First public mourners file past Queen Elizabeth II's coffin in Edinburgh

Mourners in Edinburgh, some in tears, filed past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II through the night, before new king Charles III travels to Northern Ireland Tuesday and the monarch's coffin returns to London. As people paid their respects, four members of the monarch's Scottish bodyguard, the Royal Company of Archers, stood heads bowed at each corner of the oak casket resting in the 12th century St Giles' Cathedral.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has put her Spotify podcast Archetypes on hold during the official mourning period for Queen Elizabeth.

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The first members of the public began paying their respects before the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday, filing past the casket at Edinburgh's St Giles' Cathedral.

Four members of the monarch's Scottish bodyguard, the Royal Company of Archers, stood heads bowed at each corner. Some people were in tears as they passed, television pictures showed.

Liverpool's visit to Chelsea and Manchester United's clash with Leeds on Sunday have been postponed due to policing pressures ahead of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, the Premier League announced on Monday.

Seven Premier League games will go ahead this weekend, with Brighton's match against Crystal Palace having already been postponed due to a planned rail strike.

Two anti-monarchy protesters were booed by crowds opposite parliament in central London on Monday, as King Charles III made his maiden address to lawmakers inside.

The pair held aloft signs saying "End feudalism", "Abolish the monarchy" and "Not my king", as the new monarch addressed lawmakers.

The royal invitation sent to the White House to attend Queen Elizabeth's funeral was for President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden only, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday.

Her statement suggested Biden would not be assembling a US delegation to attend the Sept. 19 funeral in London. He is to depart for London on Saturday.

Britain's government said Monday that travel plans for foreign leaders and their spouses to Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral "will vary" by country, following a report they will have to take special buses.

"Arrangements for different leaders will vary depending on things like security risks, so we are providing guidance and information through embassies," Prime Minister Liz Truss's spokesman told reporters.

It follows news website Politico reporting that attendees have been told to take commercial flights and escorted private buses to reach the September 19 service at London's Westminster Abbey.

King Charles III on Monday led a procession through the centre of the Scottish capital Edinburgh behind the coffin of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, as it headed to St Giles' Cathedral.

Walking next to the queen's three other children, Charles followed the coffin for the short distance up the Royal Mile from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it had rested overnight.

It came amid the sound of guns fired at one-minute intervals from Edinburgh Castle.

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Prince Andrew will not wear a military uniform, unlike other senior British royals, at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, underlining his continuing estrangement from the family.

Andrew was stripped of his "His Royal Highness" and honorary military titles at the start of the year amid ongoing fallout from a sex assault scandal.

Edinburgh marked the arrival of King Charles III on Monday (September 12) with a gun salute from the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle.

Personnel from the British Army's Royal Artillery fired the salute as the new king arrived in the Scottish capital ahead of a procession carrying the body of the late Queen Elizabeth II from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to Saint Giles's Cathedral, where she will lie at rest for 24 hours, giving the public a chance to pay respects.

Britain’s King Charles III flew to Edinburgh on Monday (September 12) to join his siblings in a solemn procession when the coffin of his mother Queen Elizabeth is taken to the city's historic cathedral.

The King left RAF Northolt in Greater London after addressing lawmakers in parliament and hearing them express their condolences for the death of his mother.

The new monarch will also join senior royals for a vigil at St Giles' Cathedral where the coffin will lie at rest before being flown to London on Tuesday (September 13).

The Queen will lie in state in Westminster Hall from 17:00 BST on Wednesday 14 September until 06:30 BST on the day of her funeral, Monday 19 September.

During the lying in state period the hall will be open for 24 hours a day for members of the public to file past the coffin and pay their respects.

The grand hall is the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster, at the heart of British government.

The last member of the Royal Family to lie in state in the hall was the Queen Mother in 2002, when more than 200,000 people queued to view her coffin.

The Queen's closed coffin will rest on a raised platform, known as a catafalque, beneath the 11th Century hall's medieval timber roof. Each corner of the platform will be guarded in a continuous vigil by soldiers from units that serve the Royal Household.

On Wednesday 14 September she will be brought to Westminster Hall from Buckingham Palace in a slow procession, accompanied by a military parade.

King Charles III says he is deeply grateful for the addresses of condolences from MPs and peers which "so touchingly encompass" what the Queen "meant to us all".

He makes reference to Shakespeare's Henry VIII, where Elizabeth I is described as "a pattern to all princes living".

