Big Ben stopped ringing at 8 o’clock, when the country was supposed to observe a minute of silence for the late Queen.

Parliament confirmed the famous bell – which is housed in the Elizabeth Tower, named after Her Majesty in 2012 during her Diamond Jubilee – did not ring as planned this evening.

Parliament’s press office told ITV: ‘Big Ben failed to strike at 8pm as planned. We have investigated this as a matter of urgency and have identified a minor technical issue’

This was as Britain stood silent for the Queen tonight during the National Moment of Reflection to remember the late Monarch, with the queue to see her lying-in-state halted and Prime Minister Liz Truss bowing her head outside Number 10.

Big Ben was meant to toll to mark the beginning of the National Moment of Reflection at 8pm today and the bell was supposed to strike once to mark the start of the minute’s silence and once more at 8.01pm to mark its end.

Play was stopped at the Emirates Stadium in Scotland for the Davis Cup so fans could observe the one-minute silence.

Prime Minister Liz Truss and her husband Hugh O’Leary observed the minute’s silence outside Number 10 Downing Street.

In Westminster Hall, where the queen is lying in state, the line of mourners halted for 60 seconds.

The government had encouraged people to spend a minute in reflection, either at home, with neighbors or in locally organized ceremonies.

Images were seen of police officers and members of the public taking part in the silence at Waterloo Station as well as firefighters at North Kensington Fire Station in Notting Hill.

A small crowd of people in the queue for the Queen’s lying in state stopped near London Bridge and bowed their heads to observe the national minute’s silence.

They applauded to mark the end of the silence at 8.01pm.

Dozens of Metropolitan Police officers also assembled in silence beside mourners and later sang the national anthem.