Sussexes and Waleses put on more shows of solidarity for Queen Elizabeth’s lying-in-state ceremonies

The Sussexes and Waleses walked and stood side-by-side in more shows of solidarity at Queen Elizabeth’s lying-in-state ceremonies.

Princes Harry and William marched together behind their father King Charles on Wednesday afternoon (14.09.22) as they followed the Queen's coffin from Buckingham Palace – in an echo of the brothers walking behind Princess Diana’s casket in 1997.

William and Harry marched in the second of three rows in a 10-strong procession which left Buckingham Palace at 2.22pm, with the Queen’s coffin transported in front of them by gun carriage.

The Imperial State Crown could be seen gleaming on a cushion on top of the Royal Standard draped over Her Majesty’s casket.

Prince William stood with his brother to his right and Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips, to the left.

At the rear was the Princess Royal’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence, while to his right was Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the grandson of George V.

The Earl of Snowdon, son of the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, were to the Duke's right.

William and Harry had already put aside their years of rumoured rifts for a united front on Saturday (10.09.22) when they went on a walkabout with their wives outside Windsor Castle to view the sea of flowers and gifts left for their grandmother and talk to well-wishers.

Harry then paid an emotional tribute to the Queen on Monday (12.09.22), thanking her for the “sound advice” she gave and “infectious smile”, saying she was a “guiding compass” throughout her life.

Camilla, The Queen Consort, Kate, The Princess of Wales, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, did not march in the procession on Wednesday, instead travelling in cars behind those marching, with Kate seen looking grief-stricken behind a veil.

They exited their vehicles to enter Westminster Hall with the rest of the procession, with the King and the Queen Consort leading the royal family into Westminster Hall.

The Sussexes held hands while the Waleses walked apart in front of them.

Loyal staff of the late Queen, including two of her Pages and the Palace Steward, were also at the ceremony.

Her Majesty’s coffin had travelled up the Mall from Buckingham Palace before it moved down Horse Guards Road and past Horse Guards Parade, weaving onto Whitehall, then Parliament Square and ending at the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Hall at around 3pm.

The 38-minute procession poignantly passed the statue of the Queen's parents King George VI and the Queen Mother which overlooks The Mall.

A short service was then led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Queen will lie in state at Westminster Hall until her state funeral on September 19.

The flowers atop her coffin were white roses, white dahlias and foliage from the gardens at Balmoral, where the Queen died peacefully on September 8 aged 96.

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