Following the Queen’s death yesterday at the age of 96, mourners returned to Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Balmoral this morning to lay flowers and pay their respects.
As news of the monarch’s death spread last night, tens of thousands of mourners went to prominent royal landmarks.
At 6.30 p.m., the Union flag atop the palace in central London was lowered. It attracted gasps from the crowd who understood the significance of the symbolic action.
The terrible news of the Queen’s death was subsequently formally confirmed. Some members of the crowd wept while others spontaneously sang “God Save the Queen.”
As the sun emerged from the clouds this morning, many more emotional faces were seen arriving to pay their own personal respects to Her Majesty, as the nation is thrown into an official time of mourning.
Today at noon, bells will ring at St. Paul’s, Westminster Abbey, and other churches across the nation to honor her.
It comes as senior royals rushed to the Queen’s bedside yesterday, but regrettably did not make it to Balmoral before she passed away.
Last night, reports revealed that only her eldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, who were already in Scotland at the time of the monarch’s abrupt deterioration, were able to reach the royal estate before her passing.
A woman weeps after placing flower tributes at Buckingham Palace for the Queen, who passed away yesterday at the age of 96.
This morning, a woman appears distraught as members of the public drop flowers and tributes in front of Buckingham Palace.
This morning, mourners assemble at Balmoral Castle, where the Queen passed away yesterday at the age of 96.
This morning, a police officer distributes flowers at Buckingham Palace following the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth.
People gather outside Buckingham Palace in London on September 9, 2022, one day after the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96.
This morning, a floral tribute is carried in front of Buckingham Palace, following the death of Queen Elizabeth yesterday.
This morning, people are embracing as they pay their respects outside Buckingham Palace in London.
People gather outside Buckingham Palace in the early hours of this morning, following yesterday’s announcement of the Queen’s death.
This morning, a woman appears distraught as members of the public drop flowers and tributes in front of Buckingham Palace.
On Thursday, all of Her Majesty’s children, including Prince William, went to Balmoral after physicians expressed “worry” for her health. At 12:32 p.m., Buckingham Palace issued a statement indicating that the Queen’s physicians were “concerned” for her health and urged she remain under medical observation while family members were notified.
Charles was already by his mother’s side at her beloved Highland house when senior aides, anticipating the worst, ordered the Queen’s burgundy-liveried helicopter up from Windsor at 6.48am to take him from Dumfries House in Ayrshire, where he had stayed the night following several official engagements. He arrived at Balmoral at 10:27 a.m.
His wife, the Duchess of Cornwall – now Queen Consort, as desired by Elizabeth II earlier this year – was already in Birkhall, the couple’s Scottish retreat, and was driven to meet him there.
It is believed that the Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, was already in the area with her mother, who was attending engagements.
The Queen’s other children, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, as well as the Countess of Wessex, whom she adores and treats as a second daughter, were rushed to Aberdeen by a jet organised by staff.
William, her grandson, joined them. His wife Kate remained behind with their three children, who recently began attending a new school.
The somber family landed in Scotland at 4 p.m., and William’s Range Rover sped through the gates of Balmoral at 5:06 p.m. Although Buckingham Palace has not confirmed the time of death, it is believed that the family was unable to see their beloved matriarch prior to her passing.
By chance, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – now unhappily estranged from most family members – were in the United Kingdom from their residence in California and were scheduled to participate in a charity event in London before returning to their children.
There was uncertainty when their spokesman initially stated that both Harry and Meghan would go to Balmoral to join the family, as spouses are typically unlikely to accompany close relatives during a time of personal loss.
Later, it was determined that Harry would travel alone, and at 7:52 p.m., he arrived at his grandmother’s house. He was still airborne when the news of his passing was confirmed.
The Queen’s death was ultimately revealed at 6.32 p.m. in a brief black-bordered statement from Buckingham Palace that stated, “The Queen died peacefully in Balmoral this afternoon.” The King and Queen Consort will spend the night at Balmoral and return to London tomorrow.
As the Kingdom enters a period of formal mourning, today marks the beginning of Operation London Bridge, the period of 10 days between the Queen’s death and her state funeral, which is slated to take place on Monday, September 19.
It is anticipated that the Queen’s coffin would remain at Balmoral for at least the next two days before being flown back to London the following week.
With Charles and Camilla’s return to London as King and Queen Consort, however, the pendulum swinging to introduce His Majesty to his people will also commence. Tomorrow, he is set to hold his Accession Council.
Miss Truss hosted a meeting of ministers, police, and royal officials last night to discuss arrangements for the mourning period preceding the Queen’s funeral.
Royal household personnel placed a framed plaque bearing the statement announcing the Queen’s death at the front gates of Buckingham Palace yesterday, as well as lowered the Union flag to half-staff at Buckingham Palace.
Even after the Queen’s death, the Royal Standard is never flown at half-mast, as there is always a monarch on the throne. In remembrance of the Queen, flags will fly at half-staff from now until the morning following her funeral.
Britain and her Commonwealth states will observe a ten-day period of mourning following the death of the Queen, during which millions of her subjects in the UK and abroad will come to grips with her loss.
Several major events, including the BBC’s Proms and its famed crescendo, Last Night of the Proms, which were scheduled to take place on Friday and Saturday, have already been canceled.