Princess Kate and Meghan's sweet show of unity after procession for the Queen

King Charles walked behind Queen Elizabeth's coffin with Prince William and Prince Harry on the way to Westminster Hall.

The 73-year-old monarch - who acceded to the throne when his mother died last Thursday at her Balmoral estate aged 96 following a 70-year reign - was joined on foot by his sons as Her Majesty's coffin is taken to from her home at Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall in London, where she will lie in state until Monday.

The King was also joined by siblings Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and Anne, Princess Royal, while his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, and Catherine, the Princess of Wales - who has been married to the Prince of Wales since 2011 - travelled by car, as will Prince Edward's wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, and Price Harry's wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.

Later, the Sussexes and Waleses walked and stood side-by-side in more shows of solidarity at Queen Elizabeth’s lying-in-state ceremonies.

The royals follow the bearer party carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into Westminster Hall, London. Photo / Jacob King, Pool via AP

Princes Harry and William marched together behind their father King Charles as they followed the Queen's coffin from Buckingham Palace – in an echo of the brothers walking behind Princess Diana’s casket in 1997.

William and Harry marched in the second of three rows in a 10-strong procession which left Buckingham Palace at 2.22pm, with the Queen’s coffin transported in front of them by gun carriage.

Prince Harry, the Earl of Snowdon, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, Kate, Princess of Wales and Prince William follow the bearer party. Photo / Jacob King, Pool via AP

The Imperial State Crown could be seen gleaming on a cushion on top of the Royal Standard draped over Her Majesty’s casket.

Prince William stood with his brother to his right and Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips, to the left.

At the rear was the Princess Royal’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence, while to his right was Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the grandson of George V.

The Earl of Snowdon, son of the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret, were to the Duke's right.

William and Harry had already put aside their years of rumoured rifts for a united front on Saturday when they went on a walkabout with their wives outside Windsor Castle to view the sea of flowers and gifts left for their grandmother and talk to well-wishers.

Prince William, top left, Kate, bottom left, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan, right, pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II. Photo / Christopher Furlong, Pool via AP

Harry then paid an emotional tribute to the Queen on Monday, thanking her for the “sound advice” she gave and “infectious smile”, saying she was a “guiding compass” throughout her life.

Camilla, The Queen Consort, Kate, The Princess of Wales, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, did not march in the procession on Wednesday, instead travelling in cars behind those marching, with Kate seen looking grief-stricken behind a veil.

They exited their vehicles to enter Westminster Hall with the rest of the procession, with the King and the Queen Consort leading the royal family into Westminster Hall.

The Sussexes held hands while the Waleses walked apart in front of them.

Loyal staff of the late Queen, including two of her Pages and the Palace Steward, were also at the ceremony.

Her Majesty’s coffin had travelled up the Mall from Buckingham Palace before it moved down Horse Guards Road and past Horse Guards Parade, weaving onto Whitehall, then Parliament Square and ending at the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Hall.

Pallbearers from The Queen's Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II past Camilla, Kate,  Sophie and Meghan. Photo / Oli Scarff, Pool via AP

The 38-minute procession poignantly passed the statue of the Queen's parents King George VI and the Queen Mother which overlooks The Mall.

A short service was then led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Queen will lie in state at Westminster Hall until her state funeral on September 19.

The flowers atop her coffin were white roses, white dahlias and foliage from the gardens at Balmoral, where the Queen died peacefully on September 8 aged 96.

For four full days, members of the public will be able to pay respect to the late monarch ahead of the Queen’s state funeral – a bank holiday in the UK –which is due to take place on Monday September 19.

- Bang! Showbiz

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