The coffin, installed in the castle ballroom and guarded by service personnel, will be transferred to Edinburgh tomorrow
Deep in the Scottish Highlands, Balmoral Castle was Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘favorite home’ where she hunted, rode horses and kept her ‘corgi’ dogs. It was there where she died last Thursday and where she received a heartfelt tribute from all her neighbors who considered her very dear. The area surrounding the official summer residence is filled with flowers and messages of affection these days.
The coffin was installed in the ballroom, where Elizabeth II made her debut in society at The Gillies Ball at the age of twelve. The celebration is a tradition implanted by Queen Victoria after the purchase of Balmoral in 1852, during which the Royal Family offers a dance to the nearest service personnel and officials.
It was precisely those most trusted assistants who guarded the monarch’s coffin this Saturday, waiting for tomorrow to be transferred to Holyrood Palace, in Edinburgh, and later to St. Giles Cathedral, on the royal mile of the Scottish capital. The coffin is covered by the royal standard of Elizabeth II, which represents the monarch and consists of heraldic symbols belonging to England, Scotland and Ireland.
It is not known whether placing the coffin in the ballroom was an express wish of the Queen and as such was part of the so-called ‘Unicorn Operation’, the protocol that went into effect upon death in Balmoral, as happened. For Elizabeth II, that room was a special place, from which very popular images survive, such as the one from 1972 in which she can be seen in the company of the Queen Mother, arm in arm with Philip of Edinburgh dressed in a Scottish skirt.
The farewell in Balmoral was more intimate than the next. Carlos III, proclaimed king in London this Saturday, and his sons Guillermo and Enrique left the castle on Friday. A private mass was celebrated today at nearby Crathie Kirk Church, attended by Elizabeth II’s other three children – Ana, Eduardo and Andrés – with their respective families.
Members of the royal family arrived at the church in jeeps and left on foot to thank the people for their support and to read the messages left next to the flowers. “They allowed us one day. Now we begin the process of handing her over,” explained Prince Andrew, who resigned his royal duties in 2019 because of his friendship with alleged US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. His daughter Eugenia was moved to read the notes citizens had. laid down.
The neighbors who had come to the castle appreciated the gesture. “It was very special that they reached out and we were able to show them our support,” said Ian Smith, a local businessman.
After this discreet farewell in Balmoral, the coffin will travel overland tomorrow to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, an ancient fortress that was the residence of the Kings of Scotland in Edinburgh. Later, you’ll head to St. Giles’ Cathedral, built in the 12th century by King Alexander I and dedicated to the popular patron saint of lepers, nursing mothers, and cripples.
In this cathedral there will be a vigil for the male members of the royal family and later for 24 hours the public will have the opportunity to pay a final tribute to the Queen’s coffin. The coffin will rest on a catafalque and the funeral chapel will be identical to that of his mother, the Queen Mother Elizabeth. St. Giles will host the first mass bath in the ten days leading up to the funeral at Westminster Abbey.
Source: La Verdad
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
