The Queen’s coffin will begin its journey to its final resting place today when it travels from Balmoral to Edinburgh.
Draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland and with a wreath of flowers on top, the oak coffin has remained at rest in the Balmoral ballroom, where Her Majesty danced as a young girl, so the late monarch’s loyal Balmoral estate workers can say their last goodbyes.
Also in attendance have been three of the Queen's children and many of her grandchildren, who have taken the chance for a private goodbye before the very public spectacle of their mother's funeral.
Alluding to this, a tearful Prince Andrew told wellwishers after a prayer service on Sunday: "We've been allowed one day, now we start the process of handing her on. It's nice to see you, thank you for coming."
That "handing over" will follow a route years in the planning, giving the Queen's subjects the chance to pay their respects.
The cortege will leave Balmoral castle on Royal Deeside – where the Queen died on Thursday – at 10am this morning.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the “poignant” journey, which will see the Queen’s coffin transported to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, would give the public a chance to come together to “mark our country’s shared loss”.
Wellwishers are expected to gather along the route the cortege will take as it travels from Balmoral to the Scottish capital.
It will first head to the nearby town on Ballater, where it is expected at approximately 10.12am.
It is then expected to arrive in Aberdeen about an hour later, with tributes expected to be paid in the city’s Duthie Park. Travelling south along the A90, it will then arrive in Dundee at about 2pm.
In Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon and other party leaders in Scotland are expected to observe the coffin as it goes past the Scottish Parliament.
From there it will be taken into the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will remain for the night.
After the coffin arrives at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Sunday, it will rest in the Throne Room until the afternoon of Monday.
It will then travel in a procession to St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, along the Royal Mile with the King and the late Queen’s other children the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex following behind on foot, along with Anne’s husband Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
Camilla, now Queen Consort, and the Countess of Wessex will follow by car and also attend the service in St Giles’.
After the coffin arrives at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Sunday, it will rest in the Throne Room until the afternoon of Monday.
It will then travel in a procession to St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, along the Royal Mile with the King and the late Queen's other children the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex following behind on foot, along with Anne's husband Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.
Camilla, now Queen Consort, and the Countess of Wessex will follow by car and also attend the service in St Giles'.
The Crown of Scotland will be placed on the coffin as it is carried inside. There, she will lie at rest until Tuesday – the first opportunity for the public to pay their respects.
On Tuesday evening, Princess Anne will accompany her mother’s body on an RAF flight back to London and on to Buckingham Palace, to be greeted by Charles and Camilla.
On Wednesday at 2.22pm, adorned with the Imperial State Crown, the coffin will be taken in procession on a Gun Carriage of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery to the Palace of Westminster, where she will lie in state in Westminster Hall for four days.
Hundreds of thousands of mourners are expected along the route of the silent procession, similar to the state funeral of the Queen's father, King George VI, in 1952.
Once at Westminster Hall the Queen will lie in state in a closed coffin and members of the public can file past, saying their final goodbyes.
The Queen will remain here until 6.30am on Monday September 19, when the coffin will be taken to Westminster Abbey for her state funeral.
After the funeral she will travel to Windsor Castle, where she will be laid to rest in St George’s Chapel alongside her beloved late husband, Prince Philip.
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