Mourners streamed to the gates of Buckingham Palace in London to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday after she spent 70 years on the throne.
Passersby stopped to pay their respects, some shedding tears as they placed flowers to honor the only monarch that most Britons have ever known. One image captured by an Associated Press photographer showed a single red balloon with a black and white photo of the young queen hanging above hundreds of flowers.
From billboards to subway tunnels to nearly every newspaper’s front page, the queen’s image has been hard to miss.
On Saturday, Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, and Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, stopped outside Windsor Castle to read messages left by mourners, while the streets were lined with people trying to catch a glimpse.
Earlier in the day, King Charles III was formally proclaimed sovereign of the United Kingdom, as officials unveiled details of the meticulously choreographed ceremonies that will culminate in the state funeral of his mother on Sept. 19.
On Sunday, the hearse carrying her flag-draped coffin began its journey from Balmoral, Scotland, to Edinburgh, where it will stay for 24 hours so the public can pay their respects. Members of the royal family will hold a vigil by the coffin in the evening.
The queen’s coffin will be flown by the Royal Air Force to London on Tuesday and taken to Buckingham Palace.
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