He says he cannot help but feel the weight of history which surrounds those in Westminster Hall and "reminds us of vital Parliamentary traditions, to which MPs and peers dedicate themselves".

"Parliament is the living and breathing instrument of our democracy," he says.

He says connections to "my darling late mother" are seen all around, from the Silver Jubilee fountain in New Palace Yard to the sundial in Old Palace Yard marking her Golden Jubilee.

He says the Great Bell of Big Ben - "one of the most powerful symbols of our nation" - will mark the late Queen's progress from Buckingham Palace to Parliament later this week.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has accepted his invitation to attend the Queen's funeral next week. 

The proceedings are on September 19.

Loyalists laying flowers by a huge mural of a young Queen Elizabeth in a fiercely British corner of west Belfast described a potent nostalgia and hints of unease at what the new era may hold for some of the monarch's most devoted subjects.

A few hundred meters away, across steel and concrete "peace walls", Irish nationalists largely shrugged off the death of the woman who transformed from a symbol of British oppression to agent of reconciliation.

Queen for 70 of Northern Ireland's 100-year history and for all of three decades of the "Troubles" in which over 3,000 died in sectarian fighting over the crown's role in northeast Ireland, Elizabeth's image is seared into the psyche here.

The Queen's death has cast a light on how much Northern Ireland has changed since her heyday and how diminished the crown's role might be in the reign of King Charles.

The Queen's death comes at a difficult time for loyalists and their more moderate unionist allies. Decades of higher birth rates among mainly Catholic nationalists are ending the Protestant majority baked into the state's formation in 1921.

Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army, horrified many loyalists in May by securing the largest number of seats in the regional parliament for the first time.

Many nationalists expect to soon secure a permanent majority they hope will put huge pressure on the British government to allow a referendum on splitting Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and joining a united Irish state.

For loyalists, the Queen was the final direct link to both the Empire and World War Two victory central to their identity.

She was also seen as a constant amid perceived betrayals by British governments - from the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985 that gave Dublin a say in Northern Ireland affairs to Boris Johnson's abandonment in 2019 of a pledge to never accept an Irish Sea trade border.

"For unionists and loyalists the Queen was the symbol of the United Kingdom and their Britishness and they genuinely felt that it was the Queen that gave them their Britishness and they would revere the queen rather than any British government because they felt they had been repeatedly betrayed by British governments, that the queen was the symbol of stability and Britishness," said Brian Feeney, an Irish nationalist columnist.

"I think there's not a single country in the world who doesn't latch on to a single symbol to identify themselves and give them a sense of belonging. Here in Northern Ireland, where we have a divided society, it's slightly more acute," said Doug Beattie, leader of the second largest unionist party, the Ulster Unionists, speaking beside a painting of the Queen in his constituency office south west of Belfast.

"Charles will understand continuity... I think he will understand that he needs to carry on with the vein that his mother brought the country... in every corner of the kingdom he's going to have a very particular issue that he's going to have to deal with, of course here in Northern Ireland it's very acute because we come from a very divided society and we come from a single island as well."

A potent symbol of the union, the Queen in her later years became a major force for reconciliation with its Irish nationalist foes, with her state visit to Ireland in 2011 the first by a monarch in almost a century of independence.

Two striking gestures on that trip transformed her relationship with Ireland: laying a wreath in honour Irish people killed fighting for independence from Britain and recounting a few words in Irish in a speech at Dublin Castle.

"There was a lot of stuff washed away by the Queen's visit in 2011," said Feeney. The Queen's role as bogeyman for nationalists is gone, he said.

The Queen, whose cousin Lord Louis Mountbatten was killed by the Irish Republican Army, went even further a year later by shaking the hand of IRA commander Martin McGuinness, Sinn Fein's Northern Ireland leader at the time.

While some Irish nationalists in bars reportedly cheered the news of the Queen's death and some fireworks were heard in Belfast, the reaction in nationalist areas was relatively muted, some saying the Queen was irrelevant and others that she was little more than a celebrity.

"There's still people that are happy that she's gone... but no celebrating the way there was when Margaret Thatcher died" in 2013, said Matthew Mullan, a 19-year old walking on the nationalist Falls Road in West Belfast.

For most nationalists, she's now seen as a normal person, he said, "someone’s mummy, auntie, granny, you know what I mean."

