A somber family stroll. Prince William and Prince Harry both marched alongside the rest of the royal family as the late Queen Elizabeth II’s casket was transported to Westminster Hall amid funeral proceedings.
As part of the queen’s memorial services — after her Thursday, September 8, death at the age of 96 — the royal family accompanied her coffin to Westminster Hall on Wednesday, September 14, before attending a service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Reverend Dr. David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster.
The Prince of Wales, 40, and the Duke of Sussex, 37, were among the members of The Firm who followed the hearse from Buckingham Palace to the chapel. They were joined by their father, King Charles III, as well as Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Peter Phillips. The two brothers — whom the 73-year-old monarch shared with late ex-wife Princess Diana — stood side-by-side during the walk with cousin Phillips, 44, on the other side of Harry.
Queen Consort Camilla, Princess Kate, Meghan Markle and Countess Sophie all followed behind in a caravan of cars.
As the late regent served as the head of the country’s Armed Forces, the procession also featured members of all three branches of the British military, including members of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. Elizabeth’s coffin sat on a gun carriage — with a crown on top — that the military pulled through the streets of London.
“For all the pageantry and tradition, Her Majesty’s relationship with the Armed Forces was deeply personal,” a Wednesday statement on the royal family’s Instagram account read. “The Queen was the daughter, wife and mother of Naval officers. Her grandchildren served with the British Army and the Royal Air Force. Her family’s record of wartime service stretched from Jutland to Afghanistan. And she too served in uniform during the Second World War. The Queen was one of our last links to that extraordinary wartime generation. She understood better than most the burdens and the glory of a life in service.’ The Chief of the Defence Staff’s tribute to The Queen.”
The queen — who reigned over the United Kingdom for 70 years — died last week while at her Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Her body was since brought back to London on Tuesday, September 13, with Harry and Meghan, 41, receiving it at Buckingham Palace alongside Charles, Camilla, 75, William and Kate, 40.
During the Wednesday stroll, the Duke of Cambridge, the king, Anne and Edward all wore their military uniforms, per tradition. However, Harry, Andrew, 62, and Phillips all wore black mourning suits.
“He has come to terms with not wearing uniform on these occasions,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month of the BetterUp CIO, after the palace confirmed he would not wear his military garb after stepping back as a senior royal in 2020. “Whilst that’s disappointing in some senses, he’s just grateful to be present and honoring the queen. At the end of the day, it’s only a uniform.”
Scroll below to see more photos of the procession:
Queen Elizabeth II[/caption]
