Her state funeral took place earlier this morning in London, where her son and heir King Charles III was joined by the rest of the royal family and leaders from across the world for the service.
The Queen — Britain’s longest-reigning monarch whose rule spanned seven decades — died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96, prompting an outpouring of grief across the UK and around the world.
Our live coverage has ended. Read more about the queen’s funeral in the posts below.
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Queen Elizabeth II laid to rest after final procession
The State Hearse carries the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II through Windsor Castle to a Committal Service at St George's Chapel.
(Jacob King/Pool/Reuters)
Britain’s longest-reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest at the King George VI Memorial Chapel in Windsor on Monday evening, following her final procession through London.
Thousands gathered around the streets near Westminster Abbey and along the 25-mile route from central London to Windsor, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sovereign’s flag-draped coffin as it traveled by hearse to her final resting place.
Royal family members and dignitaries gathered at Westminster Abbey for a somber service. Presidents, prime ministers, princes and princesses, and other public figures sat side-by-side to pay their last respects — a testament to her far-reaching appeal and deft diplomacy.
More than 200 foreign dignitaries were invited to her state funeral, including US President Joe Biden and Commonwealth leaders like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The service took place in the same abbey nave where, 69 years ago, the Queen was crowned and where, 75 years ago, she was married to her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died last year.
Here are the memorable moments from the state funeral:
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, is carried out of Westminster Abbey after her state funeral.
(Danny Lawson/Pool/Reuters)
The body of Queen Elizabeth II has been buried at the King George VI Memorial Chapel in Windsor on Monday evening local time, according to the official website of the royal family.
The Queen was buried together with her late husband, Prince Philip, after a private burial service attended by King Charles III and other members of the royal family.
Prince Philip’s coffin was relocated today from the Royal Vault of St George’s Chapel in Windsor, so that the Queen can be laid to rest alongside her beloved husband of 73 years.
The burial service was conducted by the Dean of Windsor.
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The Queen has a "special place" in the heart of Windsor locals, family says
From CNN's Aditi Sangal
Rachel Fowler and her family have always felt a connection to Queen Elizabeth II and her ties to Windsor, she told CNN.
The Fowler family paid tribute to the Queen Monday as her hearse passed by on the Long Walk. Earlier in the day, the Queen’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor following a committal service. A private burial service will be held for the family later Monday.
“It was quite an amazing moment but at the same time it was sad. My family are quite connected to the Queen, like we went to The Royal School, which is located in the Great Park. Some of my family have actually seen the royal family,” said Rachel’s son, Matthew.
Rachel’s daughter Grace told CNN that she had sung for the Queen, remembering it as “a magical moment.”
“It was really nice to just kind of in a way say thank you for all that she’s done,” she said.
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Gurkha Army veterans in Nepal remember Queen Elizabeth II
From CNN's Eve Brennan and Sugam Pokharel
Former Gurkhas, Nepali fighters in the British Army, paid their respects to the late Queen with a special Buddhist prayer ceremony at a monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal.
“It is hard to think about it. She has left us now. But, I do not feel like she is gone,” Kajiman Limbu, a retired British Army major and recipient of the Member of the Royal Victorian Order, told AFP in a video interview.
Limbu went on to recall his memories of the Queen whilst serving in the British military.
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London mayor thanks mourners who came to pay respects to the Queen
From CNN’s Allegra Goodwin and Lauren Kent in London
People bow their heads as they observe a two minute moment of silence at the end of Queen Elizabeth's funeral in London on Monday.
(Rob Pinney/Getty Images)
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, thanked the “hundreds of thousands” of mourners who traveled to London to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II.
Khan also gave his “sincerest thanks” on Monday to the staff in law enforcements, emergency service, transportation, and others who “worked tirelessly to make this possible in our city.”
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The royal family leaves St. George's Chapel
King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, have filed out of the chapel after the committal service.
They stopped to thank the Dean and others involved in the service, before being driven away.
The pair were followed by other members of the family.
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"God Save the King" sung to draw service to a close
The British national anthem is being sung as an emotional King Charles III watches the committal service for his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, draw to a close.
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The Royal Vault isn’t the Queen’s final resting place
From CNN’s Lauren Said-Moorhouse
As the committal service in Windsor draws to a close, the Queen’s coffin has been lowered into the Royal Vault, set below the chapel, where many royal family members have been laid to rest.