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Prince Harry has issued an official statement paying tribute to his grandmother, who he affectionately referred to as "granny".
Writing on the Archewell website, he praised her "unwavering grace and dignity". 

He said, "Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings—from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great-grandchildren." 

Italian president Sergio Mattarella has said tjat he will attend the Queen's funeral. He is the latest world leader to confirm his attendance, alongside US President Joe Biden and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. 
 

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed she will be attending the Queen's funeral and the country will hold public holiday on September 26.

The Sun has reported that the mourners who will be there to see the Queen's coffin could be close to that which turned up to view Pope John Paul II. The authorities have already warned people from travelling on some routes and road transport can see delays of up to 12 hours. 
 

United States President Joe Biden has formally accepted an invitation to attend the state funeral service for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, which is scheduled to take place on September 19. Biden's visit to the UK for the funeral service will lead to a major security operation. 

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After Queen Elizabeth II's coffin covered a more than 280 kilometres journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh on Sunday, the government also published guidelines for people who might line up to say their final goodbyes to the queen.

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Public will be able to pay their respects to the Queen Elizabeth II in St Giles Cathedral in the Scottish capital on Monday. 

Queen Elizabeth the Second's coffin has arrived at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. This is the official residence of British monarch in Scotland.

King Charles has arrived the Buckingham Palace in London. The King was accompanied by Camilla, the Queen Consort. King Charles is due to meet representatives of the Commonwealth at the Buckingham Palace

The cortege of Queen Elizabeth has arrived in Dundee
 

The police presence in Edinburgh increased significantly on Sunday (September 11) as the Scottish capital prepared for the arrival of the Queen's coffin.

Crowds of royal fans and spectators were already arriving in the morning, some saying they were there to express their gratitude and respect to the late monarch.

The coffin will spend one night at Holyrood before being taken by procession to St Giles' Cathedral and then onto London.

Prime Minister Liz Truss will join King Charles III at memorial services around Britain for Queen Elizabeth, Downing Street has said, while denying she would officially accompany him after the idea drew criticism.

Media commentators and social media users had whether there was a political motivation for Truss joining the king to lead mourning in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

But the prime minister's office was at pains to play down any controversy, with Truss still in the first week of her premiership after having been appointed by the queen on Tuesday.

"The PM is not 'accompanying' the king and it is not a 'tour'. She is merely attending these services," Downing Street said.

Locals from Aberdeenshire lined the streets of the village of Ballater to see the funeral cortege of Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday (September 11) as it started its journey to Edinburgh.

The cortege will travel to Edinburgh, from where her coffin will be flown to London to lie in state before her funeral, which will take place on Sept. 19.

In ceremonies held on Sunday (September 11) in the capitals of Australia and New Zealand, King Carles was formally proclaimed as the head of the state. 

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Queen Elizabeth's oak coffin began its journey from Balmoral Castle, her summer retreat in the Scottish Highlands, down to Edinburgh on Sunday, with thousands of Scots, expected to line the streets to pay their respects.

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China's President Xi Jinping on Sunday congratulated Charles III on his accession to the British throne, state media reported.

Xi told Charles in a message that he was willing to "expand friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation, and strengthen communication on global issues," the official Xinhua news agency said.

Despite being a sovereign nation with a liberal democratic setup, Australia's head of state remains the Queen or King of the UK. Succinctly put, the former british colony  is not a republic but a constitutional monarchy.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a ceremony to recognise King Charles as its new head of state remarked: 

"Thank you for being here at what is an extraordinary historical event in the history of our nation. There has been an outpouring of grief on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth was admired for her devotion to duty, for her commitment to the people of the United Kingdom, to the people of the Commonwealth including Australia and indeed to the world,"

"In Queen Elizabeth’s own words, that grief is the price we pay for love, is I think a fitting statement on how so many Australians are feeling at this time. Today, we mark formally the new head of state in King Charles III and the proclamation – the first in my lifetime and the first in a majority of Australian’s lifetime - is an historic event."

According to the King's spokesperson, it may be decided in the future whether the royal households will ever refer to Camilla as "the Queen" rather than "Queen Consort."

Although Buckingham Palace has thus far referred to Camilla as Queen Consort in their briefings and remarks, she is formally Her Majesty the Queen as the King's wife.

A spokesman for the King was asked if Camilla would always be referred to as Queen Consort, but did not completely rule out a change. But he also said that they were focusing on what would happen over the next week and a half.

