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CNN INTERNATIONAL: King and Queen Consort Heading to Belfast Airport; Charles Wrapping up First Visit to Northern Ireland as Monarch; Queen Elizabeth's Coffin being Driven to Edinburgh Airport; Queen's Coffin to be Flown to London in coming Hours; Zelenskyy: We've Retaken 6,000 Square KM from Russians; Queen's Coffin En Route to Edinburgh Airport, Bound for London. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired September 13, 2022 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[11:00:00]

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: We've seen him waving. We've seen him going along shaking people's hands. And here he is trying to connect bring a sense moment bring a sense that he is with them and appreciates what they're doing for him that sacred vehicles are off now.

That's what it communicated to me standing here just a few feet away. He wanted to let the people know that he appreciated their support appreciated they're singing a huge crowd down the street down here. We probably can't see him at the moment they were just turning Alex's just turning the camera on. You might see the crowd at the end of the street singing before "God save the King" cheers her hip-hip-hooray three cheers went up from that crowd here.

And the crowd where King Charles works was walking along with the Queen Consort, shaking hands. Everyone here had been waiting for this moment, they sort of knew that it was coming because the King's security had come out security had stepped up. There was this real sense of anticipation. And the King just moved through that atmosphere so easily just walking up to the railing, breaking the ice with them, thanking them for their singing and asking them how they were getting on and thanking them for being here.

So you know, quite a powerful moment, I think for the people standing here and an indication of how in his time going around the United Kingdom, Scotland bow Northern Ireland will be London again soon. Wales later this week trying to connect and from what we've seen here, an easy and relaxed connection. That's what I felt from the body language, standing close watching.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Fascinating Nic. This is the voice of Nic Robertson as we look at pictures of His Majesty King Charles II and his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, leaving St. Anne's Cathedral on their way to Belfast Airport.

They will arrive in London later on today, as will be coffin of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II that will be escorted from Edinburgh by his sister, Princess Anne, she will escort the body of Queen Elizabeth II down from Edinburgh to London, and they will meet here at Buckingham Palace where that casket will rest overnight before being taken to Westminster Hall tomorrow where she will lie in state given the opportunity for the British public and those visitors to the UK who wish to do so to file past and pay their respects over the next four days.

You're watching CNN's special coverage Remembering Queen Elizabeth II live from Buckingham Palace. I'm Becky Anderson; we will be right back after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:05:00]

ANDERSON: You are watching CNN Special Coverage Remembering Queen Elizabeth II. I'm live for you from Buckingham Palace I'm Becky Anderson. This is the car carrying His Majesty, King Charles III and Queen Consort, Camilla. They have left St. Anne's Cathedral where they attended a service of prayer and reflection on their way now to Belfast Airport.

They will fly back here to London and arrive at Buckingham Palace to greet the caskets baring his mother. His sister, Princess Anne will travel with the Queen's coffin down from Edinburgh. They will arrive at RAF Northolt, which is that northwest of the city here and that journey will be a slow one.

And I'm sure once again there will be streets lined with people as the casket makes its way to Buckingham Palace. These are the images of His Majesty King Charles III and Camilla in a convoy on their way to Belfast Airport in Northern Ireland.

It is six minutes passed four. Mark Saunders Royal Biographer is here with me. And we watched another wonderful service of prayer and reflection. And King Charles II, frankly being greeted an extremely warm way by the people of Northern, let's be quite frank. I mean those who turn out to line the streets and to greet them on it will clearly be, you know, fans.

So perhaps it's - it would be wrong to suggest that they fully reflect the sense from the people of the country of Northern Ireland. But certainly, I think the panelists will be pleased with the way that he has been received both there and in Scotland, of course,

MARK SAUNDERS, ROYAL BIOGRAPHER: Yes, I think there'll be very, very pleased with that. It would be relatively easy for someone to make comments from the crowd if they were so inclined. Nothing like that has happened. So I think you know they are loyal subjects Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. But a sigh of relief from those in charge, I think yes.

ANDERSON: You and I have remarked on the fact that the Queen died in Scotland and the plans for her eventual death have been in the offing for years and years and years. And there will always been a plan in the event that she died at her summit estate she did.