At the same time, the Dean of Windsor read a psalm and the Commendation, after which the Garter King of Arms – the senior official responsible for the heraldry of England, Wales and Northern Ireland – pronounced the styles and titles of the Queen.
The event at St. George’s marks the end of public ceremonial arrangements for the late monarch. A private burial service will be held for the family later Monday evening.
And in fact, the Queen is to be relocated to the King George VI Memorial Chapel, located elsewhere within St. George’s, where she will be laid to rest alongside her beloved husband of 73 years, Prince Philip.
The memorial chapel is where the Queen’s father and mother were interred and where a casket containing the ashes of the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, remains.
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Queen's piper plays for her one last time, as she is reunited with her husband, Prince Philip
From CNN’s Lauren Said-Moorhouse
The moment no one was ready for has arrived. The Queen’s coffin has been lowered from public view into the Royal Vault beneath St. George’s Chapel, which also houses the coffin of her late husband.
The haunting sound of bagpipes echoes around the space as the late monarch’s piper plays a lament – one last performance playing her out. He is playing from the doorway between the chapel and the Dean’s Cloister. While doing so, he will start to walk slowly towards the Deanery so that the music within the chapel gradually fades. It’s a moment full of symbolism as it reflects a similar ending to Prince Philip’s funeral last year.
The piper’s role in the royal household usually required him to rouse the Queen each morning, playing for 15 minutes under her window and on state occasions. The position dates back to the reign of Queen Victoria who became enamored with bagpipe music when she and husband Prince Albert visited the Highlands for the first time.
Earlier today, the Queen’s piper brought the funeral service in London to a close with a lament.
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Queen's coffin lowered into Royal Vault
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin is being lowered into the Royal Vault below St. George’s Chapel, where many royal family members have been laid to rest.
King Charles III earlier placed the Queen’s Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on his late mother’s coffin.
This is the last moment in which the public will see the monarch’s coffin.
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Crown jewels removed from Queen's coffin
From CNN’s Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
Ahead of the final hymn, “Christ is made of sure foundation,” the Crown Jeweller is removing the Imperial State Crown and the Orb and Sceptre from the Queen’s coffin.
With the help of the Queen’s Bargemaster and Serjeants-at-Arms, the jeweller is passing them to the Dean of Windsor to place on the altar.
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The Queen gave us confidence to face the future, Dean says in opening bidding
From CNN's Rob Picheta
The Dean of Windsor is opening Queen Elizabeth II’s committal service with a bidding.
“We have come together to commit into the hands of God the soul of his servant Queen Elizabeth. Here, in St, George’s Chapel, where she so often worshipped, we are bound to call to mind someone whose uncomplicated yet profound Christian faith bore so much fruit,” he said.
“Fruit, in a life of unstinting service to the Nation, the Commonwealth and the wider world, but also (and especially to be remembered in this place) in kindness, concern and reassuring care for her family and friends and neighbours.
“As, with grateful hearts, we reflect on these and all the many other ways in which her long life has been a blessing to us, we pray that God will give us grace to honor her memory by following her example, and that, with our sister Elizabeth, at the last, we shall know the joys of life eternal.”
Before the Dean began his bidding, the choir sang the Russian Contakion of the Departed, which is often performed at funerals.
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The Queen's committal service is taking place in the chapel that hosted her husband's funeral and Prince Harry's wedding
From CNN’s Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
(Victoria Jones/Pool Photo via AP)
The committal service for Queen Elizabeth II will take place at St. George’s Chapel, within the walls of Windsor Castle.
Construction of the chapel begun under King Edward IV in 1475 and was completed just over 50 years later by King Henry VIII.
The chapel is a Royal Peculiar – meaning a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch. The chapel is governed by the Dean and Canons of Windsor who – along with their officers and staff – are independent of the royal household.
Back in 2005, it was also where a service of dedication and prayer took place following the marriage of King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort.
Funerals have also taken place there including those of Princess Margaret and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. The funeral service for the Duke of Edinburgh was held at the chapel last April.
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Queen's coffin carried into St. George's Chapel for committal service
The Queen’s coffin is being carried into St. George’s Chapel after completing its final journey up the Long Walk to Windsor Castle.
An intimate committal service, which was due to begin at 4 p.m. (11 a.m.) but has run slightly late, will get underway shortly.
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Procession passes through archway of Windsor Castle and is joined by members of royal family
As the funeral procession arrived at Windsor Castle, it approached the bottom of the West Steps of St. George’s Chapel in Horseshoe Cloister, where it was joined by members of the Queen’s family.
The bearer party will lift the coffin from the state hearse soon, from where it will be carried in procession up the West Steps.
The Queen’s favorite horse Emma and two of her corgis were seen as the procession passed through the castle.
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Queen's corgis await the arrival of their late owner's coffin
From CNN's Rob Picheta in London
(Glyn Kirk/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Two of the Queen’s beloved corgis are waiting for the arrival of Elizabeth II’s coffin.
Throughout her life, the monarch was regularly photographed with one of her many Welsh corgis at her feet.
The Queen’s passion for corgis dated back to her childhood, when she fell in love with her father King George VI’s dog, Dookie. In 1944, on her 18th birthday, she was given a Pembroke Welsh corgi puppy named Susan. Such was her attachment to Susan, she reportedly took her on her honeymoon in 1947. Susan died in January 1959.
Her surviving corgis will now live with the Duke and Duchess of York, Andrew and Sarah, a source close to the Duke of York told CNN last week.
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About 1,000 first aiders are working to keep crowds safe in London and Windsor
From CNN's Lauren Kent in London
Around 1,000 volunteers and staff from first-aid charity St John Ambulance are working in London and Windsor on Monday to keep crowds safe, according to the charity.
“On Sunday, our teams looked after 386 members of the public,” the charity added in a tweet. “Thank you to all the amazing St John people.”
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"She was Britain’s greatest ambassador." Mourners explain why they came to say goodbye
From CNN's Anna Gorzkowska, Niamh Kennedy and Sugam Pokharel
Following the funeral service at London’s Westminster Abbey earlier, Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has now arrived in Windsor. Mourners there spoke to CNN about why they decided to come and pay their final tributes.
“To come and see the Queen have her last resting place here is something that is really fundamentally important to me, and the family, and all of us,” one woman said.
“I just think I owed it to her as a member of the American forces and living here for so long to pay our respects. I mean, she was Britain’s greatest ambassador,” explained one male well-wisher.
Another mourner told CNN that for him, the Queen has been “a constant” in his life since birth.
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Kate, Meghan and Princess Charlotte pay tribute to Queen with jewelry choices
From CNN's Max Foster in Windsor and Lauren Kent
(Alberto Pezzali/AP)
Catherine, the Princess of Wales, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and Princess Charlotte, all paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II through their symbolic jewelry choices on Monday.
The brooch that Princess Charlotte wore to the state funeral service was a gift from her great-grandmother, Kensington Palace told CNN. The diamond brooch was small and horseshoe-shaped.
Her mother, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, also honored the late Queen through her pearl necklace and earrings, which is the same set she wore to the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.
(Phil Harris/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The jewelry set once belonged to the Queen, who is believed to have loaned the necklace and earrings to Kate for the first time in 2017. The Princess of Wales was pictured wearing the necklace to the Queen’s 70th wedding anniversary dinner.
The Japanese choker necklace has four rows of pearls and a curved central diamond clasp. Meanwhile, the drop pearl earrings are from Bahrain. Pearls are traditionally worn as mourning jewelry — partly due to their colorless, unflashy appearance — in a tradition that was cemented during the reign of Queen Victoria.
Princess Diana also previously wore the set during a state visit from Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1982, and the Queen herself was pictured wearing the necklace and earrings in Bangladesh in 1983, according to the Palace.
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, wore understated pearl stud earrings that were also a gift from the Queen, according to a spokesperson for the Sussexes.
(Alberto Pezzali/AP)
Meanwhile, Camilla, the Queen Consort, wore a gold necklace and sapphire stone and diamond stud earrings to the service. She also wore Queen Victoria’s Hesse Diamond Jubilee Brooch, which is in the shape of an open heart and features two blue sapphire pendants.
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Queen's hearse moves up Long Walk to Windsor Castle
(Molly Darlington/Pool/Reuters)
The Queen’s hearse, draped in flowers and surrounded by marching guards, has turned onto the Long Walk leading to Windsor Castle.
The procession is slowly moving along that stretch now, met with huge crowds that have waited hours to bid farewell.
The picturesque avenue running from Windsor Castle to Windsor Great Park was earlier declared to be at capacity with spectators, according to a public announcement system.
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The Windsor service will be a more intimate affair. Here's what to expect
From CNN's Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
A detachment of the Grenadier Guards are seen at Windsor Castle on Monday.
(Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
The second service of the day will be a more intimate occasion than the one in London earlier and will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor, who will deliver the Bidding.
Prayers will be said by the Rector of Sandringham, the Minister of Crathie Kirk, where the family worship when they are in residence at Balmoral, and the Chaplain of the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park.
The royal family will gather along with a congregation made up of members of the Royal Household, past and present, as well as personal staff who have worked on the private estates.
The service will also feature several nods to the Queen’s family, with the choir singing “The Russian Contakion of the Departed,” which was also sung during Prince Philip’s funeral at St. George’s last April.
Meanwhile, the Dean will read Revelation 21, verses 1-7, which were read at the funerals of the Queen’s grandparents King George V and Queen Mary in 1936 and 1953. They were also read at the Queen’s father’s funeral in 1952.
As the committal service draws to a close, the Queen’s coffin will be lowered into the Royal Vault, set beneath St. George’s, as the Dean reads Psalm 103, which concludes with the words, “Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul.”
The Garter King of Arms will then proclaim the Queen’s styles and titles before her piper plays for her one last time.
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The Queen's coffin arrives in Windsor as it makes its way to the castle
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has arrived in Windsor, having made the journey on the state hearse from London.
The hearse will join a procession up the Long Walk to Windsor Castle. It will be joined by King Charles III and other members of the royal family before moving to St. George’s Chapel for the committal service.
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Ukraine's first lady thanks Queen for "sharing our desire for freedom"
From CNN's Rob Picheta in London
Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s first lady who attended the Queen’s funeral on Monday, thanked the late monarch for her “important signal of support” to the country.
Zelenska attended the service while her husband, President Volodymyr Zelensky, continues to oversee Ukraine’s response to Russia’s invasion. Russian representatives were not invited to Monday’s funeral.
The first lady met with Catherine, Princess of Wales at Buckingham Palace over the weekend.
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The Long Walk in Windsor is now at capacity with spectators
From CNN's Mick Krever in Windsor
The Long Walk, a picturesque avenue running from Windsor Castle to Windsor Great Park, is now filled to capacity with spectators, a public announcement system has told visitors.
“Unfortunately, the Long Walk is now full. You will be directed to Home Park, where there is a large screen to watch the Windsor procession and communal service,” the public announcement system told prospective visitors.
Crowds have gathered along the procession route to see the Queen’s hearse passing by as as it travels to Windsor for her burial.
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In photos: Crowds watch as Queen's hearse drives past
The Queen’s funeral inspired a mix of emotions in crowds waiting to see the procession. Mourners were seen crying, singing the British national anthem, observing silence and throwing flowers at the Queen’s hearse. Take a look at some pictures from Monday.
A woman is embraced as the State Gun Carriage carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth passes by during the Ceremonial Procession following her State Funeral at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday.
(Mike Egerton/Pool Photo via AP)
People watch as the Queen's coffin is transported from London to Windsor.
(Carlos Barria/Reuters)
Mourners pay their respects as the procession passes by.
(Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)
People take pictures of the coffin of the Queen being pulled past Buckingham Palace.
(Christophe Ena/Pool/AP)
Royal household staff pay their respects outside Buckingham Palace.
(Carl Court/Pool via AP)
A person throws a flower towards the Queen's hearse in west London.
(Carlos Barria/Reuters)
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Paris pays tribute to Queen by renaming Metro station for the day
From CNN's Pierre Bairin in Paris
The Paris Metro is paying tribute to the Queen by renaming the George V station “Elizabeth II” for today, according to a tweet from the RATP Group, which is the public transit authority.
Signs in the station, which was named after the queen’s grandfather, were replaced on Monday out of respect for the late British monarch.
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Princess Anne has accompanied every leg of her mother's final journey
From CNN's Richard Allen Greene
(James Manning/Pool via Reuters)
Princess Anne, one of Elizabeth II’s four children, is now following the Queen’s hearse to Windsor in a car.
Anne is the only child to accompany every leg of the Queen’s final journey from Balmoral Castle in Scotland since the monarch’s death on September 8.
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Onlookers throw flowers as Queen's hearse drives past
The journey of the Queen’s hearse to Windsor is now underway along the crowd-lined streets of central London.
Some onlookers have thrown flowers towards the vehicle as it passes. Many are standing in silence, while others can be heard cheering for Elizabeth II one last time.
The hearse will travel along main roads rather than motorways, presumably to give more people a chance to glimpse the coffin. The route has been closed for the procession.
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Queen's coffin moved into hearse ahead of journey to Windsor
The Queen’s coffin has been carried into the state hearse, and it will now be driven in procession through west London and to Windsor for her burial.
The Queen's cortege has arrived at Wellington Arch, its final stop in London
From CNN’s Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
(David Ramos/Getty Images)
The royal cortege has now arrived at Wellington Arch.
Here, the parade will perform a royal salute and the British national anthem will be played before the hearse departs for Windsor and the Queen’s burial.
Once it has left, the King and Queen Consort, the Prince and Princess of Wales and other members of the royal family will leave by car.
After the procession leaves, the bells at Westminster will ring fully muffled for the afternoon – a convention that only happens following the funeral of a sovereign.
The muffled bongs are achieved by attaching leather patches that dull the sound of each bell, called muffles – a centuries-old tradition.
As the Queen’s lengthy funeral procession snakes towards Wellington Arch, minute guns have been fired from London’s Hyde Park.
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The procession moves down the Mall and towards Wellington Arch
(Andrew Boyers/Reuters)
Onlookers lining the Mall are watching as the Queen’s lengthy and impressive funeral procession makes its way towards Wellington Arch.
The procession features a vast display of British and Commonwealth forces.
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin, followed by her family, have already turned around the Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace and are approaching Wellington Arch.
There, the coffin will be moved to the state hearse and driven to Windsor for the burial.
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Hundreds gather in Northern Ireland's Belfast City Hall to watch the Queen's funeral
From CNN’s Allegra Goodwin and Lauren Kent
Hundreds of people gathered outside Belfast City Hall in Northern Ireland on Monday to watch the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on big screens.
Some mourners sat on blankets or folding chairs while others stood on the grass outside the civic building in the Northern Irish capital as they watched the service.
Military veterans wearing medals and children playing made up the diverse crowd, according to UK’s PA Media news agency, with a solemn silence as the service drew to its end and God Save the King was played.
The Books of Condolence at Belfast City Hall will remain open until 8 p.m. local time [3 p.m. ET] on Monday evening, according to Belfast City Council.
Members of the public have also been leaving floral tributes in the Garden of Remembrance.
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The Queen's funeral inspired a mix of emotions in crowds waiting to see the procession
(Hafsa Khalil/CNN)
Standing by the Mall in central London, where the procession with the Queen’s coffin will pass by on its way to Windsor, Jan Gard, 68, said the funeral service had brought up a flurry of emotions for her.
First, there was sadness over the Queen’s death, and then the poignant symbolism of the funeral crowd singing the British national anthem ‘God Save the King,’ as Charles III has become the new monarch.
The service “was beautiful because she (the Queen) was Christian and she served God and her people,” Gard said.
She added that when she saw the Queen’s coffin on the livestream, “it really hit me. I was born the year of her coronation and so it means something to me.”
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The procession to Wellington Arch is underway
From CNN's Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
(John Sibley/Reuters)
The Queen’s coffin has set off for Wellington Arch, where it will be transferred to the state hearse and driven to Windsor for a committal service at St. George’s Chapel this afternoon.
The route from Westminster Abbey is lined by the Armed Forces all the way to the top of Constitution Hill.
The procession is being led by Mounties of Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and followed by representatives of the George Cross foundations from Malta, the former Royal Ulster Constabulary, as well as representatives from the United Kingdom’s National Health Service – including May Parsons, the nurse who administered the first Covid-19 vaccine.
Detachments from the Armed Forces of the Commonwealth are also in the procession, followed by detachments of the British Armed Forces who hold the privilege of a special relationship with the Queen, including mounted elements of the Household Cavalry.
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King Charles III leads royals in solemn procession behind Queen's coffin
(Hannah McKay/Pool/Reuters)
King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, are leading the royal family on a somber walk behind the Queen’s coffin.
Many guests at the funeral stooped their heads as the family passed. The coffin has now left the Abbey and will move towards London’s Wellington Arch.
Outside, troops in formation salute the procession.
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A card atop the Queen's coffin bears a poignant message from King Charles III
From CNN's Max Foster
(Phil Noble/Pool/Reuters)
The card placed on top of the Queen’s coffin, alongside the flowers, reads: “In loving and devoted memory. Charles R.”
