Her Majesty’s funeral arrangements, which will be placed around 11 days after her passing yesterday, are already in action.
The Duke of Norfolk, the Earl Marshal in charge of the accession and the Queen’s burial, is expected to meet with her son, the future King Charles III, to ratify the meticulously planned programme for the next days.
The plans, which are a part of Operation London Bridge, were first developed in the 1960s and have subsequently undergone several updates.
The day of the funeral will also be declared a public holiday by the government as a Day of National Mourning.
On September 14, Her Majesty’s coffin is anticipated to lie in state in Westminster Hall, as her father’s remains did so for three days following his passing in 1952.
On September 19, the Queen’s state funeral is anticipated to take place in Westminster Abbey in the heart of London.
Instead of utilising horses, the Queen’s coffin was originally supposed to be transported to the Abbey on a gun carriage pushed by sailors known as naval ratings.
Like they did for the funerals of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the Duke of Edinburgh, senior members of the family are anticipated to follow behind in a sorrowful manner.
The armed forces will line the streets and participate in the parade. Heads of state, presidents, prime ministers, European royals, and prominent personalities from public life will be invited to congregate at the Abbey, which has seating for 2,000 people.
The event will be broadcast on television, and there will likely be a nationwide moment of silence. The Queen’s casket will be brought to St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle the same day as the funeral for a televised committal ceremony.
A special burial ceremony with senior members of the royal family will take place later that evening.
The King George VI memorial chapel, a wing of the main chapel where her parents and sister Princess Margaret’s ashes were interred, will serve as the Queen’s last resting place.
Prince Philip’s casket will be transferred from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel where it will join the Queen’s.
MailOnline provides all the important information you need about the funeral and how to honour Her Majesty in the sections below.
Up until Sunday, when her coffin will be transported by road to Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse, Her Majesty is anticipated to stay in Balmoral.
Proclamations will be read in the devolved parliaments of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast.
On September 12, a tearful procession is anticipated through Edinburgh’s Royal Mile to St. Giles’ Cathedral. There it will stay for at least a day.
The casket in the cathedral will be surrounded by members of the Royal Family who will keep vigil.
The general public may also get the opportunity to pass by the Queen’s casket during a brief laying in state at St. Giles’.
Her Majesty’s casket is anticipated to arrive in London on Tuesday and be transported to Buckingham Palace first.
The coffin’s transfer from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster is then practised.
How can I go there to express my respects?
Following a formal procession through London, a four-day period of the Queen lying-in-state at Westminster Hall will start on Wednesday.
Before hundreds of thousands of people pay their respects to the casket lying on its catafalque, the Archbishop of Canterbury will officiate a ceremony.
The images will be reminiscent of those that occurred in February 1952, when the Queen’s father, King George VI, passed away. More than 300,000 people lined up to go past the casket.
Operation Feather is used to control lines outdoors. Senior royals will stand guard around the coffin and offer their own heartfelt condolences during the event known as the Vigil of the Princes.
What transpires on the Queen’s funeral day?
On September 19, Her Majesty’s state funeral is anticipated to take place at Westminster Abbey.
The laying in state will cease at 8.30 am, with the last watch of the vigil beginning at 6 am in Westminster Hall.
The Queen’s coffin will be transported from Westminster Hall to the adjacent Abbey at around 10.30 a.m. atop a gun carriage pushed by Royal Navy sailors using ropes rather than horses.
Just as they did for the burial of Princess Diana and the Duke of Edinburgh, senior members of the Royal Family will be seen movingly following behind.
The Abbey, which can accommodate 2,000 worshipers, will host heads of state, prime ministers, and presidents, as well as European royals and other significant personalities from public life.
The Westminster Abbey service will be broadcast live on the BBC in the UK and other stations all around the globe.
During the ceremony, there will also likely be a nationwide two-minute moment of silence.
Then, 138 junior sailors will lower their heads to their chests and pull as Her Majesty’s coffin is placed on the green gun carriage that previously carried the Queen’s father, the Queen’s father, and the Queen’s father.
This custom had its start during Victoria’s burial in 1901 when a group of waiting ratings stepped in to draw the coffin when the horses threatened to run at Windsor Station.
The parade will then turn onto The Mall and pass by the Wellington Arch, Constitution Hall, and Victoria Monument. The hearse will travel 23 kilometres by road to Windsor Castle from Hyde Park Corner.
Once there, the casket of Her Majesty will be transported to St. George’s Chapel for a televised committal ceremony.
Senior members of the Royal Family will attend a private interment ceremony later in the evening.
The King George VI memorial chapel, a wing of St. George’s, will serve as Her Majesty’s last resting place.
Along with her sister Princess Margaret’s ashes, her mother and father are interred there. In order to join the Queen, Prince Philip’s casket will also be transported from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel.
The Cabinet Office said today that further information on the Queen’s funeral will be made public “in due course.”
As people attempt to pay their respects, the agency has issued a warning about congestion and delays on various public transportation.
The Queen is seen sitting alone herself in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor for the late Prince Philip’s funeral in April of last year. The coronavirus epidemic was present when the service took place.
We acknowledge that many people will come to Buckingham Palace and other royal houses as a sign of their respect, the statement said.
We anticipate massive crowds, which might endanger the public’s safety. Those who do travel are urged to abide by any directions issued by stewards or law enforcement.
On various forms of public transportation, we anticipate heavy congestion and delays. The general populace should plan ahead and prepare in advance.
As you may anticipate, many organisations will now start to put their plans into action, including emergency preparedness for the state funeral and accompanying activities.
There may be road closures and detours that will delay both automobiles and pedestrians in various locations, particularly in central London.
“Those wishing to place floral tributes close to the royal homes in London, Windsor, Edinburgh, Balmoral, and Sandringham are requested to do so only in specified places, as instructed by stewards. Soon, more information will be made accessible.