The walk to St Giles'

[MaggieFS]

I hope Camilla has changed into some flats!

How were the queues when you went?

Charles wore navy at Diana's funeral, he was the only one and apparently it was a special personal gesture because Diana always liked him to wear navy.

Yes I don’t mean there’s any rule that they must wear black. I was just speaking generally.

Oops hit send...

That was lovely of him - I think that by the time of Diana’s death they had begun to be more friendly again and that allows real affection to come through once more.

The queues for St Giles are now closed

at least 26k folk have now been past

What a lovely thing to do. The fact they were getting on much better is what I've heard too. It was an unwise marriage and not fair on her especially, but neither of them were "bad" people. As she grew in the role she was carving out and Charles mellowed, I think they might have been good friends, at the very least respectful of each other.

I went this morning at 7:00am. So peaceful and lovely. No queue at all and there was even time to take a moment next to the coffin. It got crowded again after that I understand.

The Belfast choir is lovely

But having to sit through yet another funeral type service, for Charles it must take so much effort to stay on form in public with all of these. Just funeral after funeral, no sense of relief when one is over like you normally get after a funeral. I hope that he does actually find religion comforting somehow.

I know they're trained for it (as much as anyone can be) and it is "part of the job" but I'm feeling very sorry for all of them, especially Charles. He isn't a young man and it must be physically and mentally absolutely gruelling, with days still to come.

He's got to go to Wales yet, but I hope after that he/they get a few days relative respite.

Yes it will be absolutely gruelling work for them all and I don’t suppose they will really be able to rest until after the funeral. The Queen Consort is even older than The King!

I haven’t been able to follow along with proceedings today but I am keen to catch up later.

I've switched the TV on and caught the end of the Irish church service. Charles and Camilla both look tired. I hope they get a little down time after they have been in Wales.

When is Wales? Tomorrow is back in London.

I thought they were going to Wales next but I could be wrong.

I know they have official secretaries drafting speeches. I know they are trained to speak in public. I know the King has had a long run-up to this. I know there are advisors checking everything. I know it's his/their job. I know they're travelling around in a limousine and private jet. BUT....

how hard must it be to stand up and deliver uniquely note-perfect speeches to each region, conscious of the delicate political minefield of each one, when your mother has just died and your family, like every other family, is simmering at home, squabbling about who's wearing what to the funeral, and you've had minimal sleep? And how hard to walk around the crowds knowing that even though there are police and SAS protection officers everywhere, somewhere, someone will almost certainly be trying to shoot you this week.

As that bloke in Northern Ireland said, Rather him than me!

We were hour and 1/2 including getting wrist band.

now the queen is leaving Scotland for the last time.

beautiful bagpipes

sun shining for you today queen on your journey

Will the pall bearers have to go to the airport?

I should think so - she’ll need to be taken onto the plane and they’re the ones that have had the experience so far of carrying

Presumably another group will receive her at Northolt. Did it look like the same ones as yesterday carrying the coffin out?

It was the same group.

I'm sure they said on TV that the pall bearers were heading back to the castle after carrying out their duty.

I was sort of assuming she may be loaded into to back of the plane maybe on some sort of lift. I can't see them carrying her up the steep steps.

It seems there will be a guard of honour and she will be loaded by ramp into the back.

I think Wales is Friday so perhaps (hopefully) they will get a bit of a break before that.

I don’t really understand the people on various places somewhat offended by her being transported back by the transporter plane.

I think it’s very fitting. Fallen servicemen were brought back after their duty on those planes. It’s very fitting to take the Queen home on the same plane.

A different bearer party for the plane they just said.

I’d assume ones that have maybe lifted on to the plane before so know the trip hazards?