International

On foot and flanked by his three siblings, King Charles III yesterday led a sombre procession carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s body through hushed Edinburgh streets packed with mourners. The queen’s oak coffin had on Sunday been driven to the Scottish capital from the Balmoral estate where she died last week aged 96, and held overnight at the royal residence of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. After a regimental band played “God Save The King”, her four children – Charles, Princess Anne, Princes Edward and Andrew – stepped out behind the hearse flanked by kilted soldiers. Thousands of people lined the route to watch as the procession made its way to the 12th-century St Giles’ Cathedral as cannon fired at one-minute intervals from Edinburgh Castle.  The royals were joined by Prime Minister Liz Truss and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for a service of prayer and reflection for the monarch who reigned for a record-breaking 70 years. The public will also be able to pay their respects to the monarch known as “Queen of Scots” until the coffin is flown to London today ahead of the state funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 19. Prince Andrew was not wearing his military uniform, unlike his siblings, after stepping back from public life. But his presence represented a show of unity, as did the joint appearance at the weekend by Charles’ warring sons William and Harry, as they surveyed flowers and cards left outside Windsor Castle. Harry, the youngest, who renounced royal duties in 2020 and moved to the US, had earlier paid tribute to his grandmother, calling her his “guiding compass”. “You are already sorely missed,” the 37-year-old said in his first statement since her death on Thursday, adding that he and his American wife Meghan “now honour my father in his new role”. The huge numbers who have turned out for the queen in Edinburgh are a taster of the crowds expected in London when the late monarch lies in state for four days at Westminster Hall from tomorrow.  Around 750,000 people are expected, while the first person arrived for the queue yesterday – more than 48 hours before the line opens. “I just felt I had to do something. I just wanted to come today,” said Steve Crofts, 47, waiting for the royals outside St Giles’. Many people were up early to queue for wristbands that will allow them to file past the closed coffin, guarded by the king’s bodyguard in Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers. Sue Stevens, 79, recalled being at school when King George VI died in 1952, resulting in his daughter, Elizabeth, becoming queen aged just 25. “It’s the end of an era,” Stevens said. “But having listened to him (Charles) over the last few days, I think he’s well prepared for the task.” Britain has been plunged into mourning by the death of its longest-serving monarch, who has been a fixture of the nation’s life and consciousness. While the government said organisations need not cancel events, everything from strikes to football matches have been postponed in honour of the only monarch most British people have ever known. Flowers, cards and candles have been left at royal residences across the country, where crowds have massed to pay tribute to the late queen and hail their new king.  Many were left by tourists and well-wishers from abroad. “We’ve known her face all of our lives,” said Aurelie Mortet, a 46-year-old Frenchwoman at London’s Columbia Road flower market, which has seen a huge rise in demand. The queen’s funeral is also expected to draw unprecedented numbers to London, as well as some 500 world leaders and heads of state, including US President Joe Biden. Millions more are expected to watch it live on television. Decades in the planning, the aftermath of the queen’s death has been full of pomp and ceremony. Earlier Charles and his Queen Consort, Camilla, sat on gold thrones in London’s 900-year-old Westminster Hall to receive the formal condolences of the UK parliament. “I cannot help but feel the weight of history which surrounds us,” the king replied to the assembled lords and MPs, vowing to follow the “example of selfless duty” set by his “darling late mother”. The monarch is a largely ceremonial figurehead in Britain but retains constitutional powers, from officially appointing governments to approving legislation and meeting weekly with prime ministers. “Parliament is the living and breathing instrument of our democracy,” Charles said.

Ukraine said on Monday its forces recaptured 500 square kilometres, in the southern Kherson region after claiming huge gains in the east over the weekend. "We have liberated around 500 square kilometres" said Ukrainian South Command spokeswoman Natalya Gumenyuk, in the first estimate of the southern counter-offensive gains over the past two weeks. She added that the settlements of Vysokopillia, Biloguirka, Soukhy Stavok and Myrolioubivka were "fully under Ukrainian flag".

Sweden on Monday began a days-long wait for the final results of its too-close-to-call general election, with an unprecedented right-wing and far-right bloc in position to wrest power from Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson's Social Democrats. The Scandinavian country has seen mounting political instability in recent years as the gradual rise of the far-right has upset the traditional balance of power in parliament. Sweden again found itself in a delicate parliamentary situation after Sunday's legislative election, with the right-wing seen holding a razor-thin lead over Andersson's outgoing left bloc. "The close result in parliament suggests Sweden is heading for yet another messy mandate", newspaper of reference Dagens Nyheter wrote on Monday. With the vote deemed too close to call, election authorities said a final result would only be ready on Wednesday, when the last ballots from abroad and from advance voting had been counted. Editorialist Anders Lindberg of daily Aftonbladet said it appeared "impossible for the left to win because the votes from abroad are... usually in favour of the right". With 95 percent of votes counted on Monday, the right-wing led by conservative Moderates leader Ulf Kristersson was credited with an absolute majority of 175 of 349 seats in parliament. Andersson's left bloc trailed with 174. If confirmed, the Social Democrats would be out after eight years in power. Kristersson, who vowed during the campaign to crack down on law and order amid soaring crime rates, said late Sunday he was "ready to build a new and strong government" if the results were confirmed. - Far-right gains -The election's big winner was, however, the anti-immigration, nationalist Sweden Democrats party, led by Jimmie Akesson. It was credited with 20.7 percent of votes, making it the biggest party on the right and the second biggest in the country behind the Social Democrats. "It's looking pretty damn good now", 43-year-old Akesson told cheering supporters late Sunday. The right bloc -- made up of the Sweden Democrats, Moderates, Christian Democrats and Liberals -- were seen winning 49.8 percent of votes. The left, comprised of the Social Democrats, the Left, the Greens and the Centre parties, were meanwhile credited with 48.8 percent, trailing by around 47,000 votes out of 7.8 million eligible voters. Prime Minister Andersson, 55, has refused to throw in the towel just yet. "We're not going to have a final result tonight", she told supporters late Sunday as her party was seen posting a strong result of around 30 percent of votes. She called on Swedes to "have patience" and "let democracy run its course". The election marked a major shift in Swedish politics. For the first time, the Moderates, Christian Democrats and Liberals tied up with the far-right, long treated as "pariahs" by other political parties. Kristersson orchestrated the change, initiating exploratory talks in 2019 with the Sweden Democrats and then deepening their cooperation. The Christian Democrats, and to a lesser extent the Liberals, later followed suit. "Our goal is to sit in government. Our goal is a majority government," Akesson said late Sunday. The right-wing bloc is, however, rife with internal divisions, and Kristersson could struggle to form a stable coalition government. The Liberals have opposed the idea of the Sweden Democrats being given cabinet posts, and would prefer for them to remain in the background providing informal support in parliament. Akesson has previously insisted his party sit in government, or else he will present a long list of costly demands in exchange for his support. That could be too much for the Liberals to stomach. "It would suffice for one of the Liberal party's far-right-critical MPs to dissent for Ulf Kristersson's government to find itself in serious trouble," Dagens Nyheter wrote on Monday. Political analyst Ulf Bjereld agreed. A Kristersson-led government "will have to deal with very strong internal tensions and some Liberals will demand that they start to cooperate with the Social Democrats instead", he told AFP. The Sweden Democrats "have their roots in neo-Nazism and on the other side the Liberals stand for everything the Sweden Democrats don't," he added. Analysts stressed Sweden was in need of political stability amid a busy docket in the coming months. The country faces a looming economic crisis, is in the midst of a historic and delicate NATO application process and is due to take over the EU presidency in 2023.

