Queen Elizabeth II's grandchildren are honoring their beloved Grannie.
In a vigil held next to the late monarch's coffin at Westminster Hall at the Palace of Westminster in London on Sept. 17, the queen's eight grandchildren including King Charles III's sons Prince William and Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Vicount Severn all gathered to pay their tribute to Her Majesty. The vigil comes a little more than a week after Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96.
William, 40, the new Prince of Wales, led his cousins inside. For 15 minutes, he stood at the head of the coffin, flanked by Zara, 41, and Peter, 44—Princess Anne's children. Harry, 38, held vigil on the opposite end of the coffin, next to Beatrice, 34, and Eugenie, 32—Prince Andrew's daughters. Louise, 18, and James, 14, Prince Edward's kids, stood at the middle.
The queen's grandchild bowed as members of the public, who lined up for many hours, walked past them to view the coffin, which was draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre, lying in state on the catafalque.
Both William and Harry wore their military uniforms. Buckingham Palace confirmed the latter would wear his for the vigil at the "King's request," Sky News reported. Harry, a U.K. veteran like his brother and who served on the front line during two tours of duty in Afghanistan, had been stripped of his military titles following his and wife Meghan Markle's 2020 royal exit, and had not been allowed to wear his uniform until the queen's vigil.
William wore the Blues and Royals No 1 uniform, the Garter Sash, the Garter Star, the Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medals and RAF pilot wings, according to Sky News. Harry wore a Blues and Royals No 1 Uniform, KCVO Neck Order and Star, Afghanistan Operational Service Medal, Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals and Army Pilot Wings, the outlet said.
A day earlier, the queen's four children—Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward—held a vigil of their own beside her coffin.
Since the queen's death, members of the royal family have also appeared in public to greet mourners. Hours before the grandchildren stood vigil, the king and William made surprise visits to greet the scores of fans waiting in line to view the late monarch's coffin.
And two days following her passing, William and Harry, accompanied by their wives Kate Middleton, a.k.a. Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Meghan, greeted fans at Windsor Castle. Harry told mourners that the historic location was "a lonely place up there now without her," adding that "every room she was in, we felt her presence throughout."
The couples' joint appearance marked the first time they have all been photographed together in more than two years, amid reported tensions between the brothers and their wives, fueled by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's royal exit. William and Harry have reunited at a royal events since then, and have put up a united front in the wake of the queen's death.
On Sept. 10, William reflected on losing such an "extraordinary leader."
"My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love," the prince wrote in a statement. "All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen. I will honor her memory by supporting my father, The King, in every way I can."
Prince William leads his brother Prince Harry, and their cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of York, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Vicount Severn as they enter Westminster Hall at the Palace of Westminster to mount a vigil around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre, lying in state on the catafalque.
Prince William (center) appears with his brother Prince Harry (not pictured) and their cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of York, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Vicount Severn at Westminster Hall at the Palace of Westminster to mount a vigil around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II.
Daughters of Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew stand vigil.