The Queen has started her last trip through London, accompanied by her grieving family, whose sorrow was evident on their faces and in the throngs of people who descended on the city to bid the beloved queen goodnight.
Following the state burial, which left King Charles III in tears, hundreds of thousands of people lined the path leaving Westminster Abbey.
After being reloaded onto the State Gun Carriage shortly after noon, the Queen’s coffin started its march towards Wellington Arch, being followed by the King, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex, the Duke of York, and Princess Royal.
Big Ben rang out during the sad parade through her city, and The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, fired Minute Guns in Hyde Park. The King, the Prince of Wales, Princess Royal, and the Earl of Wessex saluted the Cenotaph, a monument to British and Commonwealth troops who died in the First and Second World Wars, as the Queen’s funeral procession passed it in London. Prince Harry did not, nor did Prince Andrew.
Prior to being transported by hearse to Windsor, Her Majesty’s coffin will pass Buckingham Palace for the last time on its route to Wellington Arch.
As the funeral procession passed the Cabinet War Rooms, the Cenotaph, and Downing Street, the throng in Whitehall became silent. While many on the street craned their necks and gripped cameras in anticipation of the opportunity to bid farewell to the king, some emerged from balconies and windows dressed in black.
The procession is led by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), who are quickly followed by four NHS officials, members of the old Royal Ulster Constabulary, and Malta-based George Cross foundation representatives.
Armed personnel are blocking the path from Westminster Abbey to the Commonwealth Memorial Gates at the top of Constitution Hill.
The procession is led by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), who are quickly followed by four NHS officials, members of the old Royal Ulster Constabulary, and Malta-based George Cross foundation representatives.
In a moving and majestic farewell to the late monarch today, at her state funeral in Westminster Abbey, the emotional King Charles III and his bereaved family surrounded the Queen’s coffin. The extraordinary service was followed by a nationwide two-minute silence and the playing of the Last Post.
As Britain grieved the passing of its longest-reigning queen and the royal family said farewell to a cherished mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Her Majesty made her last and the most emotional trip from Westminster Hall to the chapel where she was married and crowned.
Her sceptre, orb, and crown were put on top of her coffin, which was positioned near to the altar. The flowers around it were picked by the King from the gardens she adored. A note among the floral arrangements atop the casket simply read: “In cherished and loving remembrance. Chuck R.”
In his speech during the Queen’s state burial, the Archbishop of Canterbury praised the monarch for her “rich life and loving service,” noting further that “she was cheerful, present to so many, touching a multiplicity of lives.”
After the Archbishop of Canterbury commended the Queen’s casket and the Dean of Westminster offered a benediction, state trumpeters from the Household Cavalry played the Last Post. Following a two-minute period of silence nationwide, the trumpeters sounded Reveille, and then the assembled people sang the National Anthem.
During some parts of the ceremony, Prince Charles seemed to be in tears, and Princess Anne gave him a worried, caring glance before she fixed her own gaze on her mother’s casket and crown. After fighting back tears as the family followed the Queen’s casket into Parliament Square, Prince Andrew seemed saddened.
After more than a week of leading the monarchy and the country in grieving his mother the Queen, King Charles III sat at the head of the family next to Princess Anne, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex behind him in the second row.
While Princess Charlotte was seen whispering to her mother, who along with Prince William decided to bring them to say goodbye to their great-grandmother, Prince William, who marched with his brother behind the coffin, was on the front row next to Prince George. Prince George was reading the order of service during the Archbishop of Canterbury’s sermon before singing hymns.
The singing of the national anthem at Westminster Abbey left the King looking quite moved. While his siblings and other members of the royal family sang along to the song, Charles stayed mute. Charles proceeded straight forward as a piper played Sleep, Dearie, Sleep while he gripped his ceremonial sword and seemed dejected.
A burial ceremony that Her Majesty herself planned was held at the nation’s most significant church, which was filled with 2,000 VIPs, including presidents, prime ministers, and members of the Queen’s family.
