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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sam Ormiston

Heartwarming moment Sophie Wessex comforts Princess Anne as Queen's coffin arrives

Touching photos have captured the moment Sophie Wessex comforted a heartbroken Princess Anne as she witnessed the Queen's coffin arriving at the Palace of Holyrood House in Edinburgh.

Her Majesty's children Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne lined up to greet their mother's cortege as it arrived in the Scottish capital this afternoon.

Huge crowds gathered to pay their respects outside the Palace, where Her Majesty's body will remain for the night.

The 96-year-old's coffin, which has been draped with the yellow Royal Standard of Scotland, will rest in the throne room until tomorrow afternoon (September 12).

Princess Anne was at The Queen's bedside when she died 'peacefully' at her Balmoral home on Thursday evening.

Meanwhile Sophie Wessex, alongside her husband Prince Edward, Prince William and Prince Andrew, touched down at Aberdeen Airport around the time of her death.

Princess Anne was comforted by her sister-in-law Sophie, Countess of Wessex (Jacob King / PA Wire)

As the Queen's only daughter, Princess Anne's relationship with the 96-year-old monarch was a special one.

And her emotions were plain to see as the Queen's coffin arrived at the Palace in Edinburgh.

Sophie, the Countess of Wessex was also incredibly close to Her Majesty.

She is said to have been particularly supportive of the Queen when her husband Prince Philip died last year.

The Queen's coffin has completed its journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse (PA)

Tomorrow afternoon, the Queen's coffin will travel in a procession to Edinburgh's St Giles' Cathedral, along the Royal Mile, with the King and the late Queen's other children the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex following behind on foot, along with Anne's husband Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Camilla, now Queen Consort, and the Countess of Wessex will follow by car and also attend the service in St Giles'.

Mourners will be able to view the coffin from 5pm, City of Edinburgh Council has confirmed.

Princess Anne was at the Queen's bedside when she died on Thursday evening (September 8) (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The Queen will lie in state at St Giles Cathedral on Edinburgh’s High Street for 24 hours and members of the royal family, including the King, will stand beside the coffin from 7.20pm in a tradition known as the Vigil of the Princes.

The Princess Royal will accompany the Queen's body back to London on Tuesday, September 13 on an RAF flight.

The Queen's body had remained at rest in the Balmoral ballroom overnight so the late monarch's loyal Balmoral estate workers could say their last goodbyes.

The oak coffin was lifted into a hearse at 10am today by six of the estate's gamekeepers, who were tasked with the symbolic gesture.

The cortege then made its way to nearby town Ballater first before travelling to Aberdeen and Dundee on its six hour journey to Edinburgh.

This weekend, the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror celebrate the life of Her Majesty the Queen with a commemorative special filled with all the key moments from Britain’s longest reigning monarch. Be sure to pick up your copy of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror to get both pullouts.

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