Body of late Cambodian king arrives home
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In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Cambodian Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk and Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni pray in front of the body of Cambodian former King Norodom Sihanouk at China's Beijing Hospital on Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012. Sihanouk died on Monday at age 89 of a heart attack in Beijing, where he had been receiving medical treatment since January for multiple ailments. -- PHOTO: AP
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In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Cambodian Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk and Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, (front left), visit China's Beijing Hospital in Beijing, China to bring home the body of Cambodian former King Norodom Sihanouk, unseen, on Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012. Sihanouk died on Monday at age 89 of a heart attack in Beijing, where he had been receiving medical treatment since January for multiple ailments. -- PHOTO: AP
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Cambodians burn incense stick as they offer prayers in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012. Cambodians continue to pray for the soul of their former King Norodom Sihanouk as the country prepared for the return of his body. -- PHOTO: AP
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Cambodian people burn incense sticks as they pray for late former king Norodom Sihanouk in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. A convoy bearing the body of late Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk departed on Oct 17 from the Beijing hospital where he passed away this week en route back to his homeland. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Mourners cry as they gather to wait for the arrival of the remains of the late former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. Sihanouk, once an absolute ruler who freed Cambodia from colonialism before becoming a tragic pawn through decades of turmoil, died on Monday in a Beijing hospital. He was 89. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Cambodian people pose for photographs as they hold framed portraits of late former king Norodom Sihanouk in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. A convoy bearing the body of late Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk departed on Oct 17 from the Beijing hospital where he passed away this week en route back to his homeland. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A Cambodian honour guard transports the body of the late former king Norodom Sihanouk from a plane at the Phnom Penh International Airport on Oct 17, 2012. Tens of thousands of mourners lined the streets of the Cambodian capital on Oct 17 to pay their last respects to revered former king Norodom Sihanouk on his final journey home from China. -- PHOTO: AFP
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People pray as they see the coffin of former king Norodom Sihanouk on a royal truck along a street in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. Tens of thousands poured into Cambodia's capital to witness the procession on Wednesday of the body of Sihanouk, a revered figure who ruled through the triumph of independence to the tragedy of its brutal civil war. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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People attend the procession of the body of former king Norodom Sihanouk along a street in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. Tens of thousands poured into Cambodia's capital to witness the procession on Wednesday of the body of Sihanouk, a revered figure who ruled through the triumph of independence to the tragedy of its brutal civil war. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Mourners react as the coffin of former king Norodom Sihanouk arrives at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. Tens of thousands poured into Cambodia's capital to witness the procession on Wednesday of the body of Sihanouk, a revered figure who ruled through the triumph of independence to the tragedy of its brutal civil war. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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A phoenix float carrying the casket carrying late former King Norodom Sihanouk arrives at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012. The body of Cambodia's late King returned to his homeland on a plane from China on Wednesday, welcomed by tens of thousands of mourners who packed tree-lined roads in the Southeast Asian nation's capital ahead of the royal funeral. -- PHOTO: AP
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Thousands of mourners gather at the gates of the Royal Palace minutes after the coffin of former king Norodom Sihanouk arrived in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Cambodian Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk and Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni pray in front of the body of Cambodian former King Norodom Sihanouk at China's Beijing Hospital on Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012. Sihanouk died on Monday at age 89 of a heart attack in Beijing, where he had been receiving medical treatment since January for multiple ailments. -- PHOTO: AP
In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Cambodian Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk and Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, (front left), visit China's Beijing Hospital in Beijing, China to bring home the body of Cambodian former King Norodom Sihanouk, unseen, on Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012. Sihanouk died on Monday at age 89 of a heart attack in Beijing, where he had been receiving medical treatment since January for multiple ailments. -- PHOTO: AP
Cambodians burn incense stick as they offer prayers in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012. Cambodians continue to pray for the soul of their former King Norodom Sihanouk as the country prepared for the return of his body. -- PHOTO: AP
Cambodian people burn incense sticks as they pray for late former king Norodom Sihanouk in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. A convoy bearing the body of late Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk departed on Oct 17 from the Beijing hospital where he passed away this week en route back to his homeland. -- PHOTO: AFP
Mourners cry as they gather to wait for the arrival of the remains of the late former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. Sihanouk, once an absolute ruler who freed Cambodia from colonialism before becoming a tragic pawn through decades of turmoil, died on Monday in a Beijing hospital. He was 89. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Cambodian people pose for photographs as they hold framed portraits of late former king Norodom Sihanouk in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. A convoy bearing the body of late Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk departed on Oct 17 from the Beijing hospital where he passed away this week en route back to his homeland. -- PHOTO: AFP
A Cambodian honour guard transports the body of the late former king Norodom Sihanouk from a plane at the Phnom Penh International Airport on Oct 17, 2012. Tens of thousands of mourners lined the streets of the Cambodian capital on Oct 17 to pay their last respects to revered former king Norodom Sihanouk on his final journey home from China. -- PHOTO: AFP
People pray as they see the coffin of former king Norodom Sihanouk on a royal truck along a street in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. Tens of thousands poured into Cambodia's capital to witness the procession on Wednesday of the body of Sihanouk, a revered figure who ruled through the triumph of independence to the tragedy of its brutal civil war. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
People attend the procession of the body of former king Norodom Sihanouk along a street in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. Tens of thousands poured into Cambodia's capital to witness the procession on Wednesday of the body of Sihanouk, a revered figure who ruled through the triumph of independence to the tragedy of its brutal civil war. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Mourners react as the coffin of former king Norodom Sihanouk arrives at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. Tens of thousands poured into Cambodia's capital to witness the procession on Wednesday of the body of Sihanouk, a revered figure who ruled through the triumph of independence to the tragedy of its brutal civil war. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A phoenix float carrying the casket carrying late former King Norodom Sihanouk arrives at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012. The body of Cambodia's late King returned to his homeland on a plane from China on Wednesday, welcomed by tens of thousands of mourners who packed tree-lined roads in the Southeast Asian nation's capital ahead of the royal funeral. -- PHOTO: AP
Thousands of mourners gather at the gates of the Royal Palace minutes after the coffin of former king Norodom Sihanouk arrived in Phnom Penh on Oct 17, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
PHNOM PENH (AFP) - The body of Cambodia's revered former King Norodom Sihanouk arrived back in his homeland on Wednesday as tens of thousands of mourners filled the streets of the capital to pay their last respects.
An Air China special flight from Beijing, where the ex-monarch had been receiving medical treatment since January, transported his coffin to Phnom Penh airport.
King Sihanouk's widow Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk emerged from the plane wearing the traditional mourning outfit of a white shirt and black skirt, holding hands with her son King Norodom Sihamoni.
They were followed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior government officials.
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