LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II’s flag-draped coffin is passing by means of the rugged Scottish countryside Sunday on a remaining journey from her beloved summer season property Balmoral Fort to London, with mourners quietly lining roads and a few tossing flowers to honor the monarch who died after 70 years on the throne.

The hearse drove previous piles of bouquets and different tributes because it led a seven-car cortege from Balmoral, the place the queen died Thursday, for a six-hour journey by means of Scottish cities to Holyroodhouse palace in Edinburgh. The late queen’s coffin was draped within the Royal Customary for Scotland and topped with a wreath product of flowers from the property, together with candy peas, one of many queen’s favorites.

“A tragic and poignant second as Her Majesty, The Queen leaves her beloved Balmoral for the ultimate time,” the primary minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon tweeted. “At present, as she makes her journey to Edinburgh, Scotland can pay tribute to a unprecedented girl.”

Crowds lined elements of the route because the nation mourns its longest-reigning monarch, the one one most Britons have ever identified. Within the Scottish village of Ballater, the place residents regard the royal household as neighbors, a whole lot of individuals watched in silence and a few threw flowers in entrance of the hearse because it handed.

“She meant so much to folks on this space. Folks have been crying, it was wonderful to see,” stated Victoria Pacheco, a visitor home supervisor.

In every city and village the automobiles drove by means of, they have been met with related muted scenes of respect. Folks stood largely in silence; some clapped politely, others pointed their telephone cameras on the passing automobiles.

Earlier than reaching the Scottish capital, the cortege is touring down what’s successfully a royal reminiscence lane — passing by means of places laden with Home of Windsor historical past together with Dyce, the place in 1975 the queen formally opened the U.Okay.’s first North Sea oil pipeline, and Fife close to St. Andrews College, the place her grandson William, now the Prince of Wales, studied and met his future spouse, Catherine.

Sunday’s solemn drive by means of Scotland comes a day after the queen’s eldest son was formally proclaimed the brand new monarch — King Charles III — at a pomp-filled accession ceremony steeped in historic custom and political symbolism.

“I’m deeply conscious of this nice inheritance and of the duties and heavy tasks of sovereignty, which have now handed to me,” Charles stated as he took on the duties of monarch.

He will likely be proclaimed king in different nations of the UK — Scotland, Wales and Northern Eire — and in cities throughout the nation Sunday. Earlier, proclamations have been held in different elements of the Commonwealth — the group of former British Empire colonies — together with Australia and New Zealand.

Within the New Zealand capital, Wellington, the British monarch’s consultant, Governor-Normal Dame Cindy Kiro, stated: “On behalf of all New Zealanders, I lengthen to King Charles our loyalty and assist and needs for an extended and glad reign.”

At the same time as he mourned his late mom, Charles was getting all the way down to work. He was assembly at Buckingham Palace with the secretary-general and different representatives of the Commonwealth, a gaggle of countries that grapples with affection for the queen and lingering bitterness over their very own colonial legacies, starting from slavery to corporal punishment in African colleges to looted artifacts held in British establishments.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had began laying the groundwork for an Australian republic after elections in Could, stated Sunday that now was the time not for a change however for paying tribute to the late queen.

India, a former British colony, noticed a day of state mourning, with flags lowered to half-staff on all authorities buildings all through the nation.

Amid the grief enveloping the Home of Windsor, there have been hints of a potential household reconciliation. Prince William and his brother Harry, along with their respective wives, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, delighted mourners close to Windsor Fort with a shock joint look Saturday.

The queen’s coffin will take a circuitous journey again to the capital. On Monday, it will likely be taken from Holyroodhouse to close by St. Giles’ Cathedral, the place it would stay till Tuesday, when it will likely be flown to London. The coffin will likely be moved from Buckingham Palace on Wednesday to the Homes of Parliament to lie in state till a state funeral at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19.

In Ballater, the Rev. David Barr stated locals think about the royals as “neighbors” and attempt to deal with them as locals once they spend summers within the Scottish Highlands.

“When she comes up right here, and he or she goes by means of these gates, I imagine the royal a part of her stays largely outdoors,” he stated. “And as she goes in, she was capable of be a spouse, a loving spouse, a loving mum, a loving gran after which in a while a loving great-gran — and aunty — and be regular.”

Elizabeth Taylor, from Aberdeen, had tears in her eyes after the hearse carrying the queen’s coffin handed by means of Ballater.

“It was very emotional. It was respectful and confirmed what they consider the queen,” she stated. “She definitely gave service to this nation even up till a couple of days earlier than her demise.”

Comply with AP protection of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii