Originally banned from donning his uniform throughout events honoring his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Sussex is eventually requested to put it on at vigil by his royal father.
- Sep 18, 2022
AceShowbiz - Queen Elizabeth's grandchildren held vigil for the late royal on Saturday evening (17.09.22), marking the first time a vigil was held by the grandchildren of a late monarch. Surrounding the late royal's coffin lying in state at Westminster Hall were royal cousins Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor, and Viscount Severn.
They each took their place with heads bowed for the 15-minute silence out of respect for the queen, who died on September 8 aged 96, after proceeding towards the coffin by the prompts of the knocks of a guard's sword.
Prince William stood at the head of the coffin and his brother while Prince Harry at the foot. Both wore military uniforms at the request of their father, King Charles. Near to William were Zara and Peter, the children of Anne, Princess Royal and Mark Phillips.
Harry, meanwhile, stood close to Beatrice and Eugenie, and Louise and Severn, the Earl and Countess of Wessex's children, stood halfway along the coffin.
It comes 24 hours after the eight grandchildren's parents held their own vigil. Charles, Anne, Princess Royal, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward led a 15-minute vigil to their mother while wearing military dress as they stood by her coffin.
King Charles - who acceded to the throne the moment his mother passed - was near the head of the coffin while his siblings were arranged on the other sides.
Members of the public continued to move past the coffin in silence. Eugenie and Beatrice - who are the daughters of Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess York, - could be seen on the platform to the side of the coffin along with their cousins Zara and Peter.
King Charles - who was seen to arrive at the hall a little before 7.30pm - left the event just before 8:15pm as the crowds outside cheered.
Members of the public wishing to pay their respects to the monarch have been warned they need to be in the queue by 12.30am on Monday (19.09.22) in order to make it into Westminster Hall before it closes at 6.30am, just hours before the queen's funeral is to take place at Westminster Abbey.