But that has actually given the people of the United Kingdom, you know, what would otherwise not have been as big a chance to really share in the commemoration of her death because this is all of course started in Scotland move on to Northern Ireland with this service today. Prince Charles and his wife, King Charles III and his wife will then visit Wales later on this week and eventually back into London.

SAUNDERS: That's what I said earlier, not only is it fortuitous, possibly there's a divine majesty watching over this, not only she is going to go around the United Kingdom, the people of the country had the chance to say goodbye at the Platinum Jubilee just three months ago.

So she died knowing how loved she was. That's been clearly shown. And now she's going around all four countries of the United Kingdom before her final resting. It's almost like someone is watching over her.

ANDERSON: What her soul and her spirits I mean, she's on her way back down to London, but her son of course he is now the Monarch here. Thank you, Mark, it's an absolute pleasure having you with us! Let's get you to Nic, who was in Belfast in Northern Ireland, Nic.

ROBERTSON: Becky, it was a very telling and moving moment when King Charles left the service, the Queen Consort at his side. There was no doubt in his mind I could see we were standing just a few feet away, no doubt in his mind that he was going to come and greet the crowd here.

And as he walked up to them and the anticipation the crowd was high because they'd seen the security build up they were aware they might be able to get an opportunity to speak to about 150 people gathered here and writers square immediately outside St. Anne's Cathedral.

And the King as he walked up to the barrier where the people were he said thank you for your lovely saying. He really appreciated the fact that appeared that they've been singing "God save the King: as he came out. A huge crowd at the other end of the street here are equally full throated "God save the King" and singing the national anthem as well.

[11:10:00]

ROBERTSON: He really appreciated the fact that appeared that they've been singing God save the king as he came out. A huge crowd at the other end of the street here equally full throated, God save the king and singing the national anthem as well.

So this was a really quite, you know, an emotional moment for the crowd and the one that the King and the Queen Consort, rose to working their way along the line of people at the barrier.

And then shaking the hands having those exchanges, but of course, so much more awaits the king. Now back in London, he took that time in his very busy schedule to make sure he was connecting with the people, particularly here in Northern Ireland, now at Belfast City Airport, George Best Airport, waiting, arriving, ready, getting ready to board that flight back to London and all the preparations that there will be for the laying and state of his mother for the preparations for the funeral. There will be a repeat of today for the king later in the week, he will be going to Wales, he will have been to Scotland, now Northern Ireland, then Wales, touching in the four corners of the United Kingdom with that same message bringing the message of connection with the people and reflection and a chance for people to say goodbye to his mother as well.

ANDERSON: Nic Robertson is in Northern Ireland and we are just looking at those pictures at Belfast Airport. This is the jet that will fly His Majesty King Charles III back to London with his wife.

And we should expect to see them entering that jet relatively soon. I'm joined here in London, by Hugo Vickers. Hugo is a world biographer. And I know you will be happy to discuss Northern Ireland with me and the relationship that the royal family has with the country nationalists in Northern Ireland, of course, not fans of the monarchy, but they have been respectful following the Queen's death.

As we just consider these images of His Majesty getting into the jet, followed by one assumes he or she comes the Queen Consort, she's still on the tarmac. Expect to see the Queen Consort Camilla, Walker's step behind His Majesty in the future. That is the way that things are done.

So the British monarch now on that flight back to London shortly from Belfast where they have attended a service of prayer and reflection. Hugo Vicker is with me here, outside Buckingham Palace.

And your sense of the role that Queen Elizabeth played in repairing a relationship through her role in the peace process in the 1990s. How significant a role did she play because?

MARIE COLEMAN, PROFESSOR, QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST: But you know she's always played a significant role because what she's very good at what she's very good at is being a conciliator. And if you look at her speeches, she always says, you can't change the past, but you can build bridges towards the future.

And she's taken various steps over the years to move things forward for the rest of us. Literally, putting our own feelings aside because as you know, Lord Mountbatten was murdered, assassinated. That can't have been easy.

She shakes hands with Martin McGuinness. She does that for us. And she did that, and supremely well, always moving this forward. And there was a very interesting broadcast in which Lord Mountbatten's daughter, Patricia, said that he didn't think that a 20 year sentence was a day too short for people who had blown up an old man and two young boys and all that happened but that she said this is the mother of a dead son.

