King Charles III's touching handwritten note seen on top of his mother's coffin

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By Phoebe Egoroff

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King Charles III has left a touching handwritten note atop his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II's coffin ahead of her historic state funeral today.

As reported by Page Six, the 73-year-old had placed the note amongst the beautiful wreath he designed for the late Queen, which included flowers from her wedding to the late Prince Philip.

The note has been in full display during today's various ceremonies, which began at 11:00AM with Her late Majesty's state funeral. Around 2,000 invitees were in attendance, from both international and national politicians - including PM Liz Truss and US President Joe Biden - to foreign royal families, such as those from Denmark, Japan, and Spain.

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King Charles III's handwritten note to his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was seen resting atop her coffin. Credit: PA Images / Alamy

Eagle-eyed reporters and viewers managed to see that the note read: "In loving and devoted memory. Charles R." The "R" stands for "rex," meaning "king" in Latin, while the Queen would have used "regina," meaning "queen."

The Queen's coffin has since taken part in a procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch - 1.5 miles away - where it was then transferred to a hearse and subsequently embarked on its final journey to Windsor Castle. It is there that the late Queen will finally be laid to rest in St. George's Chapel, alongside her late husband and parents, King George VI and the Queen Mother.

After being lowered into the Royal vault, King Charles III and the rest of the Royal Family will be able to pay their respects to their beloved matriarch, in a private burial service this evening at approximately 7:30PM, as previously reported.

Tributes for the late monarch have taken over social media, as the historic state funeral - the first since Winston Churchill's in 1965 - trends across multiple platforms.

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Queen Elizabeth II will be laid to rest alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (pictured) in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Credit: Sueddeutsche Zeitung Photo / Alamy

All On The Board - a Transport for London employee duo who pen quotes on boards in London's Underground, wrote a touching piece about the late Queen, which was on the board for all to see today. Titled: "Good night, God bless, Dear Lilibet: For Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."

It touched upon how special the late monarch was to many Brits, stating: "In the future when history looks back on the monarchy, it will mention your longevity and stability. But, in the present, we will miss your presence."

"It's okay to cry as we say goodbye, but we can smile again someday, as we celebrate and appreciate the Queen we once had. It's hard to believe that somebody can grieve for someone they don't personally know, but it happens and they do. Millions of people around the world had a dream of having tea with you. You will be loved forever, always missed, and a Queen we will never forget," the board continued, before adding: "Grief is the price we pay for love."

On this bank holiday Monday, the UK is eerily silent as the nation pays tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II. She had won the hearts of the people during her 70-year reign, dedicating her life to serving the Crown and her country.

Featured image credit: PA Images / Alamy