The atmosphere by Buckingham Palace and the Mall in central London has grown increasingly upbeat and celebratory throughout the day, PA reports.
Chatter and laughter can be heard rippling through the crowds lining the road as they wait for a glimpse of the King, who is expected to leave the palace shortly after a day of meetings.
People have been cheering at every vehicle or group of people who travel along the road.
The crowds erupted into applause and shouted “Wooo” as trucks carrying Portaloos drove along the roads in front of them.
They also cheered when dozens of people wearing black suits, thought to be Army personnel, were led through the palace gates.
Women riding as well as leading a group of brown horses also prompted waves of noise from the crowds.
People gather outside Buckingham Palace on Sunday. REUTERS/Marko Djurica Photograph: Marko Đurica/Reuters
In a ceremony held on parliament’s grounds, New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, and the governor general, Cindy Kiro, proclaimed Charles III king.
Ardern expressed her gratitude to Queen Elizabeth II for her service to New Zealand and her affection, a sentiment she said was shared by the King.
“This relationship is deeply valued by our people. I have no doubt it will deepen,” the prime minister said.
New Zealand holds formal proclamation ceremony for King Charles III – video
Members of the public hoping to pay their respects to the late Queen by leaving flowers at Buckingham Palace are instead forming impromptu memorials in nearby parks after struggling to make it through huge crowds.
Flowers are being left around trees and gates in Green Park and St James’s Park by people who had queued for nearly two hours to reach the Palace but had not come within 100 metres of the the Palace.
King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, drove through the crowds on Sunday to huge cheers and a rendition of “God Save The King”. He is expected to meet with representatives of the Commonwealth in Buckingham Palace.
The crowd stretched the length of the Mall, and many parents had brought their children to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Sophie Hammond, 42, from Chelmsford, Essex, was one of many people who did not make it through to the palace, and so left flowers at a nearby tree. “I brought my six- and eight-year-old with me and we carried flowers from our garden on the train. But there are just so many people and no facilities. So we queued for more than an hour and a half but have now given up. We left our flowers over there,” she said, pointing to a lime tree surrounded by more than 50 bunches of flowers.
People attempting to make it to the palace via Green Park underground station were warned by stewards that there would be a “long wait” to get on to the Mall.
“We have to let people out of the Mall first before getting a new group of people on to it,” a steward said.
Police are not releasing estimates of the numbers of people who have come to Buckingham Palace.
But a senior Met officer said that policing the run up to the funeral will be “hugely complex operation”.
Deputy assistant commissioner Stuart Cundy said hundred of extra officers had been called in to help as thousands of people are expected to pay their respects to the Queen.
She will lie in state in Westminster from Wednesday before a state funeral a week on Monday.
“Our policing operation is hugely complex with a huge amount of detail within it as you can well imagine.
“We know that not just the eyes of the UK but the eyes of the world will be on London,” Cundy said.
King Charles III has met with the Commonwealth general secretary, Patricia Scotland, in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace.
Following the meeting, he hosted high commissioners and their spouses, from countries where he is head of state, in the royal residence’s Bow Room, PA reports.
Earlier today the new King was given a rapturous applause by the waiting crowds as his black car drove down the Mall to Buckingham Palace.
King Charles attends a reception with High Commissioners and their spouses in the Bow Room at Buckingham Palace. Photograph: Reuters
After leaving Balmoral this morning at 10am, the funeral cortege carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II has arrived at her official residence in Edinburgh, Holyroodhouse. On its six hour journey through Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth the hearse has been accompanied by the Queen’s daughter, the Princess Royal. Princess Anne’s husband, Tim Laurence, has also accompanied them. The Queen’s body will now rest at Holyroodhouse for the evening, where members of the royal household will be able to pay their respects in private. On Monday it will be transferred to St Giles’ Cathedral, where the Scottish public will be able to pay their respects.
No 10 has clarified that Liz Truss will not be accompanying King Charles on a tour of the nations over the coming days – an announcement that had raised eyebrows. Giving new details, No 10 said her role was only to attend services of reflection in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. “The King is leading national mourning across the UK and the prime minister will join and attend the services,” a No 10 source said. “The PM is not ‘accompanying’ the King and it is not a ‘tour’. She is merely attending the services.”
Proclamation ceremonies to announce King Charles III as the new monarch are taking place throughout the UK, with large events staged at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland and Cardiff Castle in Wales among them. Many local councils and authorities will be hosting ceremonies during the course of the day.
David Cameron has said it was “entirely right” for King Charles to have written to ministers and politicians when he was heir to the throne, lobbying on key issues including bovine tuberculosis and herbal medicines. In an interview with the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme, Cameron said he never felt Charles – whose “black spider memos” to ministers were released after a 10-year legal battle – had interfered in politics. “I never felt he tried to influence me improperly in any way,” the former prime minister said. “I think the heir to the throne has a perfect right to have interest in issues like the environment, preserving wildlife, his interest in the built environment.”
PA Media reports this from Police Scotland: “A 22-year-old woman was arrested outside St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, on Sunday 11 September 2022 in connection with a breach of the peace.” Photographs earlier showed a woman holding a placard which read “Fuck imperialism. Abolish monarchy.”
The timing of the state funeral for the Queen has been confirmed: it will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday 19 September. Before then, the Queen will lie in state in Westminster Hall for four days, to allow the public to pay their respects, the royal family has said.
The Department for Education has confirmed that schools and colleges in England are expected to close for the bank holiday on the day of the funeral. Schools in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are also to close.
Much of the British press on its Sunday front pages focused on the joint walkabout by Prince William and his brother Harry accompanied by their wives at Windsor Castle last night. The four have seldom been seen together since Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced their intention to step away from royal duties.
These are some more of the pictures as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II was delivered through Edinburgh to Holyroodhouse this afternoon, on what the new King Charles III has described as his mother’s last great journey.
The hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven past St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, where the Queen will be taken tomorrow. Photograph: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images
Princess Anne, Princess Royal seen through the window of the cortege. Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Andrew, Duke of York, as well as Edward, Earl of Wessex and his wife were also in attendance and waiting to greet the cortege at Holyroodhouse.
Britain's Prince Andrew, left, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Prince Edward await the arrival of the hearse. Photograph: Aaron Chown/AP
That is it from me, Martin Belam, for today. I am now handing our live coverage over to Joe Middleton.
At Holyroodhouse the hearse has been greeted by a guard of honour. There is no band playing or any kind of fanfare. The Queen’s coffin has been carried in silence into the place, which was her official residence in Scotland.
The Edinburgh streets approaching it were lined with people who watched the procession in a hushed silence, broken by occasional outbreaks of applause.
Queen Elizabeth II's coffin arrives at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh
After leaving Balmoral this morning at 10am, the funeral cortege carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II has arrived at her official residence in Edinburgh, Holyroodhouse.
On its six hour journey through Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth the hearse has been accompanied by the Queen’s daughter, the Princess Royal. Princess Anne’s husband, Tim Laurence, has also accompanied them.
The Queen’s body will now rest at Holyroodhouse for the evening, where members of the royal household will be able to pay their respects in private. On Monday it will be transferred to St Giles’ Cathedral, where the Scottish public will be able to pay their respects.
