Category Archives: Monarchy

Extra trains planned as people head to London to mourn Queen

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South Western, Southeastern and Greater Anglia among operators expected to run more late services

Extra late-night trains will run from the capital from Wednesday to help people pay their respects to the Queen, as Transport for London predicted that the late monarch’s funeral would be a bigger logistical challenge for public transport than the 2012 Olympics.

TfL has set up a dedicated command centre and enlisted a large number of volunteers from its ranks as it anticipates handling more than 1 million people travelling to attend the lying in state of the Queen in Westminster Hall and her funeral.

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Queen Elizabeth’s coffin leaves Edinburgh airport accompanied by Princess Royal on journey to Buckingham Palace – live

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Queen’s coffin expected to arrive at RAF Northolt at 6.45pm BST before being transported to Buckingham Palace

If you’re wondering why there’s such a fuss about the Queen’s death, our weekly science podcast published today might have some answers.

Our science editor, Ian Sample, has been talking to Prof Michael Cholbi, chair in philosophy at Edinburgh University, about what grief is, how losing a public figure can have such a profound impact on our lives,​​ and why there’s value in grieving.

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Anger as Center Parcs announces closure of UK resorts for Queen’s funeral

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Guests in middle of holiday will have to spend night elsewhere or go home early

Center Parcs has been accused by customers of “ruining people’s holidays” after it announced that it would close its UK sites for 24 hours from Monday morning to mark the Queen’s funeral.

The criticism came after the holiday company announced that guests at its five UK parks would have to leave by 10am on Monday, even if they are in the middle of their stay, and will not be able to return until the same time on Tuesday morning.

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Hong Kong residents queue for hours to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth

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British consulate in Hong Kong extends opening hours as thousands gather to remember ‘boss lady’

It was the hottest day on record for September, yet under a sweltering sun, thousands of Hongkongers flocked to the British consulate, waiting up to four hours in a long queue that stretched more than 500 metres into a public park to sign the book of condolence for Queen Elizabeth II. The next day, thousands turned up again, prompting the consulate to extend opening hours to 7pm for the whole week.

Many came to eulogise the ‘boss lady’ – an affectionate nickname for the Queen who was Hong Kong’s colonial head of state for 45 years – while also cherishing the opportunity to meet like-minded Hongkongers and share their memories of the city under British rule during the long wait.

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King Charles pledges to ‘seek welfare of all’ in Northern Ireland

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New monarch meets politicians and public as he tries to build on late Queen’s efforts at reconciliation

King Charles has resolved to “seek the welfare of all the inhabitants of Northern Ireland”, in a formal response to the region’s assembly on his visit to Hillsborough Castle to meet the public and politicians.

After being greeted by crowds chanting “God save the King” at the gates of the royal residence in County Down, he made the pledge in response to a message of condolence from Alex Maskey, the nationalist Speaker of the Northern Ireland assembly and a former IRA internee.

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Saudi Arabia: man arrested after Mecca pilgrimage for Queen

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Yemeni national posted video clip of himself at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Islam’s holiest site

Saudi authorities have arrested a man who claimed to have travelled to the Muslim holy city of Mecca to perform an umrah pilgrimage on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.

The man, a Yemeni national, published a video clip of himself on social media on Monday at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Islam’s holiest site, where non-Muslims are forbidden.

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Thousands queuing overnight in Edinburgh to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II – latest updates

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Queen’s coffin will travel from the Scottish capital to London on Tuesday

The Press Association reports:

The Australian prime minister has faced backlash from the business and health care sector following the announcement of a one-off bank holiday to mark a national day of mourning for the late Queen.

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With sorrow and song, Scotland bids emotional farewell to ‘our Queen’

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Service of thanksgiving at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh pulses with history as nation pays its respects

The people of Scotland, from prime ministers to benefit claimants, have said an emotional goodbye to their Queen as her coffin was set at rest in the “parish church of Edinburgh” where she was first given the Scottish crown 69 years ago.

Psalms the Queen used to sing in Crathie Kirk on the Balmoral estate were set to soaring organ music as hundreds of dignitaries attended a service of thanksgiving for her life at St Giles’ Cathedral.

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‘A brutal legacy’: Queen’s death met with anger as well as grief in Kenya

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Politicians pay warm tributes but memories of colonial atrocities prompt fierce criticism too

In 1952, the then Princess Elizabeth was on a royal tour with Prince Philip at Treetops lodge in Kenya. Unknown to them at the time, she would receive news of her father’s death during that visit, and the forest lodge would long be remembered as the place where Britain’s longest-serving monarch “went to sleep a princess and awoke a queen”.

Just two years after her visit, the Mau Mau, Kenyan freedom fighters opposed to British colonial rule, burned the lodge down. It was rebuilt in 1957, and older residents who live along the long and winding path to the lodge remembered her second visit to the area in 1983 fondly, saying it had placed their neighbourhood on the map. But Treetops was not open for the end of the Queen’s life. It closed its doors last year after a dive in tourism during the pandemic forced it out of business.

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Australia news live: review into Stuart Ayres over Barilaro hiring finds no breach of ministerial conduct

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Ayres stepped aside as deputy NSW Liberal leader and trade minister after a separate report into the controversial trade posting of John Barilaro. Follow all the day’s news live

Australia’s high commissioner to the UK meets with King Charles

Australia’s acting high commissioner to the UK Lynette Wood has had an audience with King Charles III.

Really what matters is we have the best possible person for the job, who can advance Australia’s interests in the best possible way, and that certainly needs a thorough and robust process to choose that person.