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Queen's coffin carried out of Westminster Abbey after funeral service
(Jack Hill/Pool via Reuters)
The funeral for Queen Elizabeth II has concluded and the late monarch’s coffin is now being carried out of Westminster Abbey.
It will proceed through London to Wellington Arch, from where the Queen will make her final journey, towards Windsor, to be buried.
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Queen's piper plays "Sleep, dearie, sleep"
The Queen’s Piper, Warrant Officer Class 1 (Pipe Major) Paul Burns, is playing the traditional piece “Sleep, dearie, sleep” inside Westminster Abbey.
The Queen’s coffin will soon be carried out of the abbey.
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"God Save the King" sung to close Queen's funeral
The British national anthem, “God Save the King,” has been sung inside Westminster Abbey to bring the Queen’s funeral to a close.
Outside the abbey, applause broke out on the Mall – the road which links Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square – after the national anthem ended. Some people were seen climbing on bollards there to get a better view of the road.
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The nation falls silent for Queen Elizabeth II
From CNN's Rob Picheta in London
(Marko Djurica/Pool/Reuters)
A two-minute silence in honor of the Queen has begun at Westminster Abbey and across the country.
It follows a rendition of “The Last Post,” a short fanfare played at remembrance services and military funerals.
The crowds outside Westminster Abbey have paused to stand in silence, alongside mourners inside the building.
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Blessing pronounced as funeral nears conclusion
The Dean is pronouncing the blessing, as Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral service draws towards a close.
“God grant to the living grace; to the departed rest; to the Church, The King, the Commonwealth, and all people, peace and concord, and to us sinners, life everlasting; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen,” he read.
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Third hymn, performed at Prince William's wedding, sung by choir
From CNN's Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
The choir and congregation is now singing the third hymn – Love divine, all loves excelling – which is a Welsh tune, and was also performed in 2011 the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey.
The arrangement is by James O’Donnell, a former organist at the abbey.
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Choir sing after prayers are read for the Queen
An anthem – composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 – is being sung by the choir.
It follows a number of prayers that were read in honor of the late monarch.
The choir sings:
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The Queen was consulted on the funeral's Order of Service over many years
From CNN's Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
(Gareth Fuller/Pool Photo via AP)
The Queen was consulted on the Order of Service for her funeral over many years, according to Buckingham Palace.
The Dean of Westminster prepared the Order of Service in conjunction with Lambeth Palace, which is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The King’s Master of Music, Judith Weir, composed a new piece of choral music for the state funeral service, called ‘Like as the Hart,’ according to Buckingham Palace. It is being sung by the Choirs of Westminster Abbey and the Chapel Royal of St. James’s Palace.
The second hymn “The Lord’s my Shepherd” was sung to the Crimond tune. The tune hails back to a parish in Aberdeenshire, not far from Balmoral Castle in Scotland where the Queen died. The hymn was also sung at the Queen’s wedding to Prince Philip, and according to Buckingham Palace, the young Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret summoned the Master of Choristers to the Palace in the lead-up to the day, so that they could sing him the descant that would be used.
The same descant was sung at the state funeral, Buckingham Palace said.
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"We will meet again," Archbishop says, as he recalls Queen's TV address during pandemic
Queen Elizabeth’s broadcast during the Covid-19 lockdowns ended with “We will meet again,” Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby reminded mourners as he wrapped up his sermon in Westminster Abbey.
“We will all face the merciful judgement of God. We can all share the Queen’s hope which in life and death inspired her servant leadership,” he said.
That concluded Welby’s sermon.
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"Those who serve will be loved and remembered when those who cling to power and privileges are forgotten": Archbishop says
(Ben Stansall/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
“In 1953 the Queen began her coronation in silent prayer just there, at the high altar,” the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said in his sermon at Westminster Abbey.
“Her allegiance to God was given before any person gave allegiance to her,” he continued. “Her service to so many people in this nation, the Commonwealth and the world had its foundation in her following Christ.”
“The grief of this day, felt not only by the late Queen’s family but all round the nation, the Commonwealth and the world, arises from her abundant life and loving service – now gone from us.”
“And we pray today especially for all her family, grieving as every family at a funeral, including so many families around the world who have themselves lost someone recently,” he added. “But in this family’s case, doing so in the brightest spotlight.”
