Charles and Camilla land at her Wiltshire estate, Ray Mill House

2022-09-14

Charles and Camilla head to her Wiltshire estate as the royals go their separate ways after series of public events paying tribute to the Queen

King Charles and the Queen Consort’s helicopter lands in Wiltshire following the royal procession in London
The pair were spotted landing in Camilla’s Ray Mill House in Reybridge near Lacock, a village in Wiltshire
The King was then seen driving himself away to travel the 30 minute journey to his home Highgrove House
He will have a private day of reflection and is not expected to attend any public events on Thursday
The aircraft landed in the county at 4.30pm after the Monarch left Westminster Hall around 3.30pm
Full coverage: Click here to see all our coverage of the Queen’s passing

King Charles and the Queen Consort have left London and returned to their respective homes after days of public events paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle on Thursday.

The pair were seen landing in Camilla’s estate in Reybridge near Lacock, Wiltshire at around 4.30pm this afternoon, shortly after leaving the late Queen’s procession from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster.

The Royal aircraft landed in a field alongside the Queen Consort’s home, Ray Mill House.

The landing was welcomed by an audience of just three people in contrast to the huge number of people seen waiting at Royal residences across Britain this week as the grieving family arrived.

It is believed to be the first time the King and Queen Consort have returned to their Wiltshire and Gloucestershire estates since travelling to Balmoral Castle on Thursday hours before the Queen’s death.

The King is expected to have a private day of reflection following the the momentous period that saw him become monarch. He is not expected to attend any public events on Thursday.

King Charles and the Queen Consort land in a helicopter in Wiltshire. The aircraft was seen landing in a field next door to Camilla’s Ray Mill House in Reybridge near the village of Lacock at around 4.30pm. The couple were seen leaving Westminster Hall an hour earlier following a ceremonial procession of the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace

The King, still donned in his military uniform, and Queen Consort were welcomed by an audience of three people. There suitcases were lifted from the helicopter into cars. It is believed to be the first time the King and Queen Consort have returned to their Wiltshire and Gloucestershire estates since travelling to Balmoral Castle on Thursday hours before the Queen’s death

The King was then seen driving himself away from the Wiltshire estate accompanied by The Met’s Special Escort Group. He is expected to have made the 30-minute drive to his home, Highgrove House, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire

The King was seen stood next to his wife, still in his livery, as their suitcases were unloaded from the aircraft before being placed in the cars.

Shortly after arriving, His Majesty drove himself away from the Wiltshire estate where he is expected to make the 30-minute drive to his home, Highgrove House, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire.

He was escorted by The Met Police’s Special Escort Group. The Queen Consort did not accompany him.

In the detailed planning for the aftermath of the Queen’s death, known as ‘London Bridge’, a day was set aside at this point for the new monarch to have some time away from his public duties.

The day of reflection will allow the new King to pause, however, it is understood that he will also be working in preparation for his new role and will be receiving his red boxes of state papers.

Every day of the year, expect Christmas Day, the new monarch will receive papers from Government ministers, and other representatives from the Commonwealth and foreign countries, containing policy papers, cabinet documents and Foreign Office telegrams.

The correspondence also includes a daily summary of events in Parliament, letters and other state papers which are sent by his private secretary in the red boxes also used by Government ministers to carry confidential documents.

All of the papers have to be read and, where necessary, approved and signed.

The red boxes are made by leather goods company Barrow and Gale but it is not known if Charles has received a new set or is using the Queen’s boxes for the time being.

The late Queen still used the boxes that were made for her on her coronation in 1953, having had them refurbished over the years.

It is thought that Camilla will continue residing at Ray Mill House, which is not an official part of the Royal estate, as she has done for years.

She purchased the £850,000 property after divorcing her first husband Andrew Parker Bowles in 1994 and she lived there permanently from 1996 to 2003.

The Royal helicopter was seen landing at Camilla’s Wiltshire residence at around 4.30pm on Wednesday. The landing sported an audience of just three people – a stark contrast from what has been seen at Royal residences across Britain this week, following the death of the King’s mother Queen Elizabeth II

The helicopter landed in a field next door to Camilla’s Wiltshire residence, Ray Mill House (pictured). It is thought that Camilla will continue residing at the home, which is not an official part of the Royal estate, as she has done for years

Shortly after the chopper landed in Wiltshire, Charles could be seen driving himself away from the estate, accompanied by The Met’s Special Escort Group. It is believed he then made the 30-minute drive to his home, Highgrove House (pictured), near Tetbury in Gloucestershire

Earlier on this afternoon King Charles, accompanied by his three siblings and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, reunited to mourn as they walked in procession behind the late Queen’s coffin.

Royals travelled down a packed Mall all the way to Parliament Square in a moving 38 minute march, led by the King.

The Queen’s coffin was then delivered to Westminster where she will lie in state until her funeral on Monday.

King Charles looks tearful as he marches with Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Anne, Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence

Her Majesty has been handed to Britain by the King to lie in state until Monday for mourners to say their goodbyes

The King and his Queen Consort led the Royal Family into Westminster Hall

Tomorrow a rehearsal is likely to take place for the state funeral procession, with King Charles and Camilla expected to travel to Wales on Friday, while the lying in state continues.

This will mark their first official visit to the nation since the death of the Queen. Earlier this week the King and Queen Consort visited the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, and the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast, in their trip around the UK called Operation Spring Tide.

On the day of the funeral, the Queen’s coffin will be taken in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral.

Senior members of the royal family are expected to follow behind, as they did for the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh and Diana, the Princess of Wales.

William and Harry will walk behind the Queen’s coffin tomorrow, similar to the funeral of their mother Princess Diana when they were children in 1997

Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000.

After the service, the coffin will then be taken from the abbey to Wellington Arch before travelling to Windsor.

Once there, the hearse will travel in procession to St George’s Chapel within the ground of Windsor Castle, via the Long Walk.

A televised committal service will then take place in St George’s Chapel, however, later in the evening, a private interment service will be held with senior members of the royal family.

The Queen’s final resting place will be the King George VI memorial chapel, an annex to the main chapel – where her mother and father were buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.

Her late husband, Prince Phillip’s coffin will be moved from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join the Queen’s.

In the days leading up to the Queen’s funeral, an estimated one million people are expected to queue for up to 30 hours to pay their respects to the late monarch and see her coffin before the funeral.

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