If letting them out a couple of years earlier, moves the peace process forward. That's what we should do. And I think that is the very much the attitude that the Queen had too.

ANDERSON: The favorite uncle of the now King Charles III.

COLEMAN: He relied on him very much. I mean, he thought he was the grandfather that he never had will never knew anyway.

ANDERSON: Lord Mountbatten we are talking about, here as we look at images of Belfast airport on the left of your screen that jet on the tarmac there, and the containing His Majesty King Charles III and his wife, Queen Consort, Camilla.

And on the right hand side of your screen, images from outside St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh in Scotland where well-wishers, mourners still gathered to pay their respects.

The casket carrying Queen Elizabeth will be removed from that cathedral where it's been lying at rest and people have been paying their respect, some 26,000 people overnight and into today paying their respects in St Giles Cathedral in Scotland.

[11:15:00]

ANDERSON: Her body will be moved to London in the hours to come accompanied by Princess Anne. And I just wonder, Hugo as you reflect on these two images, here is the new Monique in Northern Ireland in Belfast.

These are the images these warm images of, of love and respect that we've seen from the people of Edinburgh lining the Royal Mile yesterday, on what was the last sort of the first part of her last journey as it were. Your sense of what we are witnessing here.

COLEMAN: Well, of course we're witnessing what you might call a gradual goodbye. I felt so sorry for all the estate workers at Balmoral. What they must have felt when the car finally left because until a few days ago, Queen was there right in the middle of them.

She'd been there since the 21st of July, first went to Craigowan Lodge then move to Balmoral loved being there. And then suddenly, it's all gone.

And then of course, remarkable that Edinburgh has had this opportunity to pay their respects but in literally minutes, you know, the queen will leave Scotland for the last time never to return. And there'll be a terrible sense of loss, I think.

And it's all going to build up into an enormous crescendo down here in London getting evermore magnificent with the lying in state and the state funeral and then finally the committal, it's a long journey.

ANDERSON: It's a very long journey. And it is it's been remarkable to be a witness to it all.

COLEMAN: It has.

ANDERSON: Since we found out that the Queen passed away peacefully at Balmoral on Thursday afternoon. I just want to take you back to Northern Ireland and the images that we are looking at on the screen of the Monique of King Charles III on the tarmac.

Forgive me, viewers, if you've been with us for some time, I'm repeating myself, but this is for the benefit of those who may just be joining us. That is the plane containing King Charles and that plane will take off momentarily from Belfast in Northern Ireland, bringing Charles and his wife Camilla back to London where they will receive the coffin with his mother from the flight that will leave Edinburgh very shortly as well.

So we're giving you these two images, one of Scotland today, and one of Northern Ireland. These are live images. And in Northern Ireland, let's just consider what we were discussing.

We need to speak about that famous picture of the Queen shaking hands with Martin McGuinness.

COLEMAN: Yes.

ANDERSON: Then Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. It was a poignant moment, possibly the defining moment, you could argue of the Queen's relationship with Northern Ireland.

And I do think we should discuss what you believe the legacy will be in what is the most complicated part of the United Kingdom it has to be set?

COLEMAN: Well, it's always been very difficult. I mean, Georgia 5 - opened the last parliament in 1921. And as you know that there's the revision of these countries and there's been a lot of tension about all that. And the Queen has been to Northern Ireland many times over the years.

ANDERSON: I'm going to stop you there, because we are just seeing the Queen's coffin now leaving St. Giles Cathedral. The pallbearers, I think we all agree have been absolutely phenomenal.

And correct me if I'm wrong, it looks to me as if these are possibly the same pallbearers who carried her casket into St. Giles's cathedral. What feels like a very long time ago but was actually what is it today is Tuesday, so that was on Monday morning, was it?

COLEMAN: Sunday morning.

ANDERSON: Sunday morning.

COLEMAN: Yes. And of course you're going to see a different Royal Standard because that's the Royal Standard of Scotland which I see very much the arms of Scotland the red line that you see there on the yellow background. By the time she comes here, which you will see later this evening will be the Royal Standard of England, the duality of her - Queen of Scots and Queen of England.

