Prince William and Kate Middleton gazed at floral tributes left by the public outside Sandringham Estate, the queen’s Norfolk retreat. It is the same space where she and her family members regularly spent time, including gathering there for Christmas — a decade-long tradition.
A reporter on the scene who spoke to a woman who met William Thursday said the prince told her the death of his grandmother brought back memories of the death of his mother, Diana, the Princess of Wales.
Prince William Says Walking Behind Queen Elizabeth II’s Coffin Gave Him Flashbacks To His Mother Diana
“He told us yesterday had been particularly difficult and following the coffin had reminded him of his mother’s funeral, of Diana,” said Jane Wells, who had come to lay flowers for the queen at Sandringham.
“He said it had been very difficult.”
Wells continued, “I said, ‘Your mother would be so proud of you and thank you for sharing your grief with us,’ and he said, ‘I’m learning that she was everyone’s grandmother, the way people have reacted.'”
Another person in the crowd told William she was close to tears, to which he replied, according to reports, “Don’t cry now. You’ll start me.”
Sandringham Estate is located close to their own country home, Anmer Hall, where they spend down time as a family with their three children, Princess George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte.
Over 2,000 people from around the world will gather at Westminster Abbey to honor the late monarch on Sept. 19 following her death on Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
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New details about the upcoming state funeral have since been released, which reveal that proceedings will commence at 10:35 a.m. local time when her coffin is moved from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey.
All of the Queen’s children and grandchildren are expected to attend as well as a number of world leaders.
And for those not in the U.K., the funeral will be viewable across the pond as several news stations broadcast it on television. The funeral will also be available on the live stream.
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If you have cable TV, live coverage of the funeral is expected to air on NBC, CNN, ABC, and Fox News. Additionally, the funeral will be televised in the U.K. on BBC One, BBC News, and Sky News.
The funeral service is expected to begin at 11 a.m. local time, which would be 6 a.m. ET.
BBC is set to stream its coverage for those hoping to tune into the funeral online. The national broadcaster also has a current Livestream of the Queen’s lying in state.