LARGE CROWDS EXPECTED ON ROYAL MILE
Her Majesty The Queen’s journey to Edinburgh will begin tomorrow, Sunday 11 September, with an official cortege from Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Her Majesty’s coffin will leave Balmoral at 10am to be brought by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will remain before Lying at Rest on Monday at St Giles’ Cathedral.
The Princess Royal Princess Anne wil accompany her mother on the journey.
To minimise disruption as the convoy makes the journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh and to allow those who wish to pay their respects to do so safely, there will be designated viewing locations along the route. These will be at Ballater, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh (further details below).
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Her Majesty’s death at Balmoral Castle means Scotland has lost one of its most dedicated and beloved servants. The grief we have seen across the world has been profound and deeply touching. It will be especially poignant to see Her Majesty’s coffin begin its journey from her Aberdeenshire home to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.
“This is a chance for people to gather together publicly and begin to mark our country’s shared loss. We anticipate many, many people will be keen to pay their respects and we ask them to observe public safety messaging to ensure the safety of all.”
There will be temporary closures of laybys and access roads along the route the convoy will travel. Transport networks are likely to be busy and delays are expected along the route. Regular traffic reports will be provided via Traffic Scotland and travel bulletins on TV and radio.
For safety reasons, those wishing to leave floral tributes are asked to do so at designated areas along the route and mourners have been requested not to throw flowers at the convoy as it passes.
Edinburgh event
All the pavements along the route in Edinburgh will be lined with barriers to allow the public to view from there. The Edinburgh route will stretch from north of the city to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Members of the public are asked to check Transport Scotland, Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen City Council, Dundee City Council and The City of Edinburgh Council for local route advice and further safety messaging before leaving home.
Public Proclamation events in Edinburgh today
Public Proclamations will be made in Edinburgh today (Sunday 11 September) to announce the Accession of The King.
The King’s Body Guard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers) and the Guard of Honour will march from the Castle Esplanade to the Mercat Cross.
The main procession will make its way from Parliament House to the Mercat Cross. The party will consist of:
- His Majesty’s State Trumpeters
- Moderator and Office Bearers of the Society of High Constables of Edinburgh
- City Officer
- Macer to the Court of the Lord Lyon
- Heralds and Pursuivants of Scotland
- Lord Lyon King of Arms
- City Mace and City Sword
The Lord Lyon King of Arms will then read the Proclamation to the people of Scotland. This will be followed by a 21 gun salute from Edinburgh Castle.
The procession will then make its way to Edinburgh Castle where The Lord Lyon will read the second Proclamation.
Very large crowds will be expected to gather along the Royal Mile to witness the Proclamations and there will be limited space. Those wishing to attend are advised to allow plenty of time. Access may be restricted for safety reasons if numbers exceed capacity.
Events, which are due to start after 11am, will also be televised.
Thousands expected to pay their respects to HM The Queen in Edinburgh
The Queen’s cortege will leave Balmoral this morning (Sunday) and arrive at the Palace of Holyroodhouse at 4pm.
The King and members of the Royal Family will arrive on Monday for the Ceremony of the Keys, followed by a historic procession up the Royal Mile and a service at St Giles’ Cathedral, where the Queen will lie at rest before leaving for London late afternoon on Tuesday.
Her Majesty’s coffin will be guarded by Vigils from The Royal Company of Archers, to allow the people of Scotland to pay their respects.
Members of the public who wish to do so will be able to view the coffin at rest from 5pm on Monday.
Lord Lieutenant Robert Aldridge said: “The news of Her Majesty The Queen’s passing has been met with great sadness around the world and has been greeted with an outpouring of emotion that reflects how highly regarded she was at home and abroad.
“I’m preparing to warmly welcome King Charles and Royal family members and of course to express deepest sympathy on behalf of the city.
“The next few days will be truly historic for Edinburgh, with tens of thousands of people descending to pay their respects and millions more across the world tuning into the broadcast coverage.
“I believe Scotland can take real pride that Her Majesty cherished her time here and now the eyes of the world will be upon the Capital as we unite in national mourning and herald our new King.
“This is a time for our communities to stand together and for people to reflect on our shared history. The outpouring of grief from citizens and visitors is touching and demonstrates the special relationship the city shared with the Queen.
“Edinburgh’s Books of Condolence have been opened online, at Central Library and across the city for citizens and visitors to pay their respects.”
What to expect in Edinburgh
With the city centre already filling up with crowds of mourners, we’re urging people to plan ahead and avoid any non-essential travel on Sunday along the line of the cortege route as people pay their respects to Her Majesty The Queen.
Thousands are expected to gather along the route and anyone wishing to come along is being urged to do so safely, plan ahead and allow extra time, taking account of local and city centre road closures, weather conditions and the likelihood of spending many hours at the roadside. The city council will continue to update their dedicated webpages with the latest advice and road closures.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “These are sad and difficult times for us all as we mourn Her Majesty’s passing. I’m proud, however, that Edinburgh will play such a significant part in the ceremonial events taking place in the coming days and have no doubt that our beautiful Capital city will provide the perfect backdrop.
“I want to warn residents that we’re anticipating significant delays along the route as the Queen’s cortege arrives in our city tomorrow but we’re making every effort to minimise disruption. The city centre will be very busy so please plan ahead and follow the latest travel advice on the Council’s website.
“We’re also urging people to please use public transport where possible. If you absolutely have to travel by car, consider using park and rides, allow extra time for your journey and only park within designated areas, respecting the needs of local residents and businesses.
“Please be aware that you may have to sit or stand for a number of hours and with limited facilities, so please prepare accordingly.”
For the most up-to-date information, visit: www.edinburgh.gov.uk, www.gov.scot and www.royal.uk.
As per mourning guidance shared by the Royal Household, floral tributes are encouraged to be left at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The @edintravel traffic information team will be carefully monitoring the city’s roads, sharing the latest information on disruption and diversions on Twitter.
People should also follow Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams to keep people informed about their services.
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