* New king to visit parliament for message of condolence * Charles then flies to Edinburgh * Queen Elizabeth's coffin to move from palace to cathedral * Prince Harry pays personal tribute * Details announced of lying in state of late queen King Charles will meet lawmakers in parliament in London on Monday before flying to Edinburgh to join his siblings in a solemn procession when the coffin of his mother Queen Elizabeth is taken to the city's historic cathedral. The new monarch will also join senior royals for a vigil at St Giles' Cathedral where the coffin will lie at rest before being flown to London on Tuesday. Since Elizabeth's death aged 96 at Balmoral Castle, her Scottish holiday home, a choreographed series of plans to mourn Britain's monarch of 70 years has been put into operation. In his first public comment since her death, Prince Harry paid an emotional tribute to his "granny" on Monday, saying she would be sorely missed not just by the family, but the world over. "Granny, while this final parting brings us great sadness, I am forever grateful for all of our first meetings - from my earliest childhood memories with you, to meeting you for the first time as my Commander-in-Chief, to the first moment you met my darling wife and hugged your beloved great grandchildren." "We, too, smile knowing that you and grandpa are reunited now, and both together in peace," Harry said, a reference to Elizabeth's husband of 73 years Prince Philip who died last year. On Sunday, her oak coffin, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland with a wreath on top, was taken by hearse on a six-hour journey from Balmoral through picturesque Scottish countryside, villages, small towns and cities to Edinburgh. Tens of thousands of well-wishers lined the roads to pay their respects, while huge crowds, some in tears, gathered in Edinburgh to greet the cortege. "I think when the queen's coffin emerged from Balmoral Castle yesterday, I think that it was a moment of enormous significance," John Swinney, Scotland's Deputy First Minister told BBC radio. "And I think people drew breath, because what we've all been living through over the last few days suddenly became real, it became visible." Before setting off for Scotland, Charles, 73, who automatically became king of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, will travel to the British parliament for another traditional ceremony. At Westminster Hall, lawmakers from both the House of Commons and the upper House of Lords will express their condolences for the death of his mother, and the king will deliver a response. He will then fly to Edinburgh with his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, to join his sister Anne and brothers Andrew and Edward. The queen's children will walk behind the hearse as the coffin of their mother is taken to St Giles' Cathedral, flanked by soldiers. When it arrives at the church, the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, the premier Scottish peer, will place the Crown of Scotland on the coffin. After a service, the coffin will rest at the cathedral for 24 hours to allow people to pay their respects. A continuous vigil will be mounted by soldiers from the Royal Company of Archers - the sovereign's 'Body Guard in Scotland'. Charles, who will also visit the Scottish parliament and meet Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, will later mount a vigil at 7.20 p.m. (1820 GMT) along with other royals. On Tuesday, the coffin will be flown to London where on Wednesday it will begin a period of lying in state until early on Sept. 19 - the day of Elizabeth's state funeral - on a catafalque at Westminster Hall. It will be guarded by soldiers or by Yeoman Warders - known as beefeaters - from the Tower Of London. Members of the public will be allowed to process past the coffin, which will be covered by the Royal Standard with the sovereign's Orb and Sceptre placed on top, for 24 hours a day until 6.30 a.m. (0530 GMT) on Sept. 19. "Those wishing to attend will be required to queue for many hours, possibly overnight," the government said in a statement. "Large crowds are expected and people are encouraged to check ahead, plan accordingly and be prepared for long wait times." Meanwhile thousands of people are continuing to gather at royal palaces across Britain, bringing flowers. In Green Park near London's Buckingham Palace, where some of the tributes are being taken, long lines of bouquets now snake around the park allowing mourners to read the tributes. Other well-wishers have attached their messages of condolence to trees. "It's really touched me, losing the queen," Amy Gibbs, 43, said outside Buckingham Palace. "I think she was an amazing lady that did her absolute best and gave us everything." Britain last saw such a display of public mourning in 1997 following the death of Charles's first wife, Princess Diana, in a car crash in Paris. "It reminds me of Diana 25 years ago," Helen Soo, 59, said. "I was much younger in those days, I slept overnight in Hyde Park and this is multiplied by 100 probably."

Iran has agreed to release the crews of two Greek tankers it seized in May in the Gulf in response to the confiscation of oil by the United States from an Iranian-flagged tanker in Greece, the Greek union of commercial ships' seafarers said. The case has strained relations between Athens and Tehran as tensions grow between Iran and the United States. The Iranian-flagged tanker Lana, formerly Pegas, was seized by Greece in April and had remained under arrest for months. The United States had confiscated part of its oil cargo due to sanctions. Lana, which had engine problems, was officially released in July. Anchored off Piraeus since then, it has retrieved the oil cargo that the United States had confiscated and is expected to sail back to Iran. Iran has agreed that the tankers' crew will be replaced, allowing their return to their countries of origin soon, the union said in a statement on its website on Sunday. It was not clear when the two Greek tankers, still in the Middle East Gulf, will be released, the union said.