In memory of Queen Elizabeth II, Pakistan will observe a day of mourning on September 12. 

Prince William and Prince Harry, and their wives Kate and Meghan, on Saturday set aside their reported differences, reuniting to inspect floral tributes to Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle.

Television pictures showed the two couples, once dubbed "the fab four" until an apparent falling-out, looking at the flowers together before separating to talk to crowds gathered on either side of the road outside the gates of the castle, west of London.

The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II will be held at Westminster Abbey in London at 11:00 am (1000 GMT) on Monday September 19, royal officials said on Saturday.

Buckingham Palace also confirmed that the queen, who died on Thursday aged 96, will then be taken to St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, west of London, for a committal service.

Prince William on Saturday promised to honour the memory of Queen Elizabeth II by supporting his father, King Charles III, "in every way", in a heartfelt statement after his grandmother's death.

In his first comments since the queen's death and as the newly appointed Prince of Wales, William, 40, said "it would be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real".

William has become heir now that his father is king, with expectations that his time on the throne will come sooner rather than later.

Canada proclaimed Charles its king on Saturday in a formal ceremony at the official residence in Ottawa of the governor general, the monarch's representative in Canada who performs the duties of the head of state on behalf of the crown.

Earlier, an Accession Council met at St James's Palace in London to proclaim Charles sovereign. The ceremonies are protocol and formalize the change in head of state.

Charles, 73, automatically became king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms, including Canada, when his mother, Queen Elizabeth, died on Thursday at age 96.

Calls are mounting in Kenya for Britain to return the head of a revered tribal leader who led a bloody resistance movement against colonial rule more than a century ago, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Koitalel Arap Samoei spearheaded fierce opposition to the construction of the so-called "Lunatic Express," a railway from Kenya's Indian Ocean port of Mombasa through Nandi in the Rift Valley to Lake Victoria in Uganda.

Many thousands of people are believed to have been killed in the more than decade-long struggle that began in 1895 when surveyors first marked out land in Nandi as a route for the railway.

Kenyan historians say British colonial authorities lured Samoei to a meeting in October 1905 ostensibly to negotiate a truce but instead he and a number of fellow warriors were shot dead.

As Britain prepares to stage its first state funeral in nearly six decades, security officials are planning what is expected to be the "biggest policing and protective operation" in UK history.

Police are dusting off long-standing plans to keep safe attendees, including global political leaders and royalty, at Queen Elizabeth II's historic funeral, as well as the millions predicted to flock to London around the time of the event. 

No date has been announced for the late queen's state funeral, which is the first since the service in 1965 for Winston Churchill, Britain's prime minister during World War II.

But it is expected to be held in Westminster Abbey in the heart of the capital on September 19.

Thousands of spectators sang "God Save the King" at London's Oval cricket ground on Saturday (September 10). The crowd erupted into a rendition of the national anthem to mark the new King's accession to the throne ahead of the resumption of the third test between England and South Africa.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday offered his "sincerest congratulations" to Britain's King Charles III after he was officially proclaimed monarch at a pomp-filled ceremony in London.

"Please receive my sincerest congratulations on your accession to the throne," Putin said in a telegram addressed to the new king, the Kremlin said. "I wish Your Majesty success, robust health and above all the best."

A fanfare is first played by heralds followed by gun salutes at the Tower of London. 

After the conclusion of the events of the council, King Charles III bows at the counsellors and leaves without much fuss.

The counsellors respectfully bow back at him. Penny Mordaunt informs the platform party and privy counsellors to leave through the hall where proclamations are kept to be signed. 

King Charles III sits down to sign the declaration after taking the oath. This is followed by Camilla, Queen Consort, and William, Prince of Wales.

"It is my most sorrowful duty to announce to you the death of my beloved mother, the Queen. I know how deeply you, the entire nation, and I think I may say the whole world, sympathise with me in the irreparable loss we all suffered,"

"It is the greatest consolation to me to know of the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and brothers, and that such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family,"

“As to this kingdom and to the wider family of nations of which it is a part, my mother gave an example of lifelong love and of selfless service. My mother’s reign was unequalled in its duration, its dedication and its devotion. Even as we grieve we give thanks for this most faithful life. I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty which have now passed to me,"

"In taking up these responsibilities I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these islands, and of the commonwealth realms and territories across the world. In this purpose I know that I shall be upheld by the affection and loyalty of the peoples whose sovereign I have been called upon to be, and in the discharge of these duties, I will be guided by the council of their elected parliaments,"

“In all this I am profoundly encouraged by the constant support of my beloved wife. I take this opportunity to confirm my willingness and intention to continue the tradition of surrendering the hereditary revenues, including the crown estate to the government for the benefit of all in return for the sovereign grant which supports my official duties as head of state and head of nation,"

“In carrying out the heavy task that has been laid upon me, to which I dedicate what remains to me of my life. I pray for the guidance and help of almighty God.”