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"Few leaders receive the outpouring of love that we have seen": Archbishop of Canterbury says
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, is delivering the sermon, following a rendition of the hymn, The Lord’s My Shepherd.
“Come holy spirit, and fill our hearts with the balm of your healing love. Amen,” he said.
“The pattern for many leaders is to be exalted in life and forgotten after death. The pattern for all who serve God famous or obscure respected or ignored, is that death is the door to glory.
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A Pearly King and Queen are in the crowd of mourners on the Mall
From CNN's Hafsa Khalil
(Hafsa Khalil/CNN)
Donned in a black and white feathered hat and in a hand-sewn pearl button suit, Pearly Queen Michelle Thorpe, 55, said she decided to come to the Mall – which links Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square – as she loves Queen Elizabeth II.
The Pearly King and Queens are an instantly recognizable London institution dating back 150 years. They evolved from Coster Kings and Queens, who were elected as leaders of London’s street traders, according to their website.
Traditionally, each Pearlie sews their own pearl button suit before being crowned, often decorated with family symbols: a heart for charity, a horseshoe for luck, for example.
Next to Thorpe is her husband is Jimmy Jukes, in a similarly ornate outfit as he is a Pearlie King.
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Liz Truss reads from the Gospel of John
(Phil Noble/Pool/Reuters)
Liz Truss, the UK prime minister, is reading the second lesson from John 14: 1–9.
Truss has been in the job less than two weeks; she met the Queen two days before the monarch’s death to formally take up the role, in what would be the Elizabeth II’s final act of official service.
Her reading follows a rendition by the choir by Judith Weir, Master of the King’s Music.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you,” Truss reads.
“I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
“Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
“Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”
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Some mourners on the streets of London tune into a radio broadcast together
From CNN's Hafsa Khalil
(Peter Cziborra/Reuters)
You could hear a pin drop on the Mall in central London as silence descended at the start of the Queen’s funeral in Westminster Abbey.
While there are no screens, hundreds of mourners are able to hear a radio broadcast of the funeral.
People are standing still, gazes lowered. Some are staring into the distance as the broadcast pipes the singing choir in Westminster Abbey.
Before the broadcast, 11-year-old Carly Orton from Buckinghamshire said despite not being able to see anything, “I wanted to experience the crowds and it’s been amazing so far.”
Left to right: Kindarti, Maya Orton and Carly Orton
(Hafsa Khalil/CNN)
She came with her mother Maya Orton, 42, and family friend Kindarti, 40.
“I’ve been to all the events like the platinum jubilee and I’m glad I can pay my respects to the Queen,” Kindarti told CNN.
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Commonwealth Secretary General reads a lesson
Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland is reading a lesson.
Formally known as Baroness Scotland, she was Attorney General under Tony Blair for three years – the first woman to hold the post.
The reading is from 1 Corinthians 15:
“Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming,” she reads.
“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
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Mourners sing opening hymn
The opening hymn, The Day Thou Gavest, Lord Is Ended, is sung by mourners inside the Abbey including King Charles III and the Queen’s relatives.
Those present sing:
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Dean of Westminster opens Queen's funeral service
The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle MBE, Dean of Westminster, is opening the Queen’s funeral service with a bidding.
“With gratitude we remember her unswerving commitment to a high calling over so many years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth,” he said. “With admiration we recall her life-long sense of duty and dedication to her people. With thanksgiving we praise God for her constant example of Christian faith and devotion. With affection we recall her love for her family and her commitment to the causes she held dear.”
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These are the medals worn by King Charles III
From CNN’s Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
(Hannah McKay/Pool/Reuters)
King Charlesis wearing a Royal Navy no. 1 tailcoat with a sword.
His military uniform includes the following medals:
Queen’s Service Order (New Zealand)
Coronation Medal
Silver Jubilee Medal
Golden Jubilee Medal
Diamond Jubilee Medal
Platinum Jubilee Medal
Naval Long Service Good Conduct
Canadian Forces Decoration
The New Zealand Commemorative Medal
The New Zealand Armed Forces Award.
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Elizabeth II is carried through Westminster Abbey, followed by her family
(Jack Hill/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
A choir sings as Elizabeth II’s coffin is carried down the aisle of Westminster Abbey.
King Charles III, Princes Andrew and Edward, and Princess Anne are following their mother towards the front of the abbey.
They are joined by several of the Queen’s other descendants, including Princes William and Harry.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, The Duke of Kent and Prince Michael of Kent have joined the royal procession behind the coffin as it makes it way through the abbey.
