Britain's Queen Elizabeth II embarks on her journey on Sunday with thousands of her mourning subjects expected to line the route from her Scottish retreat at Balmoral where she died.

11:08 am: Coffin carrying Queen Elizabeth II leaves Balmoral Castle

Queen Elizabeth II's coffin on Sunday left the Scottish retreat where she died as the late monarch embarked on her final journey with thousands of her mourning subjects expected to line the route.

A hush fell over the gathered crowd as the cortege carrying the queen's casket exited the gates of Balmoral Castle for Edinburgh at the start of an odyssey of mourning in the United Kingdom, culminating in her state funeral in London on September 19.

Six groundskeepers had loaded the oak coffin — draped with a Scottish Royal Standard and a floral wreath — into the black hearse that was to wind its way slowly on a six-hour journey to Scotland's capital.

Security escort vehicles and a mauve Bentley carrying the queen's only daughter Princess Anne made up the cortege passing through a series of towns before reaching Edinburgh, where it will rest for two days so people can pay tribute.

The first glimpse of her coffin for a grieving nation came a day after her son Charles III was formally proclaimed king, and after her warring grandsons William and Harry, and their wives Kate and Meghan, briefly reunited for a walkabout.

10:00am: 'Reunited for granny': UK papers hail apparent reconciliation between William and Harry 

Britain's newspapers on Sunday were hailing an apparent royal reconciliation as their front pages were dedicated to the reunion of princes William and Harry, along with their wives Kate and Meghan.

Pictures of the quartet looking at floral tributes to Queen Elizabeth II outside her former Windsor Castle residence were splashed across the covers of many of the nation's Sunday papers.

"Reunited for granny," read the Mirror's headline, while the Telegraph ran with "Reunited in sorrow" and the Sun with "All 4 One". 

Some papers hinted that relations still appeared to be frosty, with the Times headline reading: "Warring Windsors' awkward truce to honour the Queen". 

9:58am: Queen Elizabeth II begins solemn journey

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II embarks on her journey on Sunday with thousands of her mourning subjects expected to line her coffin's route from the Scottish retreat where she died.

The solemn departure of the queen's oak casket from Balmoral Castle for Edinburgh marks the start of an odyssey of national mourning culminating in her state funeral in London on September 19.

Her journey begins a day after her son Charles III was formally proclaimed king, and after her grandsons William and Harry, and their wives Kate and Meghan, briefly reunited for a walkabout to view tributes to the Queen.

A hearse carrying the coffin of Britain's longest-serving monarch will make a six-hour journey through Scottish towns before arriving in Edinburgh, where it will rest for two days so people can pay tribute.

France24