UK: Queen Elizabeth's coffin to be flown to London

Queen Elizabeth's coffin will be flown to London on Tuesday at the end of 24 hours of lying at rest in Edinburgh's historic cathedral, where her son King Charles II, and his three siblings, held a silent vigil.

Charles was joined by his sister Anne and brothers Andrew and Edward for the 10-minute vigil on Monday at St Giles' Cathedral, where they stood (heads bowed) at the four sides of the coffin, while members of the public filed past to pay their respects.

While a bagpipe lament had been the only sound as kilted soldiers bore the casket earlier in the day, the four royals left the vigil in darkness, to the sound of applause from mourners lining the street.

"I was awed by the fact that I was in the cathedral with Queen Elizabeth, who I have looked up to all my life," said Marie Claire Cross, 55.

"It was awesome in the true sense of the word, and it was so sad."

Frances Thain, 63, said she had been surprised to see the four children of the late queen as she entered the cathedral.

"I was just overwhelmed because there were so much to take in," she said.

Elizabeth died on Thursday in her holiday home at Balmoral, in the Scottish Highlands, at the age of 96 after a 70-year reign, plunging the nation into mourning.

Charles III, 73, who automatically became king of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms including Australia, Canada, Jamaica and New Zealand, is travelling to the four parts of the United Kingdom before the funeral, and will visit Northern Ireland on Tuesday.

In Belfast, he will meet senior politicians and faith leaders, and attend a service at the city's St Anne's Cathedral before returning to London.

Tens of thousands of mourners have turned out in Scotland, with deep crowds gathering from the early hours to observe the processions. In London, huge numbers of people have left flowers and messages in the grounds of royal parks.

• Prince Harry pays personal tribute to late 'granny' Queen Elizabeth