[11:20:00]

ANDERSON: This is the next leg of the final journey for Queen Elizabeth II, coffin a casket now in the hearse there leaving St. Giles' Cathedral through Edinburgh. She was accompanied in the car behind by Princess Anne, her daughter. And that casket will then be flown from Edinburgh airport and his convoy making its way there back down to London, where she will be brought to Buckingham Palace, which is just behind me here today.

[11:25:00]

ANDERSON: Hugo Vickers is still with me, Royal Biographer. We've seen some wonderful images of Scotland over the past few days as the police behind his views on if you can see just sweeping on security ahead of what is going to be a very, very busy time here. But yes, some wonderful images and the Queen would have loved that.

HUGO VICKERS, WRITER AND BROADCASTER: Yes. And I mean the weather in Scotland is not always very good.

ANDERSON: --climate at the best.

VICKERS: But I must say that it's best for the queen, hasn't it? And the crowds that have come out to see her yesterday, today just now and it's a terrible finality about it. I think you know, when you see even those archers standing there with a special bodyguard in Scotland, and they looked miserable to lose her.

ANDERSON: I tell you, he's done a good job of those pallbearers taking his casket into the cathedral and back out.

VICKERS: Yes.

ANDERSON: I mean they will have practiced that time and time again, I'm sure but still what a responsibility.

VICKERS: I know there is because of the as you know, the whole plans have been in place for years and years and years. That's why it's all so meticulous. And it's extraordinary.

When you think of the choreography of the king, he's on his way we saw his plane just a moment ago, he will be coming back to Buckingham Palace. And it's wonderful, I think that the princess and the Princess Royal is accompanying the queen on all this, but then she was with those six hours on that journey from Balmoral down to Edinburgh. And she is going to the airport and will fly with the coffin. And I think that's also very touching.

ANDERSON: And the image of her courting - in front of the coffin as it arrived at Hollywood at the Palace of Hollywood house at the weekend was really quite poignant, wasn't it?

VICKERS: I mean think about Princess Anne is that she's always said, she was my queen, and she was my mother. And she never had any problem with that at all. She completely respected it.

And I think she got it right, as she knew that the Queen had responsibilities which took her away from home. Luckily, of course, a lot of the time when they were on holiday, they were all together. So they did have long periods of time when they didn't move, especially at Balmoral. ANDERSON: Images from Edinburgh sorry, apologies. Let me just sort of remind our viewers if they're just joining us, what we are witnessing here and what we are seeing on your screens, this is - these are the cars, one of which has the casket of containing Queen Elizabeth II.

And she is now leaving Edinburgh, accompanied by her daughter and on that coffin on its way down out of Edinburgh to the airport and then to London finally, a lot of activity behind us here a lot of security.

There is an awful lot going on in London in anticipation of the arrival of the Queen's body because we have a very packed six days' worth of events in the lead up now to --.

VICKERS: Well, most particularly tomorrow where there will be this magnificent procession from here from Buckingham Palace because the Queen's coffin or casket as you call it will be in the throne room overnight.

Because you know, again, there are the staff and the household who need the private members to say goodbye. We've seen that Balmoral where we haven't seen it, but we know it happened at Balmoral, we know it happened Hollywood, it has happened here at Buckingham Palace.

And then she will go to Westminster Hall, which will be very public. I'm old enough to have seen three lying in states in my life Churchill, Duke of Windsor at St. George's Chapel and the Queen Mother, also in Westminster, and it's very, very moving experience.

ANDERSON: Between 750,000 and 2 million people expected to queue to fall past the Queen. And she lies in state to pay their respects, suggestions that it could be more thankfully, looks as if it's going to be pretty good in the days to come. Doesn't matter what the weather is doing, if you hear from so many people, that they just want to have that opportunity to say goodbye.

VICKERS: They do. They do and I mean the British people would have queued in - good for the king in February in freezing cold weather. Luckily, it's not so bad now but you know, because many more people will do it, I think.

ANDERSON: It is a busy time for His Majesty King Charles III now on his way back from Northern Ireland today to London. And then he will take a trip to Wales. He is determined that he will get around the United Kingdom. In this, what is this first week of you know him being in his new role, what does the future hold for him?

