Queen Mother arrives for funeral

LONDON, England -- Britain's Queen Mother has arrived at her Windsor home after being flown by helicopter across England to attend the funeral of her daughter, Princess Margaret.

The Queen Mother left Sandringham, the queen's Norfolk estate in eastern England, in a Royal Flight helicopter bound for Royal Lodge, her Windsor home near London, on Thursday afternoon.

She had told aides she was determined to attend Princess Margaret's funeral at St George's Chapel, Windsor, on Friday despite her recent poor health and cutting her arm in a fall on Wednesday.

Other senior members of the royal family, including the queen, Prince Charles, and Princes William and Harry, are expected to gather at Windsor Castle on Thursday in advance of what is to be a private funeral service for Princess Margaret on Friday.

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Margaret, who had two children -- Lord Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto -- died in hospital last Saturday following a stroke at the age of 71.

Following the service, the princess's coffin will be taken to a crematorium for a ceremony which no members of the royal family will attend.

Her casket is expected to be placed in the Royal Vault by the Dean of Windsor later the same day or on Saturday.

The princess's coffin was being taken from the Queen's chapel in St James's Palace, London, to the ancient St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on Thursday evening.

As the final preparations were being made, the queen was marking the 150th anniversary of the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London with a visit.

Prince Charles, meanwhile, was ending a two-day visit to Ireland where he was due to meet Irish President Mary McAleese and Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, while his sister, Princess Anne, is due to return from America, where she is at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Princess Margaret's death came amid her sister's Golden Jubilee, the 50th anniversary of her accession to Britain's throne.

Margaret had been dogged by medical problems in recent years and was little seen in public. Her last appearance was in a wheelchair.

On Wednesday, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair paid tribute to Princess Margaret's "sense of fun" and the service she gave the nation.

Leading condolences in the House of Commons at the weekly Prime Minister's Questions, Blair said: "Can I say on behalf of Members on all sides of the House, how deeply we express our sadness on the death of Her Royal Highness, Princess Margaret.

"She will be remembered by the whole nation with huge affection; for her love of culture, and art, her sense of fun, but most of all for the service she gave our nation.

"Our thoughts and deep condolences are with the queen, the Queen Mother and all the Royal Family."