the nation mourns its longest-reigning monarch. Early on Sunday, flowers and other tributes – a small Paddington Bear toy, a hand-drawn image of the Queen – were piled up outside the gates of Balmoral.
Also on Sunday, King Charles III will be officially proclaimed king in the other nations of the UK – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – after a similar ceremony in Britain a day earlier.
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CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA – Britain’s King Charles III has been officially proclaimed Australia’s monarch at a ceremony in Canberra.
Australian Governor-General David Hurley made the proclamation in Parliament on Sunday. At the end of the service, there was a 21-gun salute.
Charles automatically became king when the queen died on Thursday.
But like the accession ceremony in London on Saturday, the proclamation in Australia was a constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.
Charles is now the head of state in Australia, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of Former Colonies.
Similar ceremonies will take place in every Australian state and territory.
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WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Britain’s King Charles III has been officially proclaimed New Zealand’s monarch at a ceremony in Wellington.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid tribute to the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II and spoke of the strong bond her son and successor had with New Zealand.
Charles automatically became king when the queen died on Thursday.
Like the accession ceremony in London on Saturday, the proclamation in New Zealand was a constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.
To mark the occasion, the Army’s 16th Field Regiment fired a 21-gun salute from Point Jerningham in Wellington.
Charles is now the head of state in New Zealand, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of Former Colonies.
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NEW DELHI – India observes a day of national mourning on Sunday as a mark of respect for Queen Elizabeth II.
The national flag was flown at half-mast on all government buildings across the country. India was a British colony before gaining independence in 1947.
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-serving monarch and a rock of stability for much of a turbulent century, died on Thursday after 70 years on the throne.
King Charles III was officially proclaimed Britain’s monarch on Saturday. He automatically became king when his mother died on Thursday.