Her son, the King, and her family, including the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex, accompanied the Queen across Parliament Square as she was carried in her oak coffin to the gun carriage used by her parents on a momentous event for Britain and the rest of the world. The Duke of York, Andrew, seemed to be sobbing. An estimated 2 million people are in central London along the procession routes and watching on large screens outside the Abbey.
The Sovereign’s piper performed a lament as the Queen’s burial came to an end. Her casket was then brought from Westminster Abbey and put on the State Gun Carriage.
As the piper left, the tune from the lament “Sleep, dearie, sleep” could still be heard resonating throughout the monastery.
Soon after, soldiers from the bearer party arrived via the South Quire Aisle while the organist played Bach’s Fantasia in C minor.
The King and Queen Consort and other members of the Royal Family followed the bearers in procession to the Great West Door as they went carefully through the abbey to reposition the coffin on the gun carriage.
At roughly 10.45 am, the State Gun Carriage carrying the Queen’s coffin started travelling from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey, where it arrived shortly before 11 am.
The Westminster Abbey liturgy began with a single toll from Big Ben, where since 1066 kings and queens have been crowned and laid to rest. Her Majesty will be buried at Windsor beside her adored husband Prince Philip, her parents, George VI and the Queen Mother, and other family members.
Despite the large crowds, there was complete quiet as the procession passed into Parliament Square while some 200 pipers and drummers from the Scottish and Irish Regiments, the Brigade of Gurkhas, and the RAF performed. A lament performed by the Queen’s own piper resounded throughout the center of London.
The Prince of Wales, Duke of Sussex, and Peter Phillips followed the King and his siblings as they walked behind the carriage. The State Gun Carriage has also been used at the funerals of Winston Churchill, Lord Mountbatten, King Edward VII, King George V, and King George VI.
As the State Gun Carriage hauling the Queen’s casket slowly passed, the area around Parliament Square was dead silent. Tens of thousands of people filled the streets to bid farewell to the queen and witness a historic event. The crowd was briefly quiet, with phones held up to catch the moment.
The Princess of Wales arrived to Westminster Abbey with Prince George and Princess Charlotte in the same vehicle as the Queen Consort. A few of the Queen’s granddaughters, such as Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, arrived at the chapel before them.
Around an hour before the ceremony started, world leaders including Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron gathered at Westminster Abbey. As Her Majesty entered, the 2,000 members of the congregation sat in respectful quiet.
After the Archbishop of Canterbury commended the Queen’s casket and the Dean gave a benediction, state trumpeters from the Household Cavalry played the Last Post.
Before the trumpeters sounded Reveille throughout the nation, there was a two-minute period of quiet. The assembly is presently singing the national anthem.
The Archbishop of Canterbury said in his speech at the state burial for the Queen that the “grief” felt by people all around the globe at her passing “arises from her bountiful life and loving service,” adding, “She was joyous, present to so many, touching a multiplicity of lives.”
In whatever sphere of life, the Most Reverend Justin Welby said, “People of loving service are few.” The number of servant leaders is still decreasing. However, those who serve will always be cherished and remembered while those who cling to positions of authority and luxury are cast aside. The late Queen’s family, as well as the whole country, Commonwealth, and the globe, are grieving today due to her full life and selfless service that is now behind her.
He said, “We shall all experience God’s kind judgment; we may all enjoy the Queen’s hope, which both in life and death motivated her to exercise servant leadership. Hope in death, service in life. Everyone who emulates the Queen’s strength of faith and confidence in God may join her in saying, “We shall meet again.”
The first hymn, “The day thou gavest, Lord, has finished,” by John Ellerton, which conjures up the idea of one day, one period, flowing into another, was preceded by the bidding from the Dean of Windsor.
“We gather from across the nation, from the Commonwealth, and from the nations of the world here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, to mourn our loss, to remember her long life of selfless service, and in sure confidence to commit her to the mercy of God our maker and redeemer,” he said to the congregation.
In honor of The Queen’s lifetime of devotion and service to the family of nations, Baroness Scotland, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, will offer the First Lesson after the Bidding.
The words “O death, where is thy sting?” is used in the lesson’s quotation of Corinthians 15.