* Russian missile strikes target power, water - Ukraine * Ukrainian forces say they have reclaimed 3,000 sq km * Final reactor shut down at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant Ukraine accused the Russian military of attacking civilian infrastructure in response to a rapid weekend offensive by Ukrainian troops that forced Russia to abandon its main bastion in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian officials said targets of the retaliatory attacks included water facilities and a thermal power station in Kharkiv, and caused widespread blackouts. "No military facilities, the goal is to deprive people of light & heat," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on Twitter late on Sunday. Moscow denies its forces deliberately target civilians. Zelenskiy has described Ukraine's offensive in the northeast as a potential breakthrough in the six-month-old war, and said the winter could see further territorial gains if Kyiv received more powerful weapons. In the worst defeat for Moscow's forces since they were repelled from the outskirts of the capital Kyiv in March, thousands of Russian soldiers left behind ammunition and equipment as they fled the city of Izium, which they had used as a logistics hub. Ukraine's chief commander, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, said the armed forces had regained control of more than 3,000 square km since the start of this month. Ukraine's gains are important politically for Zelenskiy as he seeks to keep Europe united behind Ukraine - supplying weapons and money - even as an energy crisis looms this winter following cuts in Russian gas supplies to European customers. Ukraine's General Staff said on Monday defence forces had dislodged the enemy from more than 20 settlements in the past day. Near the Russian border, in the village of Kozacha Lopan north of Kharkiv, Ukrainian soldiers and local officials were greeted by residents with hugs and handshakes. "Kozacha (Lopan) is and will be Ukraine," district Mayor Vyacheslav Zadorenko said on a video he posted on Facebook on Sunday. "No 'Russian World' whatsoever. See for yourselves where the 'Russian World' rags are lying around. Glory to Ukraine, glory to the Ukrainian Armed Forces." Moscow's almost total silence on the defeat - or any explanation for what had taken place in northeastern Ukraine - provoked significant anger among some pro-war commentators and Russian nationalists on social media. Some called on Sunday for President Vladimir Putin to make immediate changes to ensure ultimate victory in the war. Zelenskiy said late on Sunday that Russian attacks caused a total blackout in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, and partial blackouts in the Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine's president, said Kharkiv’s CHPP-5 electricity station - one of the largest in Ukraine - had been hit. "A coward 'response' for the escape of its own army from the battlefield," he said on Twitter. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the president's office, posted an image on Telegram of electrical infrastructure on fire but added power had been restored in some regions. Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov told the Financial Times Ukraine needed to secure retaken territory against a possible Russian counterattack on stretched Ukrainian supply lines. But he said the offensive had gone far better than expected, describing it as a "snowball rolling down a hill". "It's a sign that Russia can be defeated," he said. Britain's defence ministry said on Sunday that fighting continued around Izium and the city of Kupiansk, the sole rail hub supplying Russia's front line across northeastern Ukraine, which has been retaken by Ukraine's forces. Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the Luhansk People's Republic, was quoted by Russian news agencies saying Ukrainian forces were attempting to penetrate the eastern region, claimed by Russia at the beginning of July. "Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have not stopped their attempts to infiltrate the territory of the republic for the purpose of provocation and intimidating our citizens," he said, adding there had been "no retreat from positions held by the republic." As the war entered its 200th day, Ukraine on Sunday shut down the last operating reactor at Europe's biggest nuclear power plant to guard against a catastrophe as fighting rages nearby. Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of shelling around the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia plant, risking a release of radiation. The International Atomic Energy Agency said a backup power line to the plant had been restored, providing the external electricity it needed to carry out the shutdown while defending against the risk of a meltdown. French President Emmanuel Macron told Putin in a phone call on Sunday the plant's occupation by Russian troops is the reason why its security is compromised, the French presidency said. Putin blamed Ukrainian forces, according to a Kremlin statement. France on Sunday said it would sign an agreement with Romania to help increase Ukrainian grain exports. Ukraine's grain exports have slumped since the start of the war because its Black Sea ports were closed off, driving up global food prices and prompting fears of shortages. "Tomorrow, I will sign an accord with Romania that will allow Ukraine to get even more grains out ... towards Europe and developing countries, notably in the Mediterranean (countries)which need it for food," Transport Minister Clement Beaune told France Inter radio. The International Monetary Fund is also looking for ways to provide emergency funding to countries facing war-induced food price shocks and will discuss measures at an executive board meeting on Monday, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Thousands of mourners yesterday thronged the route for the final journey of Queen Elizabeth II as her coffin arrived in Edinburgh from the Scottish retreat where she died. Huge crowds packed the streets of Scotland’s capital as the hearse bearing Britain’s longest-serving monarch completed the first leg of a sombre odyssey that will culminate with her state funeral in London on September 19. Soldiers in kilts stood to attention as the seven-car cortege arrived at Holyroodhouse palace after a six-hour drive from the queen’s Balmoral residence where she passed away on Thursday, aged 96. Some of the well-wishers along the way had thrown flowers or applauded, while others were in tears as the convoy including the queen’s only daughter Princess Anne went by. “It is history, history in the making. We lived so long with the queen — 70 years,” said former soldier Stuart Mackay. “It’s the only monarch we’ve known and I think it’s my duty to be here to wave her goodbye.” The queen’s coffin will rest in Holyroodhouse Palace, the monarch’s official residence in Scotland, for a day before being moved to St Giles’ cathedral for the public to pay their respects. Her son Charles III — formally proclaimed monarch on Saturday — will travel to Edinburgh today for a prayer service and to mount a vigil by her coffin along with other members of the royal family. The body of the queen will be flown to London the day after to lie in state for four days, which is expected to draw at least a million people, ahead of a funeral set to be watched worldwide and attended by numerous heads of state. The symbolism of the queen’s last journey will be heavy for Scotland — a nation with deep royal links, but where there is also a strong independence movement intent on severing the centuries-old union with the United Kingdom. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote on Twitter that it was a “sad and poignant moment” to see the queen leave her cherished Balmoral refuge for the final time. Charles — also declared monarch in Scotland at a pomp-filled ceremony yesterday — and other royals will today take part in a procession to convey her coffin along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to St Giles’ Cathedral. The following day the coffin will be flown by Royal Air Force jet to Northolt airfield near London, and driven to Buckingham Palace. Then, on Wednesday, it will be moved to Westminster Hall to lie in state. King Charles will also visit Northern Ireland and Wales in a show of national unity. The new monarch will be joined at memorial services by British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was only appointed by the late queen on Tuesday. Charles has seen his popularity recover since the death of his former wife Diana, Princess of Wales, in a 1997 car crash, but he takes the throne at a moment of deep anxiety in Britain over the spiralling cost of living and international instability caused by the war in Ukraine.

