THE Duke of Hamilton, of East Lothian, played an important role at a service of remembrance for the Queen this afternoon at St Giles' Cathedral.

The Queen's coffin made its journey up Edinburgh's Royal Mile from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to the cathedral, with the Queen's children – King Charles III, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward – walking behind the hearse.

The service of remembrance then took place at the cathedral.

During the service, the Crown of Scotland was placed on the Queen's coffin by Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, the 16th Duke of Hamilton, whose family home is Lennoxlove House, near Haddington.

Historically, the crown has been used in ceremonies to represent the sovereign's presence.

Historic Environment Scotland has confirmed that the crown will remain with the Queen while she lies in rest at the cathedral until Tuesday afternoon.

Members of the public can visit the cathedral to pay their last respects to the monarch, with preparations made for queues to potentially stretch from the cathedral as far as the Meadows.

Special wristbands will be issued to those wanting to see the Queen's coffin while it is in St Giles'; anyone planning on attending is warned to expect long waits and airport-style security checks.

Mourners are also being asked to pass the coffin without pausing in order to ensure as many people as possible can pay their respects.

Later on Tuesday, the Queen’s coffin is expected to be flown to London and be placed at rest at Buckingham Palace ahead of the Queen's funeral on Monday, September 19.