[11:30:00]

VICKERS: It's looking very good, I think. I mean, he's responded tremendously well, his speech, we had such gravitas. He really spoke to us as a king. Words that he used like dedication, duty, gratitude, love, he put aside all the things that we'd been worrying about, would he'd been meddling?

No, he's not going to be meddling. Was he going to do something different with the Church of England? No, he isn't. And I thought that he really was looking at and sort of bringing us all in together and appreciating that all of us, some of them whom some people who've never met the Queen, probably some people who never saw the Queen, also will be grieving, I thought that was very good.

He, of course, has had to do much more than any of his predecessors ever did in this early stage. I mean, the Queen didn't have to go around like this when she came to the throne. The Monique will always go later, certainly but not at this moment of grief, but perhaps it's a helpful thing to do to reestablish him to affirm him in these different cities.

ANDERSON: And it's important to note that Republicanism is, to all intents and purposes, redundant as a political issue in the UK and has been made so over the period of time that the Queen - as a result of the Queen's activity and how people have felt about the Queen, not so in other parts of the world. And so let's be quite clear about that. And so, you know, there is likelihood that King Charles III will face some opposition in other parts of the world.

VICKERS: Well, I think it's something which we have found that people are a bit of confused in a way, there's two different things to point here. The Queen presided over a lot of independence of African countries and Caribbean islands in the course of her reign.

There will be more I'm sure, but the Commonwealth is the thing that she always wanted people to be part of. She was delighted when South Africa came back into the Commonwealth. And they've always said we will get quietly if you are ready to be independent. That's exactly right. But please stay in the Commonwealth. And they stay there because they want to be there.

ANDERSON: Well, let's explain why, why do they want to be members of the column? Because there will be people who are watching this and that is an anachronistic absurdity. Is it?

VICKERS: No, no, no, no, it's just not. It's a little bit of a, I think it's in a fragile state, but something very precious about the Commonwealth, which could so easily be damaged. They get together for trade, they get together to discuss political issues. Wonderfully they get together to sport.

I mean, I've spent a lot of time in the Commonwealth. And I've seen the - I went to the opening of the Commonwealth Games, all these different islands sent the youngsters, maybe traveling for the first time to compete with each other in sport, get to know each other, understand that, we are all different. But we are also the same fundamentally. It's a wonderful organization.

ANDERSON: And you see it, surviving, do you?

VICKERS: The Commonwealth, yes. I mean, I think it doesn't matter if these countries, some countries, we don't want to have him as head of state, you can understand that.

The Tech, I don't know what will happen in Australia, for example, but as you probably know, Melbourne is II biggest population outside Athens. I mean, they have a lot of trade with Asia.

It might be natural that they want you some people feel that they aren't really themselves until they have their own head of state. But mind you, when you look at the heads of state that a lot of countries give I think a lot of them would be really pleased to have the head of state like the one we've just lost.

ANDERSON: Hugo Vickers is with me here, Royal Biographer, as we look back at images that we saw just moments ago, and this is the Queen's coffin casket being brought out of St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh by these wonderful young soldiers, they took it in.

And they have brought it out and the dignified manner within which they have done that as you would expect but it has been remarkable to see this. One of these young soldiers at Hugo, I am told is young Fijian and his father is so proud, so proud to have been chosen to carry the coffin.

These pallbearers' young soldiers of course in Edinburgh in Scotland I want to take a very short break and leave you with this image as we continue our special coverage of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:35:00]

ANDERSON: I'm Becky Anderson outside Buckingham Palace, where we continue our coverage of Queen Elizabeth's passing. Her coffin will arrive back here at Buckingham Palace in the hours to come.

It is left at St. Giles cathedral where she led rest over the past 24 hours or so. It is accompanied by her daughter and they will fly that will fly from Edinburgh to London and we expect to see her coffin arrive back here in the hours to come.

I'm joined by Hugo Vickers, Royal Biographer. As we've been remarking on the images of King Charles III and his wife Camilla, who attended to serve as a reflection earlier on this afternoon in St. Anne's Cathedral in Northern Ireland, the latest stop on what will be a tour of the UK by the new Monique here.