* Queen's coffin leaves Balmoral castle where she died * Coffin will be taken to Edinburgh, crowds line route * Funeral will be held on Sept. 19 Queen Elizabeth's coffin was taken from her summer home in the Scottish Highlands to Edinburgh on Sunday, past tens of thousands of mourners lining the route to pay tribute, many in sombre silence, some applauding and others in tears. Shortly after 10am (0900 GMT), a hearse carrying Elizabeth's oak coffin emerged from the gates of Balmoral Castle, where she died on Thursday aged 96, at the start of a six-hour slow drive to the Scottish capital. The coffin was draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland with a wreath on top made of flowers taken from the Balmoral estate including sweet peas, one of Elizabeth's favourites. In an emotional tribute to his mother on Friday, the new monarch King Charles said she had begun a "last great journey" to join her husband of 73 years Prince Philip, who died last year. The cortege from Balmoral is the first of a series of events leading up to the state funeral at Westminster Abbey in London on Sept. 19. Pedestrians walks past a portrait of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II on a street in London. Her death has drawn tears, sadness and warm tributes, not just from the queen's own close family and many in Britain, but also from around the globe - reflecting her presence on the world stage for seven decades. As the hearse reached the small village of Ballater near Balmoral, hundreds stood beside the road in silence in bright morning sunshine as the hearse passed, some throwing flowers into the road. "It's just very, very sad. I’m happy I was here to say our goodbyes," said Elizabeth Alexander, 69, who was born on the day the queen was crowned in 1953. Crowds build crowds on Castlehill in Edinburgh, as preparations are made for the arrival of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II. Accompanied by the queen's daughter, Princess Anne, the cortege wound its way from the remote castle through picturesque countryside, villages and small towns, at one point passing a guard of honour formed by dozens of tractors lined up in adjacent fields by farmers. It was due to arrive in Edinburgh at about 4 p.m. (1500 GMT)where the coffin will be taken to the throne room of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. "There was no way I could miss this. I would regret it for the rest of my life," said Eilidh Mackintosh, 62, who left her home at 6 a.m. to be sure of a good view on Edinburgh's famous Royal Mile where large crowds were gathering. "She never let us down and I didn’t want to let her down either. Now she has gone there is a big hole in the heart of the nation." Floral tributes are pictured in Green Park, near Buckingham Palace, in London. Many thousands have already gathered at royal palaces in the days since Elizabeth's death, and large piles of flowers are massing as people visit to pay their respects. "I know how deeply you, the entire nation - and I think I may say the whole world - sympathise with me in the irreparable loss we have all suffered," Charles said at a ceremony on Saturday. Charles became king immediately after his mother's death and was officially proclaimed the new monarch at the ceremony, full of pageant and centuries-old traditions. Similar proclamations are following across the United Kingdom and the other 14 realms of which Charles is now head of state, including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said parliament would be recalled on Thursday to allow members to pay tribute. The queen came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was just 25. Her coronation took place a year later. While Elizabeth's death was not totally unexpected given her age and deteriorating health, there was still a sense of shock at the news. "We all thought she was invincible," her grandson Prince William, now the heir to the throne, told a well-wisher on Saturday as he met crowds at Windsor castle. The day of Elizabeth's funeral will be a public holiday in Britain, officials announced. US President Joe Biden said he would be there, although full details of the event and the attendees have not yet been released. Before that, her coffin will be flown to London and there will be a sombre procession when it is later moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where it will lie in state for four days. "It goes without saying that we can expect large numbers of people," a spokesperson for Prime Minister Liz Truss told reporters. Truss, whose appointment as prime minister on Tuesday was the queen's last public act, will join King Charles as both the new head of state and prime minister tour the four nations of the United Kingdom in the next few days. Charles, 73, is now the 41st monarch in a line that traces its origins to the Norman King William the Conqueror who captured the English throne in 1066. Elizabeth's death has capped a difficult couple of years for the royal family. The most high-profile issue has involved her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who stepped down from royal life in 2020 to move to California from where they both have heavily criticised the institution. That has left them alienated from the rest of the family, with Harry and his older brother William said to be barely on speaking terms. But the death of their grandmother has seen differences put aside, as they appeared together with their wives outside Windsor Castle to meet the crowds on Saturday. A royal source described it as an important show of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family.

Moscow abandoned its main bastion in northeastern Ukraine yesterday, in a sudden collapse on one of the war’s principal front lines after surging Ukrainian forces threatened to encircle the area in a shock advance. The swift fall of Izium in Kharkiv province was Moscow’s worst defeat since its troops were forced back from the capital Kyiv in March, and could prove a decisive turning point in the six-month war, with thousands of Russian soldiers abandoning ammunition stockpiles and equipment as they flee. The state-run TASS news agency quoted Russia’s defence ministry as saying it had ordered troops to leave the vicinity to reinforce operations elsewhere in neighbouring Donetsk. The head of Russia’s administration in areas in Kharkiv it controls told all residents to evacuate the province and flee to Russia to “save lives”, TASS reported. Witnesses described traffic jams of cars with people fleeing Russian-held territory. Ukrainian officials stopped short of confirming they had recaptured Izium, but President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak posted a photo of troops on its outskirts. Earlier, he tweeted an emoji of grapes. The city’s name means “raisin”. The Russian withdrawal announcement came hours after Ukrainian troops captured the city of Kupiansk further north, the sole railway hub supplying Russia’s entire frontline across northeastern Ukraine. That left thousands of Russian troops abruptly cut off from supplies across a stretch of front that has seen some of the most intense battles of the war. There were signs of trouble for Russia elsewhere along its remaining positions at the front in the east, with pro-Russian officials acknowledging difficulties at other locations and Ukrainians hinting at more advances to come. Days ago, Kyiv’s forces burst through the frontline and have since recaptured dozens of towns and villages in a swift mechanised assault, surging forward dozens of kilometres a day. Early yesterday, Ukrainian officials posted photos of their troops raising the country’s blue and yellow flag in front of city hall in Kupiansk, dealing a blow that appeared to prove decisive for Russian garrisons supplied by the city’s railways. “To achieve the stated goals of the Special Military Operation for the liberation of Donbas, it was decided to regroup the Russian troops located in the districts of Balakliia and Izium for the purpose of increasing efforts in the Donetsk direction,” TASS quoted Russia’s defence ministry as saying. Russian forces had already abandoned Balakliia days ago. In Hrakove, one of dozens of villages recaptured in the Ukrainian advance, Reuters saw burnt-out vehicles bearing the “Z” symbol of Russia’s invasion. Boxes still full of ammunition were scattered with strewn rubbish in positions the Russians had abandoned in evident haste. “Hello everyone, we are from Russia,” was spraypainted on a wall. Three bodies lay in white body bags in a yard. The regional chief of police, Volodymyr Tymoshenko, said Ukrainian police had moved in the previous day, and had checked the identities of local residents who had lived under Russian occupation since the invasion’s second day.

