Watch: ‘Sick old man’: Prince Andrew is heckled as he walks behind Queen’s coffin
Prince Andrew was heckled by a protester who shouted ‘You’re a sick old man’ as the Queen’s son followed her coffin procession through the streets of Edinburgh.
Scottish mourners came out in their thousands to pay their respects as she left Balmoral for the last time.
The procession, which was broadcast live on the BBC, was largely silent, sombre and respectful with well-wishers gathered beside country roads, bridges and in village and city centres to say their goodbyes.
However, one protester cut through the silence, shouting aggressively as the Duke of York passed before he was pulled away by police. His comments could clearly be heard in the coverage.
A short scuffle appeared to follow before police led the man away as he shouted “disgusting’ and “I’ve done nothing wrong”.
A Police Scotland spokesperson told Yahoo News UK: “A 22-year old man was arrested in connection with a breach of the peace on the Royal Mile around 2.50pm on Monday, 12 September 2022.”
Andrew, the late monarch’s second son, stepped away from public life amid the fallout over his friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
In January this year, the Queen stripped him of all of his honorary military roles, including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, and he gave up his HRH style.
In March, he paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case with Virginia Giuffre, although the agreement made no admission of any guilt and Andrew maintains his innocence.
Police have faced some criticism for cracking down on protesters expressing anti-monarchy sentiments in recent days.
Symon Hill, an anti-monarchy demonstrator, was arrested after shouting at an accession proclamation for the King.
Hill, 45, said he was was walking home from church on Sunday when he came across a public formal reading of the proclamation of the accession for Charles in Carfax, Oxford.
He was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence under Section 5 of the Public Order Act after shouting “Who elected him?” during the reading. He was later de-arrested after refusing to be interviewed without a lawyer, and driven home by police.
Ruth Smeeth, chief executive of Index on Censorship, said the arrests were “deeply concerning”, adding: “The fundamental right to freedom of expression, including the right to protest, is something to be protected regardless of circumstance.”
Jodie Beck, policy and campaigns officer at Liberty, said: “Protest is not a gift from the State, it is a fundamental right. Being able to choose what, how, and when we protest is a vital part of a healthy and functioning democracy.”
On Tuesday evening the Queen’s coffin will be flown from Edinburgh to London by an RAF plane. It will be accompanied by the late monarch’s only daughter – Anne, the Princess Royal – before being moved to rest at Buckingham Palace’s Bow Room.
The Queen’s state funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey at 11am on Monday, 19 September.
