Sophie embraces well-wisher as she and Edward visit Manchester

Royals embrace a nation grieving the Queen: Kate and William view sea of floral tributes in Sandringham, as Sophie hugs well-wishers in Manchester and Anne heads to Glasgow to meet mourners

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The Royal Family travelled across the UK to join a nation mourning their Queen today, with Kate and William viewing floral tributes at Sandringham, Sophie hugging well-wishers in Manchester and Anne heading to Glasgow to meet crowds waving the Union flag. 

With King Charles III enjoying a much-deserved rest at his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, other senior royals took up the mantle. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales spoke to several of the 1,000 or so people who gathered to greet them outside the Queen’s Norfolk estate, which has been decked with thousands of bouquets and cards. Mourners have been paying their respects at the site, close to the Prince and Princess’s country retreat at Anmer Hall, around the clock since the Queen’s death last Thursday.

Among the 20-deep crowd, retired shop owner Jeffery Malzer, 67, and his wife Ruth, 63, had travelled 4,000 miles from Milwaukee. Wisconsin, to pay their respects. ‘My grandfather served here in the USAF in the war and when we heard of the Queen’s death we knew we had to come,’ he told MailOnline. ‘People in the States love the Queen and it means a lot to us to be here. At least now I’ll be able to say I’ve seen the next King of England.’

In Manchester, an emotional Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, was seen embracing well-wishers as she and her husband, Prince Edward, viewed floral tributes in St Ann’s Square. They will also view the civic book of condolence at the city’s central library and light a candle in memory of the Queen at Manchester Cathedral.

Meanwhile, the Princess Royal, accompanied by her husband Sir Tim Laurence, is visiting Glasgow City Chambers to meet representatives of organisations of which the Queen was patron. Pictured showed her chatting to crowds outside before reading messages left on colourful bouquets. 

William and Kate spoke to several of the 1,000 or so people who gathered to greet them at the ornate Norwich Gate, which has been decked with thousands of bouquets, cards and gifts

Mourners have been arriving at the site, close to the Prince and Princess’s country retreat at Anmer Hall, around the clock since Buckingham Palace announced the Queen’s death last Thursday

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, was seen embracing a well-wisher in Manchester today as the Royal Family fanned out across the UK to join the nation as they mourn their late Queen

The tender moment came as Sophie, 57, and her husband Prince Edward , 58, visited Manchester to view the floral tributes in St Ann’s Square

Sophie receives sunflowers from a crowd member standing behind a metal barrier draped in a Union flag 

Prince Edward speaks to huge crowds of well-wishers as he and the Countess of Wessex make a visit to Manchester 

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