The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth will be held on Sept 19, royal officials said yesterday, as her son Charles was officially proclaimed Britain’s new king in a colourful ceremony laden with pageantry and dating back centuries. The death of the 96-year-monarch has provoked tears, sadness and warm tributes, not just from the queen’s own close family and many Britons, but also from around the world — reflecting her presence on the world stage for 70 years. “We all thought she was invincible,” said her grandson Prince William, now the heir to the throne. “It’s been surreal,” he said during a walkabout outside Windsor Castle where he and his wife Kate appeared closely in public for the first time in two years with his younger brother Harry and his wife Meghan — a sign Elizabeth’s death might help heal a rift between Charles’ sons. Elizabeth’s oak coffin, covered with the royal standard of Scotland and with a wreath of flowers on top, has been lying in the ballroom of Balmoral Castle, her summer home in Scotland where she died peacefully on Thursday. Today, it will be driven by hearse through remote highland villages to Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, during a six-hour journey that will allow people to pay their respects. The coffin will then be flown to London on Tuesday where it will remain at Buckingham Palace before being taken to Westminster Hall to lie in state until the funeral at Westminster Abbey at 11am (1000 GMT) on Sept 19. The death of Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, has prompted an outpouring of emotion around the globe. Buildings and landmarks in Europe, America and Africa have been lit up in the red, white and blue of the United Kingdom’s flag. Charles, 73, immediately succeeded his mother but an Accession Council met at St James’ — the most senior royal palace in the United Kingdom built for Henry VIII in the 1530s — to proclaim him as king yesterday. The council — formed of Privy Counsellors whose centuries-old role has been to advise the monarch — included his son and heir William, wife Camilla and Britain’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, who signed the proclamation of his accession. Six former prime ministers, senior bishops and a swathe of politicians cried out “God Save The King” as the announcement was approved. “I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of Sovereignty which have now passed to me,” Charles said.  “I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set.” Later, on the Proclamation Gallery, a balcony above Friary Court of St James’s Palace, the Garter King of Arms, David White, accompanied by others in gold and red heraldic outfits read out the Principal Proclamation, as trumpets sounded. Soldiers in traditional scarlet uniforms shouted “hip, hip, hurrah” as White called for three cheers for the king. Watching on were a few hundred people allowed into the court, including small children on parents’ shoulders, a woman clutching flowers and elderly people on mobility scooters. ROYAL POMP  Charles is the 41st monarch in a line that traces its origins to the Norman King William the Conqueror who captured the English throne in 1066. Yesterday’s events reflected proclamations announcing new kings and queens that date back hundreds of years. He became king and head of state not only of the United Kingdom but of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. It was the first proclamation of a monarch to be televised. And for most Britons, it was the first such event in their lifetime as Elizabeth was the only monarch they have ever known. Charles himself was just 3 when she became queen in 1952. Britain has declared a period of mourning until the state funeral for Elizabeth, which will be a public holiday. Leaders from around the world are expected to attend, including US President Joe Biden, who said he would be there. Charles’ coronation will take place at a later date — and the timing for that is not yet clear. There was a 16-month gap between Elizabeth becoming queen and her coronation in 1953. He has already made his eldest son William, 40, the new Prince of Wales, the title traditionally held by the heir to the throne, and William’s wife Kate becomes Princess of Wales, a role last held by the late Princess Diana. The couple had a highly public falling out with Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, after they decided to exit royal duties and move to California in 2020. Harry and Meghan coincidentally happened to be in Britain this past week to attend some charity events and had not even been expected to see William — until the death of their grandmother. ‘VERY EMOTIONAL’ Meanwhile at Balmoral, the queen’s three younger children — Anne, Andrew and Edward — and their own families also made a public appearance, visiting a nearby church before they inspected the messages among the flowers and thanked the crowd for their support. Princess Eugenie, one of Prince Andrew’s daughters, was seen wiping away tears and hugging her father. “It was a very emotional moment, it was very heartfelt,” said Ian Smith, a local businessman who was at the front of the barriers. “It was really special that they came to acknowledge us and we could show them our support.” Elizabeth, who was the world’s oldest and longest-serving head of state, came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on Feb 6, 1952, when she was just 25. Over the decades she witnessed a seismic change in the social, political and economic structure of her nation. She won praise for modernising the monarchy during her long reign, despite intense media scrutiny and the often highly public travails of her family.

Warring brothers Prince William and Prince Harry, and their wives Kate and Meghan, reunited yesterday to view floral tributes to Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. The two couples, all dressed in mourning black, put on a united front as they looked at the banks of flowers left since the queen’s death on Thursday aged 96. It was William and Kate’s first outing as the new Prince and Princess of Wales, a title once held by William and Harry’s father and mother — the new King Charles III and his first wife, princess Diana. The sight of the two couples together — even if they separated to speak and shake hands with different sides of the cheering crowds — will likely spark rumours of a reconciliation. An unnamed royal source was quoted by British media saying that William “invited the Duke and Duchess (of Sussex — Harry and Meghan) to join him and the Princess of Wales earlier”. Charles also offered what has been interpreted as a clear olive branch to Harry and Meghan, who quit royal life in early 2020 and moved to the United States. In his first speech as king on Friday, Charles, 73, spoke of his love for his second son and daughter-in-law. William, Harry, Kate and Meghan were once dubbed “the fab four”, with hopes they could together secure the monarchy’s appeal to younger generations. But relations between them reportedly soured soon after former British Army captain Harry’s wedding to Meghan, a mixed-race American television actress, at Windsor in 2018. Harry, 37, the following year admitted publicly that he and his brother were “on different paths” in the clearest indication the rumours were true. The two couples had last been seen together at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in 2020, just days before Harry and Meghan’s bombshell announcement. From their sprawling Californian mansion they have made repeated public criticisms of life behind the palace walls, including claims of racism. That prompted William, 40, to angrily insist that “we are very much not a racist family”. Harry also claimed that William, who is now heir to the throne after their grandmother’s death, and their father were trapped by convention and duty. Relations between the brothers were visibly frosty when they reunited last year to unveil a statue to their mother at her former London home, Kensington Palace, on what would have been her 60th birthday. Diana was killed in a high-speed car crash in Paris in August 1997. The brothers, who as young boys provided the enduring image of her funeral, walking heads bowed behind her coffin, did not meet during the queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June. Harry and Meghan are staying at Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate, just a stone’s throw from William and Kate’s new home, Adelaide Cottage. British media said that despite their proximity the couples had no plans to meet — until the queen’s death on Thursday. Harry and Meghan were initially on a whistlestop tour, attending two charity events in Britain and another in Germany for the former’s Invictus Games for disabled veterans. But they are now expected to stay for the queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19.