He met with the Irish President Michael Higgins that is the first meeting with a head of state for King Charles as the new King, first meeting with the head of state after officially being made king. What the apps given you know the contentious history that he will, he will need to deal with?

VICKERS: Michael Higgins that's so interesting that hits 2014 when he came over one afternoon in St. George's Chapel, the Queen and Prince Philip came to meet some organists, 150 years of organist.

And private secretary said they're really happy this afternoon. Don't know how to go home now tell you why. Last night we had the state banquet for President Higgins. And it was a very difficult speech because it was going to be examined very carefully. It wasn't just one of those foreign office speeches about good trade relations. If you put a capital letter here about used to words like conciliation et cetera. And it went really well.

And this afternoon, they're just happy and enjoying themselves and I thought how absolutely remarkable that the Queen then aged 88 and Prince Phillip aged about 91 are still doing their bit for Britain and dismantle has now fallen on their son. ANDERSON: The word reconciliation is one that you will use about the queen with regard Ireland, Northern Ireland and that will be a building a block upon which the new King Charles will build. Thank you.

It's an absolute pleasure having you with us. I want to get to some other news now. We will continue to watch the Queen's coffin as it makes its journey to Edinburgh airport to be flown to London in the coming hours.

Well, Ukrainian forces retaking towns in Eastern Ukraine are getting hero's welcomes. This was posted on Monday from a recently reclaimed settlement southeast of Kharkiv. Soldiers are showered with thanks and even loaves of bread from grateful resident. Scenes like these happening as Ukrainian forces retake more and more territory in eastern Ukraine and what has become a lightning fast offensive.

[11:40:00]

ANDERSON: Have a look at this map viewers, land that Ukraine has rested back you see it turning from red to yellow. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his military has reclaimed 6000 square kilometers of territory just since the start of the month.

And this is what the Russians are leaving behind abandoned tanks and other weapons signs of an abrupt, disorganized retreat. I want to bring in Oleksiy Arestovych, Military Adviser to Ukraine's President joining me via Skype from Kyiv. It's good to have you with us.

This has been described as a stunning breakthrough Ukraine retaking this territory. Now, though, comes the hard part. How does Ukraine plan to hold on to it and to build on its successes?

OLEKSIY ARESTOVYCH, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL MILITARY ADVISER: We prepare carefully for this. And that was taken about months of planning. And we use the some week's places in Russian defense. We reconnaissance in accuracy and we use our allies in which from in the first of the United States Army formation for this and they use the western weapon.

We conduct a storm operation which is liberated more than 300 settlements and more than 6,000 square kilometers for us for days.

ANDERSON: I want you to have a listen. And this is of course for the benefit of our viewers as well to President Zelenskyy in discussion with my colleague, Fareed Zakaria this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Did you know that our goal is to do occupy our whole territory? The main goal is the occupation. We just cannot allow Russia to continue the same occupation that they started back in 2014. We will not be standing still, we will be slowly gradually moving forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: So the plan is to de occupy Russia of course still hold about 20 percent of Ukraine. Where does this counter offensive go next? What is the strategy at this point?

ARESTOVYCH: Now the counteroffensive continues it has slowed down slightly because of Force of Ukraine, our fight and to capture city of - which is in the border of the Donetsk region and Luhansk region in order to open our way to the Luhansk region after we take in city of Lamung.

We in the Kherson direction, we still break down the enemy defense with strikes a long range artillery and timers which is worked perfectly. And we prepare to keep our offensive intensify our strikes and liberate new territories in a different way, which - Luhansk region.

Next one is Kherson region and III one is, I keep in slightly, I keep in silence OK, because it's military information.

ANDERSON: Ukraine has accused Russia of numerous war crimes throughout this conflict. Now that you have captured a number of prisoners of war, the onus is on you of course, to treat them with dignity, the dignity that they are entitled to under the Geneva Convention. Will you afford them those rights can you guarantee them those rights?

ARESTOVYCH: Absolutely. We are European army and the European country; we're going on our multinational law. So we don't break Geneva Convention on other multinational international conventions about the rules of the war with hard less taken rules or rules of engagement and all prisoners of war.

We keep in line under the international war. We give them right to and the possibility to call homes for mother and father for parents. And speaking with - if they want and they still stay in peace and prosperity.