The council members wait for the arrival of King Charles III at the iconic Clarence Hall for the second part of the ceremony, a meeting of the privy council.

The clerk of the council now speaks: 

"Charles III, by the grace of god of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of his other realms and territory, King, head of the commonwealth, defender of the faith, to whom we do acknowledge all faith and obedience with humble affection, beseeching god by whom kings and queens do reign to bless his majesty with long and happy years to reign over us.”

The clerk signs off by saying, “God Save the King.”

A throne can be seen on the platform, which includes the Queen’s “ER” cypher. A new one is currently being designed that will be “CR”, Charles Rex.

Prince of Wales, William is first to sign the proclamation, followed by the Queen Consort, Camilla.

King Charles III has been formally announced as the nation's new sovereign, with the proclamation still to come later in the ceremony. This procedure is the formal confirmation of the new King, who will arrive later in the ceremony.

Floral tributes are pictured outside of Buckingham Palace in London ahead of Charles III proclamation as the King. 

(Photograph: AFP)

The centuries-old proceedings will be televised for the first time. The Accession Council comprising royals, political and religious figures including Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William, Prime Minister Liz Truss and the Archbishop of Canterbury will first meet without Charles at 10:00 am (0900 GMT) inside St James's Palace to proclaim him. Then he will join it to make a formal declaration as king and sign official documents. 

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Members of the cabinet will have their first meeting with the King just days after Liz Truss formed her new government, according to Press Association.

Prince William will inherit the Duchy of Cornwall – an estate which owns around 128,000 acres of land across the country. According to The Guardian, the estate has properties in 20 counties of the United Kingdom and was one of the major sources of income for King Charles III.

1:30 pm IST - 0800GMT - Arrivals

2:30 pm IST - 0900GMT - His Majesty The King will be proclaimed at the Accession Council

3:30 pm IST - 1000GMT - Principal Proclamation read from the balcony overlooking Friary Court at St James's Palace

4:30 pm IST - 1100GMT - A second proclamation, as is convention, is read at the Royal Exchange

A ceremony to proclaim the accession of Britain's King Charles will take place on Saturday in Ottawa, the office of Canada's governor general said on Friday.

The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) at Rideau Hall, the official residence of the British-appointed governor-general, who acts on behalf of the monarch.

Prince William has been formally proclaimed the new Prince of Wales as his father, King Charles III, the country's new king, speaks to the nation for the first time since Queen Elizabeth II passed away.

British Prime Minister Liz Truss, politicians and well-wishers sang the first public rendition of the national anthem "God Save The King" at a prayer service Friday for Queen Elizabeth II.

After 70 years of being dedicated to the queen, the anthem was sung in St Paul's Cathedral to reflect the accession to the throne of the late monarch's son, now King Charles III.

US President Joe Biden said Friday that he will attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in Britain.

"I don't know the details yet, but I'll be going," he told reporters.

The date of the funeral has not been confirmed, but it is expected to take place in Westminster Abbey in London on September 19.

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King Charles III vowed Friday to emulate his late mother's life of service, in his first address to Britain and his Commonwealth realms, saying he shared the public's "sense of loss beyond measure".

"That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today," he said in the televised speech, paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II after her death on Thursday.

"I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas," the king said of his son and daughter-in-law, despite their rift with the royal family.

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King Charles III hosted British Prime Minister Liz Truss at Buckingham Palace on Friday for their first formal audience as he starts his reign after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

A palace spokeswoman told AFP that the meeting took place after Charles returned to London from the royal family's Scottish retreat Balmoral, where his mother passed away. 

After a wait of more than 70 years, the longest by an heir in British history, Prince Charles has finally succeeded his mother Queen Elizabeth as ruler of the United Kingdom and 14 other nations.

A smiling King Charles III shook hands with some of the thousands of well-wishers gathered outside Buckingham Palace Friday as he returned to London following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.

