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Civil liberties campaigners and others have expressed alarm at the police response to anti-monarchy protesters amid a series of incidents in recent days, the latest of which included the arrest of a man in Edinburgh for apparently question Prince Andreu.
The Metropolitan Police have said that “the public have an absolute right to protest” in the days following the Queen’s death.
The force issued a statement following a viral video from Parliament Square in central London, when a police officer asked a lawyer holding a blank piece of paper for his details.
Assistant Deputy Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: “The vast majority of interactions between officers and the public at this time have been positive as people have come to the capital to mourn the loss of Her late Majesty The Queen.”
Geneva Abdul
Our reporter Geneva Abdul has been speaking to those at the front of the queue to pay their respects to the Queen during her time in London. The Queen’s coffin will lie in Westminster Hall from Wednesday morning until the day of the funeral next Monday. A security official said they expected 750,000 to 1 million people to attend.
Updated at 22.07 BST
Severin Carrell
Many thousands of people waited for hours in long queues through the center of Edinburgh to see the Queen lie in repose at St Giles Cathedral, with some facing waits until the early hours of the morning before the coffin was passed.
Mourners queuing in George Square, a Georgian square now part of Edinburgh University, have been waiting for more than three hours, with the line six to eight people abreast in some places.
The Scottish Government responded by increasing the number of lines at the George IV Bridge security checkpoint, dramatically increasing the number of people allowed to pass through the cathedral. Officials estimate that up to 6,000 people per hour were allowed to pass through.
Aaron Kelly, 32, a psychotherapist originally from Belfast, who lives near George Square, had been programming his iPhone to wait. It had been three hours and five minutes at around 8.15pm. He felt it was essential to be there.
“This is a moment in history and I think the Queen has done so much for the nation – she just felt it was fitting to come and pay our last respects,” he said.
Behind him were 14-year-old Corey Docherty and his mother, Mary, and his friend Janis. After traveling from the Glasgow area, and with school tomorrow, he faced getting home after midnight. Docherty has visited Balmoral, Buckingham Palace and Clarence House, the King’s former residence in London.
“It’s just the most famous royal family in the world,” he said. Of the new king, he said: “He is the king. We must support him. He has waited 73 years.”
Norman Davenport, 68, who recently retired after 18 years as an RAF reserve officer and earlier 20 years as an Army reservist, started queuing for the cathedral at 2 this Monday afternoon, in time to open it to the public at 5.30pm. pm, and arrived there around 7 pm. By 8.30pm, I was in George Square to rest and have a sandwich.
The Queen was Honorary Commodore of her RAF reserve unit, 603 (City of Edinburgh) Sqdn. I had met him twice. “I have a great connection with her, from that point of view, as a personal thing. She was my sovereign, my commander-in-chief, my honorary air commodore.
Updated at 9.20pm BST
Summary
Here’s a summary of today’s updates:
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The Queen is in repose in Edinburgh as thousands of people are expected to file past her coffin at St Giles Cathedral before it is taken to London on Tuesday.
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His children King Charles, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne and Prince Edward held a vigil to watch over the coffin on Monday evening, surrounded by the Royal Company of Archers.
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A service of thanksgiving for the Queen’s life was held on Monday afternoon, attended by members of the royal family.
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King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla attended a condolence session in the Scottish Parliament. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Queen was “intrinsic to the history of modern Scotland”.
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The Queen’s children, along with Princess Anne’s husband Commander Timothy Laurence, walked behind a hearse carrying the late monarch’s coffin as it made its way from Holyroodhouse to St Giles.
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The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has spoken about his last audience with the Queen, held on Tuesday. In an interview with the BBC, he said: “She looked very bright, very focused. She was obviously not well. I think that’s what I found so moving when I heard about her death on Thursday – I just thought, how amazing that his sense of duty should have kept him as he had.”
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Prince Harry has made a statement about his grandmother’s death, calling her his “guiding compass”. He said he was “always grateful for all our early meetings.”