Flowers that King Charles ordered are included in the wreath that adorns the Queen’s casket.
The flowers and greenery were selected for their symbolic meaning and were taken from the grounds of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, and Highgrove House.
They incorporate rosemary as a symbol of memory and myrtle taken from a plant that was grown from a myrtle branch from the Queen’s bridal bouquet. A happy marriage has long been symbolized with myrtles.
English oak, pelargoniums, garden roses, fall hydrangea, sedum, dahlias, and scabious are also added to represent the power of love.
To mirror the Royal Standard, they are in tones of rich burgundy, pink, and gold with hints of white.
As Prince William, the Princess of Wales, and his kids George and Charlotte were led into Parliament Square, there were shouts and applause. A few minutes later, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla showed there.
A police escort accompanied the Duke and Duchess of Sussex along The Mall. As he was being driven in a Range Rover from Wellington Arch, down Constitution Hill, and down The Mall towards St James’ Palace, Harry was seen to be wearing a somber expression.
Before the royals entered Westminster Hall, where the Queen had been laying in state, he then stood side by side with his brother.
Huge crowds of mourners packed the procession route outside, and tens of thousands more traveled to Windsor, where Her Majesty will be buried later. The congregation of the UK’s most significant church began to fill up from 8am as they arrived up to three hours early, including Kate Middleton’s parents.
The Princess of Wales arrived at Westminster Abbey with Prince George and Princess Charlotte in the same vehicle as the Queen Consort. A few of the Queen’s granddaughters, such as Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, arrived at the chapel before them.
Hundreds of dignitaries attended to the most significant church in the UK, where Her Majesty wed Prince Philip and celebrated her coronation, including Michael and Carole Middleton.
As billions witness Her Majesty’s state burial, 2,000 royals, international leaders, and hundreds of members of the public have started coming into Westminster Abbey.
The majority of the VIPs traveled by coach, gathering at the Royal Hospital Chelsea before boarding a bus to Central London. Nadham Zahawi, Ben Wallace, and Jacob Rees-Mogg were among the first visitors, along with other former and current British officials. However, US Vice President Jo Biden rode in The Beast, his bomb-proof vehicle, to the Abbey.
Tom Parker Bowles, the son of the Queen Consort, Camilla, came for the ceremony two hours after his mother and father, Michael and Carole Middleton, who are the parents of Kate, the Princess of Wales. Despite their tight ties to the Royal Family, they were on a bus together as well. TV personality Bear Grylls is among the famous attendees at the burial.
Myrtle, a traditional element of royal bouquets, was utilized in the funeral flowers at the abbey. Asiatic lilies, gladioli, alstroemeria, eustoma, and the leaves of English oak, weeping birch, and myrtle sprigs were among the enormous white and green displays of blossoms.
The four towering yellow candles that typically surround the burial of the unidentified warrior at the medieval church’s entryway will be placed around the coffin.
Hardy royal supporters even disregarded the city’s ban on sleeping outdoors, setting up tents, deck chairs, and even a makeshift minibar to get prime seats for the event that will draw 2 million people to the capital. By 8.30 am, the public was informed that the procession route was occupied and that people were being diverted to Hyde Park to see on the large screens.
Before the first mourners for the Queen’s burial arrived, Westminster Abbey’s doors were opened at 8 a.m. Two soldiers were posted at the metal gates in anticipation of the commencement of the proceedings as the King’s Guards marched through the Abbey gates.
Scores of people started camped out on The Mall in downtown London over the weekend despite restrictions that seemed to be laxly enforced prohibiting it, due to worries that London would be “packed” today and a dearth of hotel rooms.
Stewards instructed campers to pull down their tents this morning before sunrise. In Windsor, where the Queen will be buried this evening, sizable crowds have also gathered.
Many people who spent the night in central London stated their friends and relatives thought they were crazy to participate in the vigil, but they vowed they would not miss the opportunity.
Christine Manning, 75, and Dianne Donohue, 73, former classmates from Leek in Staffordshire, were among others who slept in a pop-up tent.
The retired housewife and grandmother of three, Mrs Donohoe, admitted: “Yes, we violated the advice not to camp. We loved our catch-up and had a fantastic time.
