Queen to begin final journey through Scotland as coffin transported from Balmoral to Edinburgh

The Queen is to begin her final journey through Scotland on Sunday as thousands prepare to line the streets in mourning.

Her coffin – accompanied by her daughter Princess Anne – will leave Balmoral at 10am before arriving at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh around six hours later.

The cortege will make its way through Aberdeen, Angus and Tayside on its journey to the capital.

Floral tributes have already been left outside Balmoral.

The Queen will remain at the palace overnight, before on Monday her coffin is taken on a procession up the Royal Mile to St Giles’ Cathedral, where she will rest for 24 hours.

Members of the public will be allowed to pass by and pay their respects before she is taken to London on Tuesday ahead of her funeral on Monday, September 19.

Officials said the events in Scotland between Sunday and Tuesday were on an “unprecedented scale” and urged wellwishers to find a safe vantage point.

Stein Connelly, Transport Scotland operator manager, said: “Even the recent COP26 gathering in Glasgow cannot match the amount of preparation and planning that has gone into this operation.

“Every effort will be made to minimise disruption to the travelling public, but significant delays are expected. There will be an enormous influx of people into Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth wanting to stand to see the cortege passing.

“Check the route and if you want to travel to a suitable location to show your respects then plan ahead, make sure you give plenty of time for your journey and make sure it is safe where you are going.”

Charles III was formally made the UK’s head of state on Saturday, when his role as King and name he will use was confirmed during a meeting of the Accession Council at St James’s Palace in London.

Mourners pay respects

Thousands of mourners have already left floral tributes outside both Balmoral and Holyrood.

Outside her Edinburgh residence, a table had been set up where two security guards were cutting the plastic off bunches of flowers so that people could lay them on the ground.

Stewards and police officers said the plastic was being removed for environmental reasons and to make it easier to replant the flowers later on.

Notes and other gifts had also been left at the gates, while it was a similar scene in Aberdeenshire as busloads of people from across the country arrived to pay their final respects.

Key points in journey

Aberdeenshire event

After leaving Balmoral Castle the royal cortege will pass along Deeside, reaching Ballater just after 10am for the Aberdeenshire tribute, attended by the Lord-Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire, as well as senior officers and councillors.

It will then travel along the A93, through Aboyne, Banchory and Drumoak. People wishing to see the cortege are asked to stand where it is safe to do so at these locations and when it passes again through Aberdeenshire as it moves south on the A90. Settlements along the corridor will also be stewarded.

Aberdeen event

The cortege will follow the A93 and enter Aberdeen at around 11am, following North Deeside Road and then travelling through Cults. It will proceed along Great Western Road to its junction with Holburn Street, passing Duthie Park, South Anderson Drive.

The Lord Provost of Aberdeen, in his role as Lord-Lieutenant, will lead a tribute at Duthie Park at around 11.20am, joined by civic dignitaries from Aberdeen including deputy lieutenants, council leaders, other elected members and the council chief executive.

Members of the public are invited to pay their respects at the ceremony at Duthie Park, or at the south-western corner of the junction with Great Western Road, Willowbank Road and Holburn Street and on footpaths along the route. Disabled viewing will be at the junction of Allenvale Road and Great Southern Road.

Temporary road restrictions will be in place from 6am, the day before the event. Temporary toilets for public use will be located at the main event arena.

Dundee event

The cortege will follow the A90 to Dundee, arriving at the boundary around 2pm, before proceeding west on the Kingsway to the Swallow roundabout.

Members of the public are being invited to pay their respects in standing areas along the A90 Forfar Road and Kingsway.

Civic dignitaries from across Tayside and Fife, including Lord-Lieutenants, Lord Provost, Provosts, council leaders, other elected members and council chief executives will pay their own respects from a dais prior to the cortege leaving the city.

There will be rolling road closures along the route and very limited additional parking. Stewards will guide members of the public to parking sites and safe standing areas.

Edinburgh

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.