* Charles officially proclaimed king * Queen's funeral set for Sept. 19 * Queen Elizabeth, 96, died on Thursday The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth will be held on Monday, Sept. 19, royal officials said on Saturday, as her son Charles was officially proclaimed Britain's new king in a colourful ceremony laden with pageantry and tradition. The death of the 96-year-monarch after 70 years on the throne set in train long-established and highly choreographed plans for days of national mourning and a state funeral. Elizabeth's coffin will leave her Scottish estate on Sunday and be driven by hearse through remote highland villages to Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, pausing during its six-hour journey to allow people to pay their respects. The coffin will then be flown to London on Tuesday where it will remain at Buckingham Palace before being taken to Westminster Hall to lie-in-state until the funeral at Westminster Abbey at 1000 GMT on Sept. 19. The death of Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, has prompted an outpouring of tributes around the globe. Buildings and landmarks in Europe, America and Africa have been lit up in the red, white and blue of the United Kingdom's flag. Charles, 73, immediately succeeded his mother but an Accession Council met at St James's - the most senior royal palace in the United Kingdom built for Henry VIII in the 1530s - to proclaim him as king on Saturday. The council - formed of Privy Counsellors whose centuries-old role has been to advise the monarch - included his son and heir William, wife Camilla and Britain's new prime minister, Liz Truss, who signed the proclamation of his accession. Six former prime ministers, senior bishops and a swathe of politicians cried out "God Save The King" as the announcement was approved. "I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of Sovereignty which have now passed to me," Charles said. "In taking up these responsibilities, I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these islands and of the Commonwealth realms and territories throughout the world." Later, on the Proclamation Gallery, a balcony above Friary Court of St James's Palace, the Garter King of Arms, David White, accompanied by others in gold and red heraldic outfits read out the Principal Proclamation, as trumpets sounded. Soldiers in traditional scarlet uniforms shouted "hip, hip, hurrah" as White called for three cheers for the king. Watching on were a few hundred people allowed into the court, including small children on parents' shoulders, a woman clutching flowers and elderly people on mobility scooters. Many capturing the moment on their smartphones. Charles is the 41st monarch in a line that traces its origins to the Norman King William the Conqueror who captured the English throne in 1066. Saturday's events reflected proclamations announcing new kings and Queens that date back hundreds of years. It was the first proclamation of a monarch to be televised. And for most Britons, it was the first such event in their lifetime as Elizabeth was the only monarch they have ever known. Charles himself was just three when she became Queen in 1952. Britain has declared a period of mourning until the state funeral for Elizabeth, which will be a public holiday. Leaders from around the world are expected in London for the funeral, including U.S. President Joe Biden, who said on Friday he would attend. Charles' coronation as king will take place at a later date - and the timing for that is not yet clear. There was a 16-month gap between Elizabeth becoming Queen and her coronation in 1953. Elizabeth, who was the world's oldest and longest-serving head of state, came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was just 25. Over the decades she witnessed a seismic change in the social, political and economic structure of her nation. She won praise for modernising the monarchy during her long reign, despite intense media scrutiny and the often highly public travails of her family. "My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love," Prince William, Charles's eldest son and now the heir, said in a statement. "All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen."

Ukrainian forces were seizing an expanding area of previously Russian-held territory in the east in a “very sharp and rapid” advance, a Russian-installed regional official said yesterday, in a breakthrough that may mark a turning point in the war. After keeping silent for a day, Russia effectively acknowledged that a section of its frontline had crumbled southeast of Ukraine’s second-largest city Kharkiv. “The enemy is being delayed as much as possible, but several settlements have already come under the control of Ukrainian armed formations,” Vitaly Ganchev, head of the Russian-backed administration in the Kharkiv region, said on state television host Vladimir Solovyov’s daily livestream. Ganchev earlier said his administration was trying to evacuate civilians from cities including Izium, Russia’s main stronghold and logistics base in the province near the front in eastern Ukraine. Russia has taken control of around a fifth of Ukraine since starting its invasion in late February. The Russian defence ministry released video of military vehicles speeding along a highway, saying they showed reinforcements rushing to defend the area. The Kremlin has declined to comment on the Ukrainian advance. Ukrainian officials released a parade of videos showing soldiers raising flags and posing in front of street signs in villages and towns across part of previously Russian-held territory. One viral image showed troops holding up a Ukrainian flag at a highway welcome sign for Kupiansk, previously more than 50km inside Russia’s front line. The city is an important target as the junction of several of the main railway lines supplying Russian troops at the front. Ukraine kept independent journalists out of the area and Reuters could not confirm the images, but President Volodymyr Zelensky said troops had “liberated dozens of settlements” and reclaimed more than 1,000 square km in the eastern Kharkiv and southern Kherson regions. Western military analysts said the advance could shut the supply lines Moscow has relied on to sustain its force in eastern Ukraine, and potentially leave thousands of Russian troops encircled. Such rapid advances have largely been unheard of since Russia abandoned its assault on the capital Kyiv in March, shifting the war mainly into a relentless grind along entrenched front lines. “We see success in Kherson now, we see some success in Kharkiv and so that is very, very encouraging,” US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told a news conference with his Czech counterpart in Prague. The Ukrainian general staff said early yesterday that retreating Russian forces were trying to evacuate wounded personnel and damaged military equipment near Kharkiv. “Thanks to skilful and co-ordinated actions, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the support of the local population, advanced almost 50km in three days.” Tens of thousands of people have been killed, millions have been driven from their homes and Russian forces have destroyed entire cities since Moscow began what it calls a “special military operation” to “disarm” Ukraine. The Kyiv government and its Western allies accuse Russia of an imperial-style war of aggression. In the latest reported strike on civilians, Ukrainian officials said Russia had fired across the border, hitting a hospital in the northeastern Sumy region yesterday morning, destroying the building and wounding people. Reuters could not independently confirm the report. Russia denies intentionally targeting civilians. The centre of Kharkiv, which has been regularly bombarded by Russia, was hit by Russian rocket fire, wounding 10 people, including three children, Governor Oleh Synehubov said. Rockets hit a children’s arts centre and a school, as well as private homes, mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote on Telegram. The Ukrainians broke through in the east a week after Kyiv announced the start of a long-awaited counter-offensive hundreds of kilometres away at the other end of the front line, in the southern province of Kherson.

