Queen Elizabeth’s coffin leaves on a flight from Edinburgh Airport after a journey from St Giles’ Cathedral.
Image source, PA MediaCrowds are lining the streets of Edinburgh to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II as her coffin makes its final journey in Scotland.
The coffin has been lying at rest in St Giles’ Cathedral, where a historic vigil took place on Monday evening.
Tens of thousands of mourners queued for hours for the opportunity to file past the Queen’s coffin.
It will be taken by cortège to Edinburgh Airport before being flown to RAF Northolt in London.
The coffin will then be brought to Buckingham Palace, where it will be met by King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort, as well as other members of the Royal Family.
The King left Scotland earlier on Tuesday, travelling to Northern Ireland as part of his Operation Spring Tide tour.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was among those to attend a final prayer service at St Giles’ on Tuesday afternoon alongside Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone and Scottish Secretary Alistair Jack.
An honour guard and royal archers lined the street before the Queen’s coffin was brought outside.
Image source, PA Media
It left St Giles’ Cathedral on a hearse shortly before 16:20 to make the journey to Edinburgh Airport.
The full route and adjoining roads will be closed, with diversions in place until 18:30.
The coffin will be flown to London – accompanied by the Princess Royal, Princess Anne – on a plane that was used to evacuate thousands of people fleeing the Taliban in Kabul last summer.
The C-17 Globemaster has also been used to take humanitarian aid and weapons to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
The coffin will arrive in London shortly before 19:00 and will then be moved to Buckingham Palace.
It will be received by a guard of honour – formed by the King’s Guard – before being taken to the Bow Room inside the palace and watched over by a rota of chaplains.
Earlier on Tuesday the King visited Belfast for the first time as monarch, accompanied by Camilla, Queen Consort.
They met Northern Ireland’s political and religious leaders and took part in a prayer service at St Anne’s Cathedral.
Image source, Reuters
In Edinburgh, thousands queued through the night to pay their respects to the late monarch.
The Scottish government said more than 26,000 people had paid their respects by early afternoon on Tuesday.
City of Edinburgh Council leader Cammy Day paid tribute to the “incredible support” which had been shown by the public and local communities in recent days.
“As a city, we will look back with immense pride at the role we’ve played in hosting these momentous events as the world looked on,” he said.
