Queen's grandchildren stand vigil by coffin
In the early hours of Saturday evening, all eight of Queen Elizabeth II's grandchildren kept a sombre vigil by her casket.
William and Prince Harry, the sons of King Charles III, were accompanied by Zara Tindall and Peter Philips, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie, the daughters of Prince Andrew, and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, the two children of Prince Edward.
With his head down, William, who was now the successor to the throne, stood at the head and Harry at the foot of the coffin. Both princes, who have served in the military, were dressed in uniform.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie made a statement thanking their "loving grannie" before to the vigil.
"Like many others, we assumed you would stay here forever. And we all sincerely miss you. You served as our matriarch, our leader, and the gentle hand that guided us through this life. We will always value the teachings and memories you taught us, the sisters stated.
Line for disabled individuals is 'permanently closed.'
The line to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II as her coffin sits in state for those with impairments and mobility concerns has been cleared.
On Saturday afternoon, the administration declared that the line "had achieved full capacity and is now permanently blocked."
It claims that all time slots have been reserved for individuals who are qualified to join the "accessible" line, which is for those with conditions or disabilities that prevent them from standing in line for long periods of time. It is distinct from the main line, which is open and has wait times of roughly 13 hours.
The funeral rehearsal is finished at Windsor Castle.
The procession that will transport Queen Elizabeth II's coffin to its final resting place saw its first complete rehearsal with the participation of hundreds of soldiers from the British army, air force, and navy.
Early on Saturday, marching bands marched ahead of a hearse as troops lined The Long Walk, a scenic avenue that leads to Windsor Castle. The drumbeats reverberated throughout the area.
They will do the same thing on Monday, only thousands more people are expected to travel to Windsor for the queen's final farewell.
In his words, King Charles affirms the religious pluralism of the UK.
In a meeting with religious leaders on Friday at Buckingham Palace, the new king, who has long been referred to as the "Defender of the Faith," identified himself as a "committed Anglican Christian." But he also accepted and pledged to uphold modern Britain's religious pluralism.
The monarch reminded the leaders gathered in the Bow Room that, in his capacity as the country's head of state, he takes oaths to defend the Protestant faith in the United Kingdom, but he also feels he has a responsibility to defend "the space for faith itself."
Therefore, he remarked, "I believe myself bound to respect both individuals who want to conduct their lives in line with secular values and those who follow other spiritual pathways by my most profound convictions, as well as by my position as king."
Police arrest man for touching queen's coffin
In Westminster Hall, where Queen Elizabeth II's body is lying in state until her funeral on Monday, a man was detained late on Friday "after a disturbance," according to British police.
London's Metropolitan Police issued a brief statement in which they claimed that "officers from the Met's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command apprehended a guy" in accordance with "the Public Order Act."
He's still being held in detention. Other information was withheld.
The man reportedly went up to the casket, touched it, and attempted to rip the Royal Standard off the coffin before being quickly apprehended, according to numerous stories from British media, including the BBC and The Guardian, which cited eyewitness accounts. Live coverage of the lying-in-state cut to the view from outside Parliament before returning to the scene.
There have been a few minor protests after the queen's passing, most of which have been directed against the new king, Charles III. However, surveys reveal that the majority of the British population supports the monarchy, which has roots that go back at least 1,000 years to the early mediaeval period.