The Queen’s Funeral takes place on Monday 19 September, as thousands of public mourners gather in London to pay their respects – and the royal family, including the new King Charles, say their final goodbyes to the late monarch.
Since the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September, Britain has been observing a period of national mourning. The Queen’s coffin has been lying in state (referring to the time where the coffin of a monarch or sometimes a prime minister is placed on view before the funeral) at Westminster Hall, where people have been queuing through the night to be able to pay their respects to the late monarch.
EMILIO MORENATTI
In accordance with the wishes of the new King Charles III, the public mourning period will continue until seven days after the Queen’s state funeral, which will take place at 11am on Monday 19 September. Here, we bring updates from Her Majesty’s funeral, as it happens.
The Queen’s funeral took place in Westminster Abbey, the same church in which she married Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947, and where her Coronation was held six years later. On Monday morning, ahead of the funeral, the coffin was taken from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey and from here, following the service, it travelled in procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, and from there, on to Windsor. There, the State Hearse travelled in procession via the Long Walk to St George’s Chapel, where a committal service took place.
The Queen’s private burial
A private burial for the Queen will take place at 7.30pm, conducted by the Dean of Windsor in the King George VI Memorial Chapel.
The Queen’s coffin is lowered
After the final hymn, the Queen’s Company Camp Colour – used to identify the whereabouts of a commanding officer – was placed on the coffin by King Charles. The lord chamberlain, the most senior member of the Queen’s household, then ‘breaks’ his wand of office – signifying his duty is done – and places it on the coffin, too. Both will be buried with the Queen.
Her Majesty’s coffin was then quietly lowered as the Dean of Windsor reads a psalm. The Queen’s titles were read out by the Garter King of Arms: “Thus it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this transitory life unto His Divine Mercy the late Most High, Most Mighty, and Most Excellent Monarch, Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, and Sovereign of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.”
Following a blessing, the congregation sang the National Anthem once more before leaving the chapel.