ANDERSON: Talk to me a little more about just how this counter offensive was run. You have used disinformation to in your words, trick Russia.

[11:45:00]

ANDERSON: How long was that plan in place for and how surprised were you and how quickly Russia folded in the areas that it did?

ARESTOVYCH: Before we start in our offensive on the east of our country, we make a disinformation for big strategic call disinformation for Russians to hold and the intention to the Kherson region.

And they think we will start the main strike on the city of Kherson. We start our strike on the Kherson, but it was assistant strike not main strike. Main strike we provide in the Eastern country and the Russians was completely surprised about this because two months before speaking only about Kherson region.

And that's why this controversy was run strongly for four days we elaborate the territory with the Russians tried to keep about four months before. And we take a lot of prisoners of war.

Russians have a very huge - and we take in weaponry and technical about four three brigades, which we can use in our needs. This is a strategically disinformation we provide this one on the part of our planning and use.

ANDERSON: You have said to win against Russia, there's just one condition which is twice the amount of heavy weapons from the west. You expect to see that support continue. We will take a very short break at this point, sir; it's good to have you with us. That's the military adviser to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. We are taking a very short break.

I'll leave you with images of the Queen's casket being driven to Edinburgh airport from where the part of the final journey for Queen Elizabeth will be made as she flies. That casket flies from Edinburgh to London accompanied by Princess Anne, her daughter.

You're watching CNN; this is continuing coverage of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Coming home here in London we are awaiting the arrival of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as she is about to leave Scotland, the country that she loved so much.

An estimated 26,000 people fall into St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh to pay their respects. Meantime King Charles has just left Northern Ireland where he praised his mother for "Extending a hand to heal the nation's hurts".

People are already lining up here in London to pay their respects. We are now familiar with these scenes. Christiane Amanpour is here with me at Buckingham Palace. It's 10 to five, people queuing once again it's a daily occurrence at this point, isn't it?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: It is but of course tonight they're going to see something because they're going to see for the first time here In England in London at Buckingham Palace, the Queen and her casket coming to this home to the London home for the last time.

[11:50:00] AMANPOUR: It's funny when we say home because we've spoken so much about Scotland, which she loves so much, which was her personal home for her holidays, et cetera. And of course, she was half Scottish. So she had such a bond with that country. But I guess this is also her. She was Princess here during the war, and lived her official duties here.

ANDERSON: The plans for her death have been in place for years and years, there's a lot of certainly as long as I've been in this game, and I'm sure longer than that. And there will have been plans made for whether she had died at Windsor or Balmoral or wherever.

The fact that she did die in Scotland has allowed for the beginning of this process to have been so visible in Scotland, with the newly installed King Charles III, visiting Northern Ireland today, he'll be on his way into Wales this week as well. We are seeing a United Kingdom, aren't we?

AMANPOUR: Yes, we are, for today Becky.

ANDERSON: Correct. And how long does this last?

AMANPOUR: Well, you know who knows? And what one would not want to predict, because it is actually a political question that right now this nation, the United Kingdom, of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, are, in fact, united in their mourning, and in their grief of the passing of this one wonderful woman who they have known for 70 years.

And if you look and listen to some of the historians in Scotland over the last couple of days, you know, they've been saying its three layers. So its devotion to the queen as the person, it's then maybe a little less devotion to the monarchy, and then maybe a little less devotion to the idea of remaining part of the kingdom.

However, because of the way this has unfolded, the knitting of England and Scotland over the last few days has been really apparent. And even Nicola Sturgeon who wants to have another reference, she's obviously the First Minister. And that is her, you know, her mission, that's a political imperative is to have another referendum. Even she says that whatever happens, they want the monarch to remain also--

ANDERSON: That's right.

AMANPOUR: King of Scotland.

ANDERSON: Because this will be a referendum on independence, which is a political issue. Republicanism has become somewhat redundant in the UK during the Queen's reign as a political issue, hasn't it?

