Monday, the crowd was massaged in the streets of Edinburgh to see the Royal Procession.
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The king is a little vaulted. For more than thirty minutes, he has been walking small steps behind his mother’s coffin, Monday, September 12, in the streets of Edinburgh. In large military uniform, white cap, black suit with green shoulder and gold cord, a row of medals on the chest, Charles III has a certain pace. But – is this slow motion in perfect silence? – It seems tired after these days of mourning which have turned into a long succession of ceremonies.
For four, sometimes five hours sometimes, thousands of Scottish have been waiting for it along the Grand-Rue which crosses the old Edinburgh and links Holyrood Palace, the historic castle of the Kings of Scotland, at the Cathedral Gilles. No one wanted to risk losing their place and missing what many summarize as “a moment of unit”.
It is also, it must be said, an amazing spectacle. From the start of the afternoon, we could see the distinguished guests pass: the British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, and the Prime Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, but also a whole series of arts of the arts or Sport, mixed with a few members of the courtyard, men in kilt and women overseen. Now, two black thoroughbreds are advancing, walking as at the parade. Behind, members of the royal regiment of Scotland arrive, which will soon carry the coffin of Elizabeth II, covered with its gold and red sheet on which the crown of Scotland in solid gold will be placed. And finally, this king with snow hair whose age (73 years old) had been forgotten by believing that his turn in the succession would never come.
He walks while trying to wedge his step on that of the royal guards. Next, Camilla Parker-Bowles, Queen Consort’s blonde. Then Princess Anne and Prince Edward, in large uniform, too. Prince Andrew, the youngest, stands two steps behind, alone to wear a city costume, although covered with military medals. Since the accusations of sexual assault against him as part of the Epstein case, he has been withdrawn from the monarchy. And it is precisely by him that the only incident arrives at the heart of a ceremony set to the millimeter by the royal protocol. While the group goes up the street, a young man in the crowd screams distinctly: “Andrew, old patient! Disgusting!” The police throw him on the ground, part of the crowd immediately shouts “long life to the king!”, But Charles III may not have heard.
On the forecourt of Saint -Gilles cathedral, where the queen’s coffin – a heavy English oak box lined with lead – must be exposed to the tributes to the public until Tuesday evening, the fervor is however intact. No one moves during mass, broadcast by loudspeaker. Inside, Charles sat near the altar, just in front of the catafalque. Does he perceive the thousands of votes which, in the old Edinburgh, sing with the choir, the God Save the King?
Around 4 p.m., finally, the king eclipsed for a few moments in his Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, to receive the Prime Minister of Scottish. Then he returned to the cathedral to meditate one last time. While passing, in front of his motionless silhouette, a long line of “ordinary people” who came to bow before the coffin of the queen, her mother.