Shouting 'God save the King' and with an impromptu burst of the reworded national anthem, members of the crowd greeted Charles and Queen Consort Camilla after they emerged from their car following a flight from Scotland.

British railway and postal workers, at the forefront of sector-wide strikes over a cost-of-living crisis, have halted upcoming walkouts following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Communication Workers Union had planned to continue a 48-hour stoppage Friday but it was called off "out of respect for" the queen, CWU general secretary Dave Ward said in a statement following the queen's passing in Scotland on Thursday.

The Trades Union Congress said it had postponed its four-day annual conference due to have begun Sunday.

"The UK's trade union movement sends our condolences to the Royal Family on the death of the Queen, and recognises her many years of dedicated service to the country," the TUC added in a statement.

The RMT rail union said it was suspending walkouts planned for next week and the TSSA transport union has called off its September strikes.

Train drivers' union Aslef has also suspended a planned stoppage.

Britain's King Charles arrived at a military base near London on Friday, having flown back from Scotland to address the nation following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth a day earlier.

Charles, wearing a dark suit and black tie, and his wife Camilla were met at the steps of the plane by an official royal car. They will now travel to Buckingham Palace.

UK PM Liz Truss said 'God save the King' after delivering a heartfelt tribute to Her Majesty in Parliament during a special session where MPs and peers can pay tribute to the Queen.

Cannon fire rang out across all four corners of the United Kingdom and beyond on Friday, in a ceremonial "death gun salute" in memory of Queen Elizabeth II.

Ninety-six shots, one for every year of her life, were fired from Hyde Park and the Tower of London in the capital, Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland and Cardiff Castle in Wales, as well as the Channel Islands and Gibraltar.

The Bank of England on Friday said it had decided to postpone a meeting on interest rates due next Thursday by one week following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

"In light of the period of national mourning now being observed in the United Kingdom, the September 2022 meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee has been postponed for a period of one week," a statement said.

Church bells tolled across Britain on Friday in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II after her death at the age of 96.

Bells rang at London's St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, and at the late monarch's residence Windsor, west of the capital.

The King will be proclaimed at the Accession Council at 10am tomorrow in the State Apartments of St James's Palace, Buckingham Palace has said.

Germany joins Britain in mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth, whose sense of duty was "legendary" and who helped German-British reconciliation after the Second World War, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday (September 9).

"The Queen embodied the best of our shared European inheritance, democracy and the rule of law," Scholz said in a televised statement.

"I have conveyed our condolences to British Prime Minister Liz Truss. Germany also mourns the British Queen Elizabeth. We wish her successor Charles III strength, skill and the necessary luck for his new post," Scholz told reporters in Berlin.

All Premier League matches this weekend have been postponed as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, it was announced on Friday.

"To honour her extraordinary life and contribution to the nation, and as a mark of respect, this weekend’s Premier League match round will be postponed, including Monday evening's game," the league said in a statement.

New British Prime Minister Liz Truss's cabinet of ministers stands fully behind King Charles III, Downing Street said Friday following the death of Elizabeth II.

"Cabinet was united in their support for His Majesty the King, as he and the United Kingdom continue to mourn the passing of his mother," a spokesman told reporters, adding the ministers held a moment of silence for the late queen.

King Charles III on Friday left the remote royal estate in Balmoral, northeast Scotland, where his mother Queen Elizabeth II died, bound for London.

The 73-year-old new head of state was seen in a convoy of cars with Queen Consort Camilla heading to Aberdeen airport, AFP reporters outside the residence said.

Denmark's Queen Margrethe has called off some of the weekend events to mark the 50th anniversary of her accession following the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, the palace said Friday.

The Danish queen, who with the death of her distant cousin becomes the longest-serving monarch in Europe, has cancelled a carriage procession through Copenhagen and a palace balcony appearance. Other events have been postponed until later.

From a string of US presidents to Lady Gaga, Queen Elizabeth II met leading political and artistic personalities from around the globe during her record-breaking time on the throne.

Some were despised dictators, others world-famous guitarists she made polite conversation with. Regardless of the personalities, she always kept her composure. 

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China expressed its condolences over the death of Queen Elizabeth and paid tribute to Britain's longest-reigning monarch, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday (September 9).

Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular news briefing Chinese President Xi Jinping had sent his condolences to British King Charles over the death of the queen, while Premier Li Keqiang had done the same to British Prime Minister Liz Truss.