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Three Premier League football matches have been canceled this weekend due to “police problems” caused by the Queen’s death and thousands of people flocking to London.
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Mourners heading to Green Park, near Buckingham Palace, to pay their respects have been discouraged from bringing jam sandwiches and stuffed Paddington bears.
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A number of retailers, including supermarkets, will close on the day of the Queen’s funeral.
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Thousands of NHS procedures and appointments have been canceled on the same day, according to news website OpenDemocracy.
That’s all for today. Tomorrow the Queen’s coffin will leave Edinburgh and travel to London. Here’s what will happen in the next few days. Thanks for following along.
Updated at 9.18pm BST
Sharon O’Neill, from Airdrie, was one of the first people inside St Giles’ Cathedral to see the Queen’s coffin, which will lie in repose until Tuesday.
Speaking after paying his respects, he said: “It was beautiful inside the cathedral, it was lovely, the guards were lovely. The flowers were lovely, with the wreath sitting on top of the coffin.
“I came all the way from Airdrie, to come and pay my respects. It was impressive, it really was, but also very sad and a very moving moment.
“It’s been a great opportunity to allow the Scottish people to come and pay their respects.”
Updated at 20.46 BST
There are signs the Queen’s death is moving into popular culture as BBC One’s soap opera EastEnders opened with a tribute to Her Majesty.
Characters from the long-running TV show, set in east London, said her death was compared to the country “losing its nanny”.
The show’s main pub is named after Queen Victoria, and residents Linda Carter, Denise Fox and Kathy Beale gathered around a photo of her in the famous Albert Square venue.
The Queen visited the Elstree-based set in 2001, where she met the late Barbara Windsor, famous for playing Peggy Mitchell, and Steve McFadden, who played Windsor’s on-screen son Phil.
An episode made earlier this year to mark the platinum jubilee featured appearances by King Charles and Camilla, the Queen consort.
Beale, played by Gillian Taylforth, says: “But it feels so personal, doesn’t it? Just devastating.”
“It’s like we’ve lost our nana,” Fox replies.
“Well we have. I mean the country has lost… we’ve all lost our nana. She gave her whole life to serve us,” Linda added.
Updated at 20.46 BST
King Charles III stands at the head of his mother’s coffin in St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh. Picture: Jane Barlow/PACharles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Camilla, the Queen consort leave after the vigil. Picture: Hannah McKay/ReutersCharles reacts as he leaves at the end of a vigil at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images King Charles III and other members of the royal family hold a vigil at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh in honor of Queen Elizabeth II as members of the public walk past. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA
Updated at 8.19pm BST
King Charles then walks away from his brothers, through the nave of St Giles Cathedral and out. He looked understandably emotional in the minutes he stood in front of his mother’s coffin.
Cheers can be heard from the crowd outside as King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, along with Queen Consort Camilla and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, exit and get into their cars, before to go back down the Royal Mile. at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Members of the public when they pass.
Updated at 20.01 BST
The Queen’s children take part in the vigil at St Giles’ Cathedral
Live footage from St Giles’ Cathedral shows the royals being escorted by members of the household through the body of the church.
King Charles, Camilla, the Queen Consort, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walk to the coffin. They have chosen not to be armed with swords, as they have the right to do so.
Charles stands at the head of the coffin, with the crown behind him on top. He and his brothers, looking out, bow their heads. They are next to the Royal Company of Archers. Camilla is seated next to Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
Prince Andrew and Princess Anna can be seen with their eyes closed.
Citizens still pass in front of the coffin.
Updated at 20.02 BST
Members of the royal family arrive at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh for a vigil as the Queen’s coffin lies in repose.
King Charles, Camilla, the Queen Consort, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward will watch over the coffin. The King arrives from Holyrood, where he attended a session of the Scottish Parliament on Monday evening.
They are staying in Edinburgh overnight before the coffin is brought to London on Tuesday afternoon.
Updated at 7.48pm BST
Jamie GriersonCrowds wait at the shopping center near Buckingham Palace on Sunday to pay their…