All eight of Queen Elizabeth II’s grandchildren stood in silent vigil beside her coffin early Saturday evening.
King Charles III’s sons, William and Prince Harry, were joined by Princess Anne’s children, Zara Tindall and Peter Philips; Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie; and the two children of Prince Edward – Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.
William, now the heir to the throne, stood, his head bowed, at the head of the coffin and Harry at the foot. Both princes, who are military veterans, were in uniform.
Mourners continued to file past in silence as the grandchildren stood vigil.
Harry, who served in Afghanistan as a British army officer, wore civilian clothes days ago during the procession of the queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace because he is no longer a working member of the royal family. But the king requested that both his sons wear their military uniforms at the Westminster Hall vigil.
Before the vigil, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie issued a statement praising their “beloved grannie.”
“We, like many, thought you’d be here forever. And we all miss you terribly. You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our backs leading us through this world. You taught us so much and we will cherish those lessons and memories forever,” the sisters wrote.
On Friday, the queen’s four children, King Charles III, Princess Anne, and princes Andrew and Edward stood vigil at their mother’s coffin.
The number of mourners has grown steadily since Wednesday when the public was first admitted into Westminster Hall where the queen is lying in state, with a queue stretching at least 5 miles long.
Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral will take place Monday in Westminster Abbey. Afterward, her body will be taken to Windsor Castle where she will be buried next to her husband of 73 years, Prince Phillip.