"The queen was the first British monarch to visit China and also hosted many Chinese leaders' visits to the UK, making an important contribution to enhancing friendship between the British and Chinese people and expanding friendly exchanges between the two countries," Mao said.

The Royal Mail has announced that although they will releasing new stamps, the old ones with the image of Queen Elizabeth II will also be valid.

The British government has released a number of guidelines regarding the closing of businesses and sporting events during the national mourning period. As of now, it seems like there will not be many cancellations in the near future.

India will be observing a day of state mourning on September 11 "as a mark of respect" for the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

Prince Harry was seen leaving Balmoral in the morning and he was alone, according to reports by both Guardian and BBC.

The King has declared that a period of official Royal Mourning will be observed from today lasting until seven days after the Queen’s state funeral, according to The Guardian.

The Dalai Lama has expressed his "deep sadness" over the death of Queen Elizabeth II. In a letter to King Charles III, he wrote - "I remember seeing photographs of her coronation in magazines when I was young in Tibet. Her reign, as Britain’s longest-serving monarch, represented celebration, inspiration and a reassuring sense of continuity for so many people alive today. Your mother lived a meaningful life with dignity, grace, a strong sense of service and a warm heart, qualities we all should treasure."

Queen Elizabeth II to be laid to rest beside husband Prince Philip at King George VI memorial chapel. She is to be interred at the small chapel where her parents are also buried. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have released a heartfelt tribute to the late Queen.

They changed their Archewell website to just a single black page, writing: "In loving memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. 1926-2022." 

During her reign, the Queen visited India thrice—in 1961, 1983 and 1997. Her first visit 15 years after India's Independence was eminent and grabbed attention. 

Click Here to revisit some defining moments from her historic tours to India  

King Charles III will address his new subjects on Friday, as Britain was plunged into mourning by the death of queen Elizabeth II, ending a history making 70-year reign. Charles, 73, became monarch immediately after the death of his mother at her Scottish Highland retreat on Thursday.

Details of his inaugural address, set to be pre-recorded, were not immediately released by the palace, but are part of 10 days of detailed pre-prepared plans honed over decades.

Sporting events in Britain scheduled for Friday, including Test cricket and European golf's PGA Championship, have been cancelled as a mark of respect. British horse racing chiefs also pressed the pause button as tributes poured in for the late British monarch from across the sporting world.

President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday declared three days of national mourning in Brazil for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who died after 70 years on the throne.

The far-right president, who is running for reelection next month, said in a note in the official gazette that the gesture was "in condolence for the death of her majesty the queen."

Elizabeth II, Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter, was "a queen not just to Britons, but to all of us."

"She was an extraordinary and singular woman whose example of leadership, humility and love of country will continue to inspire us and the world forever," he added.

Putin says queen earned 'love, respect' and 'authority on world stage': Kremlin

Crowds sing 'God Save the Queen' outside Buckingham Palace

UN Security Council holds minute of silence for Queen Elizabeth II

Former US president Donald Trump has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth

"Who could be greater than what she's done? And she did it so long, so well and never made mistakes," Trump said on GB News.
 

An official notice about Queen's death has been put on the gates of Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, Scotland.

"The Queen died peacefully in Balmoral this afternoon/ The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow. Thursday, 8th September 2022." says the notice.

US President Joe Biden has paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth. He described her as  'stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy'

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Queen Elizabeth II dies, leaves Britain and the world mourning, tributes pour

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Prince William, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward have arrived at Balmoral Csstle where Queen Elizabeth is staying. They arrived in a car being driven by Prince William

Military vehicles have been seen departing Balmoral Castle where the Queen is staying

White House has said that President Biden and his wife's 'thoughts are solidly and squarely' with the Queen.

As news of Queen Elizabeth's ill health spreads, people arebeginning to gather outside Buckingham Palace

BBC reports that Buckingham Palace has called off Changing of the Guard scheduled for tomorrow.

Members of British Royal family have begun to gather. All her children -- heir to the throne Prince Charles, 73, Princess Anne, 72, Prince Andrew, 62, and Prince Edward, 58, were either at or heading to join her at the Balmoral royal estate in Scotland, reported AFP.

Prince William, Prince Harry with his wife Meghan are on their way to Balmoral Castle

Queen Elizabeth's doctors have said that they are 'concerned' about her health.