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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Kyle O'Sullivan

Liz Truss' 'icy' signal to Nicola Sturgeon before reading at emotional service for Queen

There is no love lost between Liz Truss and Nicola Strugeon - and people have noticed the 'icy' stare the new Prime Minister gave to Scotland's First Minister during the Queen's service of prayer and reflection. Her Majesty's children led a procession behind her coffin as it was taken from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to the nearby St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh - with King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walking in a line.

Once they arrived, the Queen’s coffin was placed on a wooden catafalque, before members of the royal family walked to their seats alongside the coffin. Ms Sturgeon, dressed in an all black outfit and black hat, then read the first lesson Ecclesiastes 3: 1–15.

Liz Truss gave Nicola Strugeon an 'icy' stare (BBC)

For the latest updates as the world mourns the Queen and King Charles III's reign begins, follow our live blog.

When Ms Sturgeon stood up to do her reading, Ms Truss was seen giving her a 'cold' look.

Many viewers took to Twitter after watching the awkward moment unfold on their TV screens.

"Oh wow.. if looks could kill the contempt that Truss has for Sturgeon clear for all to see," one person tweeted

Another added: "Anyone else see that look Liz Truss gave Sturgeon. As if to say..how come she's speaking first?"

"Aye, look at Liz Truss fuming in St Giles ‘cos Nicola Sturgeon gets the first reading," said a third.

It's certainly not the first time we've seen tension between the pair, as Ms Truss launched a blistering attack on Ms Sturgeon in August - branding her an "attention seeker" and saying the best way of dealing with her is to "ignore her".

The Foreign Secretary made the undiplomatic remarks at a hustings event in Exeter, where she and Rishi Sunak were grilled by Tory party members.

Ms Sturgeon went up to do a reading a the service (BBC)

Asked about the Scottish First Minister's call for a second referendum on Scottish independence, Ms Truss said: "I think the best thing to do with Nicola Sturgeon is ignore her. She is an attention seeker. That is what she is."

Under-fire Ms Truss sparked a backlash after her "cack handed" attack - with a senior SNP MP accusing her of "firing cheap shots to grab headlines", and said the move was "straight out of the Trump playbook".

Ms Sturgeon then claimed Ms Truss quizzed her about how to land an interview in Vogue magazine when they met briefly at Cop26 last year.

Speaking at an Edinburgh fringe event, the Scottish first minister said: "I remember it quite well actually.

"I had just done, and this is going to sound really up myself but I don’t mean to … I'd just been interviewed by Vogue, as you do … that was the main thing she wanted to talk to me about, she wanted to know how she could get into Vogue.

"I said to her, they came and asked me."

The pair both attended service of prayer and reflection in Edinburgh today - where the Queen's coffin arrived in a procession led by her children.

King Charles III is greeted by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as they arrive at Edinburgh Airport (PA)

The hearse was flanked by a Bearer Party found by The Royal Regiment of Scotland and The King’s Body Guard for Scotland.

The Princess Royal's husband, Sir Tim Laurence, was a a few steps behind the royal siblings, while Queen Consort Camilla and Sophie, Countess of Wessex followed behind in a car.

The coffin was lifted out of the hearse and brought into the place of worship as the choir sang Thou Wilt Keep Him In Perfect Peace, Whose Mind Is Stayed On Thee.

People lining the route clapped as the procession made its way along the route to the cathedral - with one women shouting "God bless the Queen" as the hearse made its way past.

Dogs could be heard barking as the hearse continued its procession on a bright sunny day in Edinburgh, while members of the public held their phones high to capture images of the historic event.

The coffin was draped with the Royal Standard in Scotland and dressed with a wreath of flowers consisting of white Spray Roses, white Freesias, white button chrysanthemums, dried white heather from Balmoral, spray eryngium, foliage, rosemary, hebe, and pittosporum.

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is carried into St Giles Cathedral (Getty Images)

Earlier this afternoon, the King and Queen Consort arrived at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh ahead of a series of engagements in the city.

After getting out of a car, the monarch spent time meeting members of the public behind a barricade and shaking their hands.

He also received gifts of flowers from well-wishers ahead of attending a Ceremony of the Keys and inspecting the guard of honour.

It's been a busy and emotional day for King Charles, who received the motion of condolence at Westminster Hall today and sat on his throne for the first time as the monarch.

The new King, who had Camilla by his side, listend to the Speaker of the House of Lords pledged his loyalty and shared the "deep sympathy" that Parliament felt over the royal family's grief.

Their thrones are almost identical but the one used by the Queen consort is an inch shorter to indicate their respective roles.

King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex walk behind Queen Elizabeth II's coffin during the procession (PA)

The King quoted Shakespeare in a tribute to the Queen as he addressed Parliament for the first time since becoming monarch.

"As Shakespeare said of the earlier Queen Elizabeth, she was a pattern to all princes living," he said.

Addressing members of both Houses of Parliament, the King said the late Queen "set an example of selfless duty which, with God’s help and your counsels, I am resolved faithfully to follow".

He said: "As I stand before you today I cannot help but feel the weight of history which surrounds us and which reminds us of the vital Parliamentary traditions to which members of both Houses dedicate yourselves with such personal commitment for the betterment of us all.

"The tangible connections to my darling late mother we see all around us, from the fountain in New Palace Yard which commemorates the late Queen’s silver jubilee, to the sundial in Old Palace Yard for the golden jubilee.

"The magnificent stained glass window before me for the diamond jubilee and so poignantly, and yet to be formally unveiled, your most generous gift to her late Majesty to mark the unprecedented Platinum Jubilee which we celebrated only three months ago with such joyful hearts."

* 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 poth pullouts.

You can leave your tributes to Queen Elizabeth II here

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