‘Heartbroken’ King Charles III stands guard by Queen’s coffin during St Giles’ Cathedral vigil

Royal fans have sympathised with King Charles after noting that the new monarch looked ‘devastated’ this evening during a vigil for Queen Elizabeth.

All four of Her Majesty’s children gathered around her coffin today in a poignant evening vigil inside St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.

After a short procession, King Charles III, Anne, the Princess Royal, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward each took their place on one of the four corners of the oak coffin with their heads bowed in a ceremony known as the Vigil of the Princes.

The Duke of York kept his eyes closed for a period of time during the 20-minute vigil, while the Princess Royal and Earl of Wessex had their eyes fixed towards the floor.

Royal watchers noted that the King (pictured) appeared ‘heartbroken’ as he stood vigil alongside Princess Ann, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward

King Charles, who appeared to be teary-eyed at times, kept his hands joined and also looked towards the floor as members of the public filed past.

One royal watcher wrote: ‘King Charles looks absolutely devastated this must be the most tough thing for them all.’

A second noted: ‘Charles looks absolutely heartbroken stood there.. he’s had such a busy few days that he’s literally had no time to grieve..’

A further commentator Tweeter said: ‘Charles looks utterly bereft whilst undertaking the Vigil of Princes. Imagine having to do your mourning in public. No thank you.’

Another agreed, replying: ‘I’ve thought how absolutely heartbroken he’s looked the whole time.’

Meanwhile another Twitter user felt that the moment should have been private, writing: ‘The guards/police could and maybe should have stopped the public walking through, to let the family take vigil privately. King Charles III looks heartbroken. This shouldn’t have been televised. It should have been a private moment behind closed doors.’

The King and his family began their vigil at the coffin at 7.46pm and finished it at 7.56pm. They are seen arriving at the church 

An aerial photo showing the Queen’s four children walking down the central aisle of St Giles’ Cathedral towards the Queen’s coffin 

The Duke of York kept his eyes closed for a period of time during the vigil, while the Princess Royal and Earl of Wessex had their eyes fixed towards the floor

Members of the public – who have been filing past the coffin in their thousands throughout the afternoon – were briefly held back to allow the royals to take their place. However, they continued to file past once the vigil began, offering them an extraordinary perspective on the historic moment

Members of the public walk past the Royal Family during this evening’s Vigil of the Princes at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh 

 The King kept his hands joined and also looked towards the floor as members of the public filed past

King Charles, alongside his three siblings, stood alongside four suited members of the Royal Company of Archers, who were standing guard dressed in long-feathered hats and armed with arrows and quivers, while Camilla, the Queen Consort, watched on from a distance.

Members of the public – who have been filing past the coffin in their thousands throughout the afternoon – were briefly held back to allow the royals to take their place. 

However, they continued to file past once the vigil began, offering them an extraordinary perspective on the historic moment.

A number of members of the public bowed as they passed the King, with others walking solemnly by with heads down.   

Royal watchers took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the vigil, with many noting that King Charles looked ‘heartbroken’

The tradition of holding such a vigil has been honoured since the death of King George V in 1936, with Princess Anne today becoming the first female royal to take part.

Tens of thousands of Scots have been paying their respects to the Queen throughout the afternoon after queueing for hours through the streets of Edinburgh. 

The royals were clapped and cheered by well-wishers as they left the West Door of the church into the darkness of the evening.

The Queen will lie in state there for 24 hours before she is flown to London tomorrow ahead of the funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday, September 19.