Queen Elizabeth's steely daughter Princess Anne shows rare emotion

Queen Elizabeth II's steely only daughter Princess Anne rarely lets her emotions show but the grief has been etched on her face since her mother's death.

Queen Elizabeth II's steely only daughter Princess Anne rarely lets her emotions show but the grief has been etched on her face since her mother's death. With her elder brother King Charles III called to London, it was left to the queen's second child to accompany the cortege through Scotland from Balmoral on Sunday.

Dressed in mourning black, she curtseyed as eight kilted soldiers carried the heavy lead-lined casket into the monarch's official Scottish residence, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh.

Her sister-in-law Sophie, who is married to her younger brother Prince Edward, was seen placing a comforting hand on her back afterwards.

On Monday, Anne, 72, dressed in the ceremonial uniform of a Royal Navy admiral, walked alongside Charles, Edward and their brother Andrew as the coffin was borne from Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral.

She will also accompany the queen's coffin on the flight back to London from Edinburgh on Tuesday.

Anne's role may now change depending on whether Charles pursues a slimmed-down monarchy. But he may find his closest sibling a rock of support as he adjusts to his new role.

Learning the hard way