Britain’s King Charles yesterday paid a heartfelt tribute to his late mother Queen Elizabeth, vowing to serve with “loyalty, respect and love” as she had done for more than seven decades. In his first address to the nation, Charles thanked the queen for her devotion to her family and to those for whom she was monarch. Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a towering presence on the world stage for 70 years, died on Thursday at her home in Scotland aged 96, drawing an outpouring of tributes from at home and around the globe. “I speak to you today with feelings of profound sorrow,” said Charles, who became king on his mother’s death — head of state of the United Kingdom and 14 other realms including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. “Throughout her life, Her Majesty The Queen — my beloved Mother — was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.” Charles and other members of the royal family had rushed to be at the queen’s side when news of her ailing health emerged. He returned to Buckingham Palace in London yesterday where he was greeted with cheers, applause and a crowd singing “God Save The King” as he made his first public appearance since ascending the throne. In his televised message, Charles reflected on his mother’s promise she made in 1947, aged 21, to devote her life to the service of her peoples. “That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life. She made sacrifices for duty,” he said. “As the queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the Constitutional principles at the heart of our nation. “And wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, or in the Realms and territories across the world, and whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have throughout my life.” Charles, 73, also said he had made his eldest son William the new Prince of Wales, the title that had been his for decades and one traditionally held by the heir to the throne. William’s wife Kate becomes Princess of Wales, a role last held by the late Princess Diana. “With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given,” he said. Charles will officially be proclaimed king today at a meeting of the Accession Council held at St James’s Palace followed by proclamations across the nation. Britain has declared a period of mourning until the state funeral for Elizabeth, once described by her grandson Harry as “the nation’s grandmother”, which will be held in a little over a week’s time. US President Joe Biden said he would attend.  An online book of condolence has also been opened. Thousands gathered at royal palaces to pay their respects, with some shedding tears as they laid flowers. “She was amazing. She was like everyone’s granny,” said Kay McClement, 55, who came with a friend to leave flowers at Balmoral Castle. Railway worker Liam Fitzjohn, 27, said he brought his daughter for a moment of history.”She’s all we ever knew,” he said. There were gun salutes at London’s Hyde Park and at the Tower of London, and the bells at Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s as well as the Sebastopol Bell at Windsor Castle, captured during the 19th Century Crimean War, tolled. Regular business in parliament was replaced with a special session for lawmakers to pay tribute to the queen. Parliament will also convene today, something it rarely does, to approve a message of condolence to the king. “Since last night’s shocking news, we have witnessed the most heartfelt outpouring of grief at the loss of her late majesty, the queen,” Prime Minister Liz Truss told lawmakers, who held a minute’s silence at the start of proceedings. “She was the rock on which modern Britain was built,” said Truss, who Elizabeth appointed just on Tuesday in her last public duty — the 15th premier of her long reign. Condolences poured in from leaders around the world. From the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the European Commission in Brussels flags were flown at half-mast. “To you, she was your queen. To us, she was the queen. To us all she (will) be with us forever,” French President Emmanuel Macron said.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II has led to a slew of cancellations or postponements of high-profile national events, from concerts to fashion shows and Premier League matches. Official government advice published yesterday said there was “no expectation” that events be cancelled and all decisions were at the discretion of those involved. Nevertheless, organisers said they had taken the decision to cancel today’s traditional closing event of the BBC Proms, an eight-week series of daily orchestral classical concerts held predominantly at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The star-studded line-up for the rousing last concert included soprano Lise Davidsen and cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and was to be led by BBC Symphony Orchestra principal guest conductor Dalia Stasevska. Yesterday evening’s prom was also cancelled. This year’s Proms had featured the newly-formed Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra – led by Canadian-Ukrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson – which included musicians who are now refugees and Ukrainian members of European orchestras. Organisers of the Mercury Prize, which recognises the best British or Irish album of the year, also opted to postpone the event, which had been due to take place on Thursday shortly after the official announcement of the Queen’s death. BBC Radio 2’s Live in Leeds music event was also cancelled. London Fashion week, which had been due to start next Friday, which had promised to offer the strongest September line-up since before the pandemic, took a hit with cancellations by two of its biggest names. Designer Raf Simons said he had decided to cancel his London debut show planned for next Friday. “As the country enters a period of official mourning, we will pause during this time of great sadness,” Simons said in a statement. “We will take this time to respect the legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her 70 years on the throne,” he added. Burberry also said its Spring/Summer 2023 runway show that had been due to take place on September 17 would not go ahead.

Sadness, drizzle and a strange frisson filled the Edinburgh air as the Scottish capital prepared to receive the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II this weekend. The monarch died at her Scottish Balmoral estate on Thursday and the coffin's arrival in Edinburgh will be the first stage on its journey to a state funeral in London. Against a damp wall at Holyroodhouse, the royal palace in Edinburgh, the mass of flowers continued to grow. Gary Millar, a 45-year-old technician, added a bouquet to the pile that started to build when news broke of the Queen's death. He stepped back and paused in a silent moment of contemplation. Millar had arrived early in the morning to show his "respects" and "to honour the lady". "She honoured us her whole reign by doing her duty and I think it's time that the public gave that back a little," he said, his voice tight with emotion. In Scotland, led by a government that wants independence from the United Kingdom, the Queen is much more popular than the monarchy itself. For Millar, the late sovereign "held the country together". "She was the figurehead of our union of Great Britain. She's been around all my life," he continued, praising her "hard work" and "dedication". - 'Right monarch for the times' -Holyroodhouse is expected to receive Queen Elizabeth's coffin over the weekend. Her body will then be carried in a procession along the Royal Mile, the main artery of the Scottish capital, to St Giles Cathedral for a religious service. The Queen's children are expected to hold a "Vigil of the Princes" while the coffin lies in the cathedral. Members of the public are due to be allowed in later to pay their respects. The coffin will then be transported by plane to London. At the foot of the wall, gardeners were preparing the lawn for the occasion. The palace grounds rang to the sound of mowers and a damp smell of motor fuel and cut grass hung in the air. Moved to tears, Rebecca Evans, 44, said simply that she was "sad". "She just welcomed the new prime minister on Tuesday and to go from Tuesday to be well, and then to Thursday to leave us, it's just very, very sad," she sobbed. "There's so much going on in the UK right now," said Evans, listing Brexit, the energy crisis and the predicted recession. "I think we're notoriously grumpy people in Scotland," she added. "But... we do love the Queen. We do love the royal family." Evans, who works for a think tank on global warming, predicted King Charles III would be "the right monarch for these times". "He was ridiculed for his views but this is a time for action, for people to stand up and say we need to do things about climate change," she said. - 'Never on strike' -The fact the Queen's coffin will rest in Edinburgh is a source of great local pride, Evans said, "because so many things in the UK are focused on London". "Especially when you've seen the mountain behind in the mist. It's so beautiful and I can't think of a nicer way to go than to just pass away peacefully in the mountains," she added, visibly moved. Out of respect for the Queen, postal workers and railway workers have called off planned strikes. "That's maybe the most British response you can find... that rail workers and postal workers don't strike because she never went on strike, did she?," added Evans. Orla Bell, a 48-year-old Irishwoman living in Edinburgh, came to lay flowers because her mother, who is a "big fan of the royal family". Twenty five years ago she and her mother left a bouquet when Princess Diana died. "The Queen was like a mum to everybody in the country," she said. "Even if you're not a fan of the royal family or you're not British, I think it's important to everybody."