We were in the tent sleeping when, at 4.30 a.m., I asked Chris if she was awake and, to my surprise, she was. We then had a scotch and lemonade and a pork pie. After a few more hours of sleep, start the prosecco.
The police ordered us to take down our tent at 7 am, but we were unable to do so and had to enlist the assistance of a young man.
We’re unhappy to say that we’re out of pork pies, but we do have sausage rolls and gin now that the whiskey is gone.
The retired waitress, Miss Manning, said, “My kids claimed we were angry.
Well, the term they used was “mental.” They referred to us as fools for doing this.
I said that it was necessary.
Windsor Castle warden Shannon Carroll, 27, and her friends Samantha Geraghty, 24, and Heidi, 26, who would not reveal her last name, were among those reaching the top of the Long Walk.
Shannon told MailOnline that they had gotten up at 4 am to walk from Maidenhead, where they all reside, to the location at 6 am.
I’m here to pay my respects to an amazing lady who also happens to be my employer, she continued. It’s the least I can do after five years of employment at the Castle.
The Queen was a wonderful boss and an inspiring figure. We probably won’t ever see another person just like her.
I waited in line for 12 hours from Friday night into Saturday, and it was a really somber and heartbreaking event, according to Shannon.
Although it was extremely peaceful and quiet, it was also really polite, and I wouldn’t have missed it for everything.
We have food and beverages ready for the day, and it seems like it will remain dry, according to Heidi. The procession’s entrance inside the castle and ascent up the Long Walk will be clearly visible to us.
Although there were quite a few people around when we arrived, the area just in front of us was unexpectedly vacant. I believe that we are at the ideal location to see history being made.
It was an early start, but well worth it, remarked Samantha. We’ll have a beautiful view, but because we can’t see the huge screens, we’ll have to watch the funeral event on our phones.
Yesterday, the Mall was bustling with activity as people came to leave flowers nearby, get a view of Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Parade, and secure their spots to see the funeral procession as it travels from Westminster to Windsor.
Two other people who slept in a tent on the Mall were Charlie Shirley, 36, of north London, and Tim Thompson, 35, both from New Brunswick, Canada.
After being seated next to one another for William and Kate’s wedding in 2011, the two became friends, and on Saturday, they occupied the same seat.
We participate in all the royal festivities together; it seems like our family, said Miss Shirley.
I ran saw Tim during the Queen’s Jubilee, and we agreed that our next meeting would probably be at the Queen’s burial. We didn’t anticipate that meeting to happen three months later.
I save four days of vacation each year for royal occasions, so I had to be here, Mr Thompson stated.
The 40-year-old American entrepreneur Nicole Alford said she would camp out until after the burial while paying almost £1,300 for a last-minute travel to London on Thursday.
You don’t go all this way just to see it on TV, she said. I want to be at the center of history.
“I can’t believe you’re doing that,” my mother said.
“I said: “I can’t believe you didn’t think I would do it,” she said.
“Everyone thinks I’m insane, but on my first night here camping, I was able to get five and a half hours of unbroken sleep, so I’m good,” the camper said.
Ian Rhodes, a semi-retired teacher, and his wife Sue, a 58-year-old from Alton, Staffordshire, arrived at the Mall at 11 a.m. yesterday (SUN) to claim their position, although they said they would sleep in deckchairs rather than pitch a tent.
The only other occasion Mr. Rhodes had to wait overnight for anything was when Stoke City traveled to Wembley for the 1972 cup final. He and his mates waited all night at the club store to get tickets.
People have called us crazy, but sanity is a relative concept.
When has their mother ever done as she was instructed?, Mrs. Rhodes said the couple’s two adult sons were a little worried about their parents spending the night in London “roughing it.” Nevertheless, she said, “I told them we were going to do it anyway.”
Boston resident Paulette Galley said she was going to spend the night on The Mall.
The south London-born, 54-year-old kitchen worker added, “I may not get any sleep, but I don’t care.” She served as my Queen, and I wish to honor her.
There is no way I wouldn’t be here, she said.