Written by Kate Holton and Michael Holden
LONDON (Reuters) – Princes William and Harry staged a vigil on either side of their grandmother’s coffin, Queen Elizabeth, on Saturday, bowing heads as the late king died in a line of mourners.
The two sons of King Charles, both in military uniform, sat in silence during a 15-minute vigil in Westminster Great Hall, where the coffin had been since Wednesday, draped in Royal Standard banners, with the British Crown Jewels on top.
William and Harry were joined by their six cousins, including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenia, who had previously hailed the UK’s longest-reigning. The Queen died on September 8 at her summer home in Scotland at the age of 96.
“You have been our mothers, our guide, the loving hand behind our backs that leads us through the world,” said the sisters, Prince Andrew’s daughters. “You taught us so much and we will cherish those lessons and those memories forever. For now, dear grandmother, all we want to say is thank you.”
Hundreds of thousands of people stood for many hours in a queue that stretched along the Thames, waiting for the coffin to be passed and their respects for the Queen – a testament to the affection they had for her.
