First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says a 'final and poignant goodbye' to Queen
Nicola Sturgeon said it was an “honour to represent Scotland” as leaders from across the globe joined with the royal family and other mourners at the Queen’s state funeral on Monday.
King Charles III was left close to tears during the service at Westminster Abbey. About 2000 people attended the service in London, with members of royal families from across Europe present, along with politicians from across the the political spectrum and world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and French president, Emmanuel Macron.
The First Minister was among those at Monday’s service, along with other Scottish politicians, including the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, and his Liberal Democrat counterpart, Alex Cole-Hamilton.
Ms Sturgeon described the hour-long ceremony as being “one of the most momentous occasions in recent history” as she spoke of a “final and poignant goodbye to a deeply respected and much loved monarch”.
She hailed the Queen, who died on September 8 at Balmoral, as being a “great constant” as she added it was “an honour to represent Scotland at the service”.
The First Minister added: “As the Queen is laid to rest, it gives us a chance to reflect on the events of the past 10 days which have provided a sincere, solemn and fitting tribute to our longest-reigning monarch.
“We knew how important Scotland was to the Queen and, over recent days, we have been reminded just how much Her Majesty meant to the people of Scotland.”
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland read a prayer as part of the service at Westminster Abbey, which was watched by millions around the world.
Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields also formed part of the pre-procession of church leaders including the Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland, Very Rev Prof David Fergusson.
Speaking after the service, the Moderator said: “The last 10 days have been a whirlwind and yet time seems to have stood still.
“It was a privilege and a real pleasure to spend time in the company of Her Majesty the Queen. She was considerate in every respect and had clearly taken time to understand her guests. I was struck by her tremendous recall and her obvious love for Balmoral and, indeed, Scotland.”
It came as shops and schools across Scotland closed to allow people to pay their last respects to the Queen, who served more than 70 years as monarch.