AMANPOUR: I think so, yes. And to be frank, the vast majority of Brits want the monarchy to stay exactly where it is. It's really mostly an issue in Scotland. And then it's a different but equal issue in Northern Ireland, because they would really like certainly the nationalists, not the union is to join up with the Republic of Ireland. And I think that's also goes to the heart of Prince Charles, King Charles visit to Northern Ireland, because he is the - which is the first time is Monique.

And one's been talking all day about how the Queen made that historic trip first to the Republic of Ireland, went to give that incredible speech in Dublin Castle and talked about the hurt that has been inflicted on both sides and on all of us.

ANDERSON: And those words echoed by King Charles today.

AMANPOUR: Yes, he was a member of his family, of course, his uncle; Lord Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA.

ANDERSON: His favorite uncle, somebody that he considered, you know, a second grandfather to all intents and purposes. We are looking at images from Edinburgh in Scotland, it's five to five or just shy of five to five in the afternoon here in London and in Edinburgh.

There's the hearse that is carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, so she's on her way now to Edinburgh airport. That coffin will be flown down to London RAF Northolt, which is northwest of London, which if you did it a regular speed would about to be about a 45 minute journey.

It won't be at regular speed. It'll take longer than that Princess Anne is in the car behind there. And Princess Anne, the Queen's oldest daughter has accompanied her mother's body. From Balmoral she - it in front of it outside the palace of Hollywood house, which is a very iconic image I thought at the weekend and now, continues that journey.

AMANPOUR: And she was there when the Queen died. She was absolutely there when the Queen died. And it is actually in any family Becky in any family, you'd want your children or your nearest and dearest to be with you, even after you passed away to help you on that journey.

And it is significant that while all the other members of the royal families sort of are now doing their duty, particularly the king doing his other bits of duty in this moment that at least one of her children have been there throughout.

ANDERSON: What struck me as I've walked back and forth from where we are outside Buckingham Palace through Green Park through the crowds and crowds of people is how this is not just for the royal family, a family affair. But this entire period has been a family affair for so many people.

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ANDERSON: For people from the UK, I've seen. I've seen grandmothers with their 18 year old granddaughters. There's been a sort of bonding moment for so many families they treated this sort of period of tribute as such, haven't they? Which is, which is actually really heartwarming, I have to say.

AMANPOUR: It is and it's again, extraordinary and speaks to the mystique of the royal family. Because and you're right, all the letters, the nodes, the Paddington bears the flowers that have been beautifully arranged and taken from the palace to the park in front of us.

It turned into hearts and crowns and memorials around the trees and in the woods. But here's what's so incredible about it. She was a very withdrawn woman. It's not like it's not like she was, you know, inviting you into her house all the time or terribly touchy feely. It's just that 70 years of having this rock creates the impression of family.

ANDERSON: I think it was Tony Blair speaking to you who talked about her being not just the mother of the nation, but the matriarch as it were. And again, what struck me is that so few people have actually met Queen Elizabeth II, but so many people feel that they know her.

And when you read many of these tributes, these tributes talk about what she meant 25th Jubilee anniversary, I remember that as a as a young -

AMANPOUR: I was in school--

ANDERSON: Right. So I was in school too. We all have got our memories of things that happen because of the Queen, not necessarily because you met the Queen, but because there was an event going on as--

AMANPOUR: Projecting that familiarity.

ANDERSON: Correct.

AMANPOUR: But you know what's so interesting as well she did actually meet a lot of people obviously not everybody but a lot of people over 70 years because she did you know the walkabout she did the visits to all the villages she went to umpteen churches and schools and town centers and bridges.

ANDERSON: Retirement homes.

AMANPOUR: Yes. And then every single Christmas she would invite virtually people into her house into Buckingham Palace to give that Christmas message. And I think she played the media revolution so well to the benefit of the crown coming into you know, her reign in the radio age which immediately became with the coronation, the television age.

And people remember the little black and white sets they had although I think it was in color, even the coronation. But it wasn't the first time it had been seen and fast forward now 70 years.

And the Accession Council this Saturday which formally proclaimed Charles the king was the first time the world has seen into that process as well.

ANDERSON: Christiana let's just pause while we consider these images. The next leg in what is the final journey for Queen Elizabeth II, - carrying her casket to Edinburgh airport from where it will be flown to London. People waiting here outside Buckingham Palace and it will arrive here in a couple of hours' time.