Equestrians Form A Guard Of Honour To Pay Final Respects To Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth II adored horses and they were a big part of her life, so equestrians in Scotland decided to honor her on horseback.
It was a “spur of the moment idea” by Emma Cheape which has touched the hearts of people around the world.
Emma lives along M90 and opened her family’s field to people to come pay their respects to the late Queen as her coffin was transported from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh.
Her Majesty The Queen’s coffin has left Balmoral.
Accompanied by The Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence, the cortege will travel to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
The Wreath on the coffin features Dhalias, Sweet Peas, Phlox, White Heather and Pine Fir from the Balmoral Estate. pic.twitter.com/Atv2v9SGFz
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 11, 2022
As people lined the streets, horse riders also decided to form a line in honor of the Queen. Emma told Horse and Hound, “I put a post on Facebook on Saturday night saying if anyone local wanted to join me in the field, they’d be welcome, thinking maybe two or three people would come, and we ended up with 32 horses and about 40 people on foot. It was amazing.”
The horses formed a line and remained completely still as the Queen’s coffin passed. Emma went on to say, “It was a moment that won’t be forgotten very quickly.”
Eilidh Verstage captured photos of the special moment and shared them on Facebook. She wrote, “Her Majesty on her final journey through a Scotland she so loved. What could be more fitting than a line of horses, the Queen’s very favourite, to say goodbye. Thank you Emma Cheape & Sue Cheape for organising and asking me to take these.”
Farmers in the area also formed a guard of honour for Queen Elizabeth, but with their tractors.
The Queen is making her final journey to London today after resting at St Giles’ Cathedral for a day. Thousands of people turned up to walk by her coffin and pay their final respects.
Her Majesty The Queen’s coffin is taken in Procession to St Giles’ Cathedral.
Draped with the Royal Standard in Scotland, the coffin was flanked by the Bearer Party from the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and escorted by The King’s Body Guard for Scotland and The Queen’s children. pic.twitter.com/GSqcifVGWP
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 12, 2022
In addition to flower tributes being left at Royal Residences, gun salutes have taken place across the United Kingdom. One round has been fired for every year of the Queen’s life. Chapels, churches and cathedrals are also honoring the Queen by tolling their bells.
Flags at Royal Residences have been flying at half-mast since the day the Queen died and will remain that way until the Royal Mourning period is over, which is seven days after the Queen’s funeral.
The funeral will take place on Monday, September 19. The Royal Family shared, “The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday 19th September at 1100hrs BST. Prior to the State Funeral, The Queen will Lie-in-State in Westminster Hall for four days, to allow the public to pay their respects.”
