Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are due to visit Northern Ireland today.
The couple will fly from Edinburgh to Belfast and then travel to Hillsborough Castle.
As soon as the British King arrives at the castle, a 21 gun salute will be fired and the UK Royal Standard flag will be flown.
He is due to meet the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and members of the Stormont Assembly - including the leaders of the five biggest political parties.
On Monday, Stormont MLAs met to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II - the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly will formally pass on their condolences.
Sinn Féin's Deputy Leader Michelle O’Neill called the late monarch "a courageous and gracious leader" and said she appreciated "her warmth, kindness and unfailing courtesy towards us.”
While the DUP’s Gordon Lyons praised her as the "greatest ever leader".
Assembly Members gathered in the Chamber today to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. If you were unable to watch live you can watch again by following this link: https://t.co/z94YU36Eh0 pic.twitter.com/k9MnMqLya8
— Northern Ireland Assembly (@niassembly) September 12, 2022
Since the British Queen’s death, hundreds of people have travelled to Hillsborough Castle to leave flowers and tributes to her.
It is expected King Charles and Camilla Parker Boles will meet well wishers in a walkabout to thank them for their support.
They will then leave for a church service at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast which President Michael Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney will also attend.
Operation Unicorn
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is currently lying in state in St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.
Tens of thousands of people lined the route as the hearse carried Queen Elizabeth's remains from Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire to the Scottish capital.
King Charles and his siblings marched behind it as it made the short journey from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles’ for a church service.
Her Majesty The Queen’s coffin is taken in Procession to St Giles’ Cathedral.
Draped with the Royal Standard in Scotland, the coffin was flanked by the Bearer Party from the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and escorted by The King’s Body Guard for Scotland and The Queen’s children. pic.twitter.com/GSqcifVGWP— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 12, 2022
The sombre silence was punctuated occasionally by cries of “God save the King’ and “God bless the Queen” and one shout of "Andrew, you're a sick old man".
The heckler was removed and detained by Police Scotland who said: "A 22-year-old man was arrested in connection with a breach of the peace on the Royal Mile at around 2.50pm today."
Afterwards the Scottish Parliament paid tribute to the late Queen and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon offered King Charles her support:.
“Your Majesty, we stand ready to support you, as you continue your own life of service — and as you build on the extraordinary legacy of your beloved mother, our Queen,” she said.
“Queen Elizabeth, Queen of Scots - we are grateful for her life.
“May she now rest in peace", she added.
Main image: King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla. Picture by: James Boardman/Alamy Live News