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Albanese says ‘inappropriate’ to discuss republic now but doesn’t rule out future referendum

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Prime minister says vote to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution comes before any referendum on republic

Anthony Albanese has not ruled out holding a referendum on the republic if he is re-elected, saying only that it was “inappropriate” to discuss while commemorating Queen Elizabeth II.

Albanese made the remarks on Monday in a round of interviews defending plans to hold a national day of mourning public holiday on 22 September.

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Foreign dignitaries must share buses to travel to the Queen’s funeral

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Government guidance sets out strict rules urging international royalty and presidents to travel by commercial flights

Foreign heads of state arriving for the Queen’s funeral must travel by bus en masse to Westminster Abbey, rather than using private cars, according to newly issued government guidance.

The documents, seen by the Guardian, set out strict rules for the dozens of international presidents, kings, queens and prime ministers expected to attend the funeral, urging them to travel by commercial flights to avoid swamping London’s airports.

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‘We had to be here’: crowds bid farewell to Queen on her final Scottish journey

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As Queen Elizabeth II’s cortege drove from Balmoral to Edinburgh, well-wishers from near and far paid understated tribute

The hush had settled on the waiting crowd even before the Queen’s cortege appeared over the rise in the road from Balmoral. An oblivious toddler chattered into the silence on Ballater main street, where the country’s longest-serving monarch shopped for barbecue sausages at the local butcher.

It was a typically Highland farewell to a woman those lining the village streets considered a treasured neighbour: deeply felt, but understated in its expression. There was no applause, no spontaneous chorus of anthem or hymn as the coffin passed by sedately, and all eyes were pulled to the east to follow it beyond sight. Then, as though released from a trance, the bystanders turned to nod to friends and disperse promptly, leaving behind the metal crowd barriers, taking home the weight of their loss.

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Anthony Albanese says ‘now not the time’ to discuss republic

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Australia’s prime minister prepares to pay his respects to Queen Elizabeth II in the UK this week after announcing national day of mourning

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says “now is not the time” to discuss Australia becoming a republic, saying it is time of national mourning.

Albanese, who has previously expressed support for Australia becoming a republic had said any referendum on the topic would take second seat to an Indigenous voice to parliament.

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Queen’s coffin at rest in Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh as final journey begins – live

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

Labour will go ahead with its autumn conference later this month, as officials, advisers and politicians from all parties attempt to balance paying their respects to the Queen with avoiding a period of political paralysis.

The Queen’s death and period of mourning has come at a moment of acute political tension, with concerns over the behaviour of Liz Truss’s new administration in Whitehall and significant gaps in the details of her energy price cap, set to cost well over £100bn.

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‘Entirely right’ for Charles to have lobbied ministers, says David Cameron

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Former PM says he never felt Charles interfered, and ‘black spider memos’ should have stayed private

David Cameron has said it was “entirely right” for King Charles to have written to ministers and politicians when he was heir to the throne, lobbying on key issues including bovine tuberculosis and herbal medicines.

In an interview with the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme, Cameron said he never felt Charles – whose “black spider memos” to ministers were released after a 10-year legal battle – had interfered in politics.

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Canaletto masterpiece has starring role at the proclamation of King Charles

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The painter’s view of Venice, now in St James’s Palace, once hung in George III’s bedroom

The father of the artist Canaletto painted stage scenery, and the theatrical tricks with light and perspective that he passed on to his famous son were evident in the splendid backdrop to the meeting of the accession council on Saturday in St James’s Palace.

The oil painting that featured so prominently was painted in 1744 and bought by George III in 1762. The Grand Canal With Santa Maria della Salute Looking East Towards the Bacino shows the great church of Santa Maria della Salute towering over the water in the strong morning sun. Measuring more that 2 metres (7 feet) wide, it was signed by the artist – real name Giovanni Antonio Canal – on the moored barge at the front of the composition.

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‘Pace yourself’: lessons for King Charles on working in your 70s

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From failing eyesight and tiredness to dealing with younger colleagues – some of the challenges facing the new king

The biggest challenge for those, like the King, who are working in their 70s is adapting to change, according to David Smith, 73, who, for the past 20 years, has been chief officer of the men’s charity, 15 Square.

“I think a lot of people get into their 70s and say ‘I’ve always done it this way and this is how I’m always going to do it’,” says Smith, who is the same age as Charles. “And that is a recipe for disaster. You have to embrace change.”

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Queen’s coffin leaves Balmoral en route to Edinburgh

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Cortege passing through villages of Royal Deeside where many considered monarch a dear neighbour

The Queen has commenced her final journey from her beloved Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire and is heading down the north-east coast to Edinburgh.

The cortege carrying her coffin left Balmoral at about 10am and was making slow progress through the villages of Royal Deeside, allowing the thousands who lined the route to bid a final farewell to the country’s longest-serving monarch and the woman many locally considered a dear neighbour.

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Governor general proclaims King Charles III as Australia’s head of state – As it happened

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Anthony Albanese has set 22 September as National Memorial Service Day for Queen Elizabeth II. This blog is now closed

Howard says the popularity of the Queen was the key reason behind the republican movement failing, but that the monarchy offers stability.

I think there’s also a keener appreciation of the value of the institution and its strength. People look around the world at the moment and the alternative governance systems on offer, everyone in democracies, don’t look all that flash on occasions. I think the strength and durability and flexibility of the constitutional monarchy is something that more people appreciate than is imagined.

That is fair enough. It’s a democracy. People can argue for change. My observation is the strength of the monarchy in Australia was immeasurably increased by the personal popularity of the Queen.

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