Queen’s funeral – latest: King Charles ‘to have slimmed-down coronation’ amid cost-of-living crisis
New monarch reportedly keen to show he understands people’s troubles
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King Charles III is reportedly planning a “less expensive” coronation ceremony than his mother’s as he wishes to avoid extravagance while ordinary people struggle with the cost of living crisis.
A date has yet to be set for the crowning of the new monarch, though royal precedent and a large amount of planning involved suggest the ceremony will be at least several months away – possibly next spring.
Charles’s coronation “will be shorter, smaller and less expensive” than the Queen’s in 1953, a royal source told the DailyMirror.
The source told the paper: “The King is very aware of the struggles felt by modern Britons so will see his wishes carried through that although his coronation ceremony should stay right and true to the long held traditions of the past, it should also be representative of a monarchy in a modern world.”
Meanwhile, the Queen’s name has been inscribed alongside her mother’s, father’s and Prince Philip’s on a ledger stone in the Windsor chapel where she was buried on Monday evening.
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Analysis | Queen’s funeral brought the world together in a remarkable display of British soft power
Our chief political commentator John Rentoul writes that the Queen’s funeral “brought together world leaders in a way that few events do”, describing it as “a United Nations of shared reflection”.
He wrote: “This was a show that did not put Britain on the world stage; it was a show for which Britain was the world stage, a display of the soft power of British ceremony and history. The English language and Christian religion don’t unite everyone, but they are inclusive enough to bring a TV audience of billions together.
“World leaders were equalised by the occasion and by the logistics of bussing them in. Hierarchy persisted, naturally. The president of the US was allowed to come in his own car, asserting the rights of the sole superpower. Sinning leaders were not invited – Afghanistan, Belarus, Myanmar, Russia, Syria and Venezuela were off the list, with Iran, Nicaragua and North Korea in the disapproval zone (ambassadors only), and China in a twilight category of its own.”
You can read his full analysis with Independent Premium:
The funeral brought the world together in a show of British soft power | John Rentoul
The service in Westminster Abbey brought together world leaders in a way that few events do. It was a United Nations of shared reflection, writes John Rentoul
‘Huge operation’ to clean central London during funeral
Scores of staff were deployed for a clean-up operation to return the streets of central London to normal just a few hours after the Queen’s funeral had ended.
Westminster City Council and waste management partner Veolia said they had sent additional cleaning teams to the centre of the city over recent days in a “huge operation” to ensure it was kept clean as crowds flocked to the capital for the Queen’s lying in state and funeral.
Vehicles were dressed with black ribbons and council workers wore black bows while on duty, as a mark of respect. Once the funeral ended and guests departed, teams were sent to the areas which had been the focus of the funeral and the Queen’s final procession out of London.
Starting in Parliament Square, more than 150 people and 19 vehicles split into 11 teams to help clear litter and remove sand to get roads ready for reopening. The clean-up operation started at 2.45pm and was completed by 5pm, the council said.
King Charles photographed en route to Scotland
King Charles has flown to Scotland to grieve his mother, returning to the same airport where his siblings and children rushed to just 12 days ago upon learning of the Queen’s poor health.
Images taken in England showed the King sitting in the back of a car with a man thought to be a close protection officer, while his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, rode in the front passenger seat.
The pair landed at Aberdeen International Airport at 12.04pm, according to Flight Radar, where they will likely be driven the hour’s journey to the Balmoral estate.
My colleague Chiara Giordano has more details here:
King Charles flies to Scotland to grieve mother at Balmoral
Royal family will perform no public duties for a week as they continue to mourn for seven days
Voices | When all eyes were meant to be on the Queen, most were on Meghan Markle
“If Queen Elizabeth’s funeral is to forever be a source of British pride, then let the public treatment of Meghan Markle be our shame.”
The Independent’s Voices editor Victoria Richards gives her verdict on the “savage outpouring of vitriol in Meghan’s direction” in recent days:
Opinion: When all eyes were meant to be on the Queen, most were on Meghan Markle
If Queen Elizabeth’s funeral is to forever be a source of British pride, then let the public treatment of the Duchess of Sussex be our shame
Brazil’s Bolsonaro comments on petrol prices as he visits UK for Queen’s funeral
Brazil’s far-right president Jair Bolonsaro remarked on the price of UK petrol as he visited London for the Queen’s funeral.
Standing on the forecourt of a Shell station in London, he pointed at the electronic sign displaying the price of gasoline, my colleague Oliver Browning reports.
Mr Bolsonaro claimed the 161.9p per litre cost was “practically double the average of many Brazilian states” and boasted that petrol in his country is “among the cheapest in the world”.
New photo of Royal Family
Buckingham Palace has shared a poignant photograph of the Royal Family taken 75 years ago, to honour Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen was just 21 years old when the image was taken, Emily Atkinson reports:
Palace shares royal family photo taken 75 years ago
The Queen was just 21 years old when the image was taken
No plans yet for King Charles III’s coronation, minister says
No plans have been made as of yet for King Charles III’s coronation, a minister has said.
She was asked whether the ceremony should be scaled back in light of the cost of living crisis facing millions of Britons.
Full story:
‘No plans yet’ for King Charles III’s coronation
Culture secretary says she believes taxpayers think Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral was money ‘well spent’
King Charles returns to Balmoral Castle
King Charles was driven past Ballater – the village neighbouring Balmoral Castle – shortly after 1.30pm, reports the Aberdeen-based Press and Journal newspaper.
Tracking data on the website Flightradar24 showed that a plane left RAF Northolt in London this morning, and landed at Aberdeen Airport just after midday.
Ballater is a 15-minute drive from Balmoral, which is said to have been the late Queen’s favourite place.
How will the royal family change following the Queen’s death?
Scotland confirm minute’s applause for Queen before Ukraine game
The Scottish Football Association has confirmed a minute’s applause will be held in tribute to the Queen before Wednesday’s match against Ukraine.
It follows a weekend of disruption to tributes in the Scottish Premiership, with the SFA electing to hold a minute’s applause at Hampden rather than a period of silence in the wake of disturbances before matches at Ibrox and Easter Road.
My colleague Jamie Braidwood has more details here:
Scotland confirm minute’s applause for Queen before Ukraine game
It follows a weekend of disruption to tributes in the Scottish Premiership
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