Buckingham Palace has announced that The Princes William and Henry and The Princess Royal will walk behind The Queen Mother's coffin in Friday's ceremonial procession.
Update Filed 11PM, 3 April
The Duke of York confirmed today that the Queen Mother's four grandsons will mount a Royal Vigil before her catafalque in Westminster Hall on Monday 8th April. This follows the precedent set by their grandfather the then Duke of York, (and later King George VI), and his brothers King Edward VIII, Duke of Gloucester and Duke of Kent who mounted a Vigil before the catafalque of their father King George V the night before the State Funeral of their father King George V on 28 January, 1936.
The Duke was speaking to a TV reporter while he was doing a public walkabout at Clarence House to see the growing number of floral tributes left by wellwishers and to talk to those who had come with their flowers and cards. During his half hour outside Clarence House an obviously deeply moved Prince Andrew spoke with a number of wellwishers, thanking them for their condolences. Some that he spoke with had journeyed from as far away as Wales to pay their respects.
Earlier in the day the Earl and Countess of Wessex had been out at Windsor Castle to talk to wellwishers and thank them for their flowers and tributes. They later travelled to London to see the tributes left at Clarence House.
The Queen Mother's Royal Ceremonial Procession to Westminster Hall Filed: 12 Noon, 3rd April
Details are now finalized for the Royal ceremonial procession transporting the Queen Mother's hearse from St. James's Palace to Westminster Hall. Workmen are busy today putting up stands and TV sites along the route in central London. Live TV coverage will be provided by ITV, CNN, BBC1 and Sky. Brothers Jonathan and David Dimbleby, sons of the late Richard Dimbleby who covered the State Funeral of King George VI 50 years ago, will be anchor men for ITV and BBC respectively.
3000 members of the British and Commonwealth Armed Services will take part in the event either processing with the Royal hearse or lining the processional route. Commonwealth countries will be well represented on Friday. Among those taking part will be contingents from The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) and Army Medical Services of Canada, Royal Australian Army Medical Corps, Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps, The Cape Town Highlanders, the Transvaal Scottish and the Witwatersrand Rifles.
