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King Charles III led a royal procession transporting his mother’s coffin to St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Monday as crowds gathered to pay their respects.
Queen Elizabeth II will lie at rest in the cathedral until Tuesday, when she will be moved to London.
Britain’s new king and Camilla, the Queen Consort, appeared in Parliament earlier Monday, where they received condolences from lawmakers.
Prince Harry released a statement honoring the life of his grandmother and paying tribute to her “unwavering grace and dignity,” which he said “remained true throughout her life and now her everlasting legacy.”
Here’s what happened Monday:
- Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin was moved from Holyroodhouse to St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh.
- Charles and Camilla visited Westminster Hall in London, where both Houses of Parliament offered their condolences and Charles addressed lawmakers.
- Charles and Camilla have returned to Scotland to accompany the queen's coffin as it is moved and attend a service at the cathedral.
- The new king met with the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Holyroodhouse.
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New Zealand to mark the death of the queen with a public holiday
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand has announced it will mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II with a public holiday on Sept. 26.
The nation will also hold a state memorial service in the capital, Wellington, on the same day. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Elizabeth was an extraordinary person and many people would appreciate the opportunity to mark her death and celebrate her life.
“As New Zealand’s queen and much-loved sovereign for over 70 years, it is appropriate that we mark her life of dedicated public service with a state memorial service and a one-off public holiday,” Ardern said.
She also said she would be leaving this week for Britain to attend Elizabeth’s funeral.
Racing honors queen: 'No one person ever has, or ever will, do so much for so long for horse racing'
DONCASTER, England — British horse racing has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II as the late monarch’s favorite sport returned after a pause following her death.
Two minutes of silence were held at Doncaster on Sunday. A video was then played on the big screens of the queen at races through the years, along with some of her greatest triumphs as a racehorse owner.
Horse racing was the big sporting fascination of the queen, who became one of the biggest faces of the sport both in Britain and globally and had more than 1,800 winners.
“No one person ever has, or ever will, do so much for so long for horse racing than did Her Majesty the queen,” narrator Brough Scott, a former jockey turned TV presenter, said in the video. “The sport worldwide will forever be in her debt.”
It was followed by a long ovation from the jockeys and officials who lined up for the tribute ceremony.
Line already forming in London to view queen's coffin
LONDON — A line has already started forming to view Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin when she lies in state in London, even though that won’t start till Wednesday evening.
Security staff members are preparing for millions of people to pay their respects to the late monarch, whose coffin will be in London’s Westminster Hall until her state funeral Sept. 19.
Vanessa Nathakumaran, 56, traveled Monday from Harrow near London to Lambeth Bridge in central London, where the entrance of the line is expected to be set up.
“I really, really want to be part of it,” said Nathakumaran, who is originally from Sri Lanka — a country once called Ceylon and ruled by Britain.
The line is expected to stretch from Parliament along the bank of the River Thames.
Officials have advised commuters to change their working patterns because London is expected to be extremely busy in coming days.
Stop leaving marmalade sandwiches at palace, officials request
LONDON — Officials in charge of the park outside Buckingham Palace have told people to stop leaving marmalade sandwiches as a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II because of the “negative impact on the park’s wildlife.”
Some mourners have left the snacks alongside floral tributes at Buckingham Palace and neighboring Green Park. The sandwiches are a reference to a comedy sketch featuring the queen and an animated Paddington Bear that was filmed for her Platinum Jubilee this year.
In the video, the queen said that like Paddington Bear she also favors marmalade sandwiches and hides them in her purse “for later.”
The Royal Parks organization said Monday that people should not leave the snacks but that they could leave teddy bears and other items if they wished.
Queen was on a 'human level,' too, former press secretary says
Among the anecdotes that are being shared about the queen were tales of her knack for comforting others.
James Roscoe, her former press secretary, recounted his favorite story in an interview Monday on MSNBC: A surgeon who had worked in Afghanistan and other war zones was invited for a private lunch at Buckingham Palace several years ago with the queen.
"She was asking him about his time there, and obviously it was very traumatic for him, and he talks about really struggling and being on the brink of breaking down at one point," Roscoe said.
Instead of going through the formulaic questioning, the queen paused and asked him to open a box on the table, Roscoe said. It contained dog biscuits. And for the next 20 minutes, the pair fed the queen's corgis.
"There you are, that's much better than having to talk about things, isn't it?" the queen told the doctor, Roscoe said.
"And I think it just shows how, yes, she was an extraordinary monarch and queen, but she was also an incredible human and able to really relate to people at a very human level," Roscoe added.
Charles pledges to maintain 'principles of constitutional government'
In an appearance in the Scottish Parliament on Monday, the new king promised to serve Scotland and its people.
"While still very young, the queen pledged herself to serve her country and her people and to maintain the principles of constitutional government," King Charles III said in reply to a motion of condolence in the assembly. "As we now mark, with gratitude, a promise most faithfully fulfilled, I am determined, with God’s help and with yours, to follow that inspiring example."