The royal family has entered a period of mourning which is due to last, the new king says, until seven days after the queen’s funeral.
Members of the Royal Family, their household staff and representatives of the Royal Household on official duties will now join in the loss of Britain’s longest reigning monarch for a fixed term chosen by King Charles III.
If this period of official mourning can sometimes last a month, it is the wish of Her Majesty, according to the royal family, that it be observed within seven days after the funeral of her mother – the date of which remains to be confirmed but is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 19.
This means that the flags of the royal residences will now remain at half mast until 8am after the last day of royal mourning, while further details of the flags of other public buildings will be decided by the Ministry of Culture, Humanities. Media and Sports.
Muffled bells will be rung across the country, including at Westminster Abbey, at midday today before Royal Salutes are fired at 1pm this afternoon in Hyde Park by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Tower of London by the Honorable Artillery Company. One shot will be fired for each year of the Queen’s life. Parliament also meets at lunchtime to allow MPs to pay their respects before senior ministers attend a service in St Paul later today.
Closure of royal residences
Royal residences were also closed until after the Queen’s funeral.
This includes the Queen’s Gallery and Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s Gallery in Edinburgh, Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House.
Leave floral tributes
Members of the public are already flocking to the Queen’s homes to pay their respects and lay flowers.
At Buckingham Palace, the public is invited to leave their flowers at dedicated sites near Green Park or Hyde Park, while any flowers that have been left outside the gates of Buckingham Palace will be moved to the Green Park Floral Tribute Garden by Royal Parks staff. .
At Windsor Castle, floral tributes may be left at Cambridge Gate on the Long Walk, and these flowers will be brought to the castle each evening and laid on the grass near St. George’s Chapel where the Queen’s body will be taken away after his state funeral.
The Norwich Gates on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk welcome tributes, while the spread of flowers at the main gates of Balmoral Castle also increases.
Books of condolences at royal residences
The Royal Family says no physical books of condolences are open at royal residences, but an online book, for those wishing to leave messages, is available on the royal website here.
More locally in Kent, books are also being opened across the county where people are also starting to come out to pay their respects and respects.
Traveling to London
According to the government, large crowds are expected in London over the next few days as people flock to pay their respects to the Queen, with travelers being warned that heavy congestion and delays on public transport are expected.
Anyone planning to travel to the capital, says the Cabinet Office, should check their travel itinerary carefully and plan ahead while preparing for access to certain areas to be restricted as contingency planning for the state funeral begins.
Road closures and diversions the government says will cause delays and anyone who wants to be in the city is urged to follow instructions given by stewards and police working to handle the large crowds expected.