Britain's King Charles shook hands with dozens of members of the public outside Buckingham Palace on Friday, as emotional well-wishers snapped pictures and greeted the new monarch following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth on Thursday. Charles and his wife Camilla, Queen Consort, stepped out of the royal car just outside the gates of Buckingham Palace in an unanticipated gesture as they arrived back in London from Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where the Queen died. The couple, dressed in black, were received by huge cheers and applause from a crowd of hundreds gathered outside the palace, television footage showed. The king proceeded to shake hands with dozens of well-wishers and look at floral tributes to his mother for more than ten minutes. Several members of the public sang "God save the King" and one shouted "Love you Charles!" One woman kissed Charles' hand, while another leaned over the security barrier to hug him and kiss his cheek. Several told him they were sorry for his loss, and he thanked them. People gathered outside the palace pointed their phone cameras at Charles as he walked past, flanked by security personnel. One security officer asked people to put their phones down as the king approached and simply enjoy the moment. Charles and Camilla then walked through the gates of the palace.

Thousands of people gathered outside Buckingham Palace in London, shedding tears and singing "God Save the Queen" in an impromptu show of emotion as news emerged that Queen Elizabeth had died. A double rainbow arched over the London skyline shortly before well-wishers fell into stunned silence as the palace lowered its Union Jack flag to half-staff, signifying the death of the monarch. "We've grown up with her always being there," said consultant Margaret Parris, tears welling up in her eyes. She had travelled 20 miles (32 km) to the palace after hearing earlier in the day that the queen had fallen ill. Elizabeth died peacefully at her home in Scotland, aged 96. Her eldest son Charles, 73, is now king.  The mood on the esplanade in front of Buckingham Palace was very different three months ago, when the queen appeared on the balcony to huge cheers from revellers enjoying her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which marked her 70 years on the throne. On Thursday, a sense of anxiety turned to shock when news of her death was announced. The palace posted an official notice on the gates outside, which Londoners and tourists alike pressed forward to see. Thousands more people started to arrive, some carrying flowers. "It felt like history in the making, so we rushed over to the palace. Quite something for a holiday," said Nabeel Dockrat, 26, a tourist from South Africa. The sense of history passing was felt just as keenly 300 miles away in Edinburgh, Scotland's capital. "It's one of those days like 'where were you when JFK was shot? Where were you on 9/11?'," said Laura McGee, 37, a solicitor from Glasgow. "I think people appreciated, whether you are a royalist or not, that she really gave an amazing service and a lot to the country." At Buckingham Palace, 22-year-old student Adam Wilkinson-Hill arrived with a bunch of white lilies on behalf of himself and a group of his friends who could not be in the capital. "It's a massive shock to the nation," he said.

The Bank of England said its banknotes featuring the image of Queen Elizabeth remained legal tender, following the monarch's death on Thursday. "Current banknotes featuring the image of Her Majesty The Queen will continue to be legal tender. A further announcement regarding existing Bank of England banknotes will be made once the period of mourning has been observed," the central bank said. Queen Elizabeth was the first monarch to feature on Bank of England banknotes.   "It was with profound sadness that I learned of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. On behalf of everyone at the Bank I would like to pass on my deepest condolences to the Royal Family," Governor Andrew Bailey said.  

Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the nation’s figurehead for seven decades, died at her home in Scotland yesterday aged 96. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.  Elizabeth’s eldest son Charles, 73, automatically becomes king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. His wife Camilla becomes Queen Consort. News that the Queen’s health was deteriorating emerged shortly after midday yesterday when her doctors said she was under medical supervision, prompting her family to rush to be by her side at her Scottish home, Balmoral. The Queen had been suffering from what Buckingham Palace has called “episodic mobility problems” since the end of last year, forcing her to withdraw from nearly all her public engagements. Her last public engagement came only on Tuesday, when she appointed Liz Truss prime minister – her 15th premier. At her palaces and at government buildings across London, flags were lowered to half-mast. Queen Elizabeth II, who was also the world’s oldest and longest-serving head of state, came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on February 6, 1952, when she was just 25. She was crowned in June the following year.  The first televised coronation was a foretaste of a new world in which the lives of the royals were to become increasingly scrutinised by the media. “I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust,” she said in a speech to her subjects on her coronation day. Elizabeth became monarch at a time when Britain still retained much of its old empire. It was emerging from the ravages of World War II, with food rationing still in force and class and privilege still dominant in society. Winston Churchill was Britain’s prime minister at the time, Josef Stalin led the Soviet Union and the Korean War was raging. In the decades that followed, Elizabeth witnessed massive political change and social upheaval at home and abroad. Her own family’s tribulations, most notably the divorce of Charles and his late first wife Diana, were played out in full public glare. While remaining an enduring symbol of stability and continuity for Britons at a time of relative national economic decline, Elizabeth also tried to adapt the ancient institution of monarchy to the demands of the modern era. “She has managed to modernise and evolve the monarchy like no other,” her grandson Prince William, who is now heir to the throne, said in a 2012 documentary. Elizabeth was the 40th monarch in a royal line that traces its origin back to Norman King William the Conqueror who claimed the English throne in 1066 after defeating Anglo-Saxon ruler Harold II at the Battle of Hastings. Her long reign meant she repeatedly broke records for British rulers. When she surpassed the more than 63 years her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria spent on the throne, she said it was not a landmark to which she had ever aspired. “Inevitably a long life can pass by many milestones — my own is no exception,” she said. Her marriage to Prince Philip lasted 73 years, until his death in April 2021, and they had four children, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. She never gave a media interview and critics said she came across as distant and aloof. But for the vast majority of her subjects, for whom she was the only monarch they have known, she was a figure who commanded respect and admiration. Her death marks the end of an era. “In her public duties she was selfless and wise, with a wonderful generosity of spirit. That is how she lived – and how she led,” former prime minister John Major said.