Elizabeth II's coffin carried into Westminster Abbey
The Queen’s coffin is being carried into Westminster Abbey after a short procession from the Westminster Hall, where it lay in state.
Elizabeth II’s funeral service is beginning.
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Queen's coffin approaches Westminster Abbey
From CNN’s Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
Waiting for the Queen’s coffin in Parliament Square is a tri-service honor guard of three officers and 53 rank-and-file from each service with colours draped. It is accompanied by a Band of the Royal Marines with Drums draped and muffled.
In a few moments, the coffin will enter Westminster Abbey and the service will begin
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The gun carriage carrying the Queen’s coffin is steeped in history
From CNN’s Lauren Said-Moorhouse in London
The State Gun Carriage carrying the Queen to Westminster Abbey has a fascinating history.
In the care of the Royal Navy since 1901, it was removed from active service for Queen Victoria’s funeral.
It has also been used for the funerals of several other monarchs, including those of King Edward VII, King George V and King George VI.
It also featured in the funerals of the Queen’s first prime minister, Winston Churchill, and her cousin, Lord Louis Mountbatten.
In keeping with tradition, the gun carriage is being drawn by 142 Royal Naval Ratings, who are service personnel.
It is flanked by the bearer party, pallbearers made up of the Queen’s service equerries, as well as detachments of the King’s Body Guards of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, The Yeomen of the Guard and the Royal Company of Archers.
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The royals walking behind the Queen’s coffin
From CNN’s Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
(Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)
King Charles III is leading the royal family on foot behind the Queen’s coffin.
In a similar formation to that we saw when the coffin was conveyed to Westminster Hall last week, the King is walking in a line with his siblings, Princess Anne and the Princes Andrew and Edward.
Behind them is William, Prince of Wales, Harry, the Duke of Sussex and Peter Phillips, the son of Princess Anne.
They are followed by Anne’s husband, Vice Admiral Tim Laurence, the Queen’s cousin, the Duke of Gloucester and the Queen’s nephew the Earl of Snowdon. Staff from the household of the King and Prince of Wales are bringing up the rear.
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Who’s in the procession?
From CNN’s Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
There is an incredible military presence in the royal procession.
Flanking the Queen’s coffin is the bearer party, which is founded by the Queen’s Company 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, and 10 pallbearers made up of former equerries to the Queen, as well as detachments of the King’s Body Guards of the Honourable Crops of Gentlemen at Arms, The Yeomen of the Guard and the Royal Company of Archers.
The procession is being led by 200 musicians: A massed Pipes & Drums of Scottish and Irish Regiments, the Brigade of Gurkhas, and the Royal Air Force.
Directly behind the coffin is the King and members of the royal family and the King’s Household.
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What’s on top of the Queen’s coffin?
From CNN’s Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
(Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)
The Queen’s coffin is being taken in a procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy.
The coffin is draped with the Royal Standard, and the Instruments of State – the Imperial State Crown and regalia – are laid upon it along with a flower wreath.
The wreath – which has been made in a sustainable manner – contains flowers and foliage cut from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Highgrove House at the request of King Charles III.
It sits in a nest of English moss and oak branches.
The flowers included are: scented pelargoniums; garden roses; autumnal hydrangea; sedum; dahlias; and scabious. They are all in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with white elements to reflect the Royal Standard.
The foliage that has been included in the wreath was selected for its symbolism – rosemary (for remembrance), myrtle (an ancient symbol of a happy marriage), and English oak (symbolic of the strength of love).
The myrtle was cut from a plant grown from a sprig of myrtle that featured in the Queen’s wedding bouquet when she married Prince Philip in 1947.
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Procession taking the Queen to Westminster Abbey begins
The Queen’s coffin has been placed on the State Gun Carriage, and the procession that will take the late monarch to Westminster Abbey has begun.
The Queen’s four children, including King Charles III, are following her coffin on foot.
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The Queen’s coffin is removed from Westminster Hall
From CNN’s Rob Picheta in London
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has been lifted from the catafalque in Westminster Hall, where the late monarch has been lying in state, and will now make its way towards Westminster Abbey.
The bearer party carrying the coffin is founded by the Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards.
As monarch, Elizabeth II held the position of Company Commander of the Grenadier Guards’ Queen’s Company, making a personal review of the unit once every decade.
“Their 12 very best soldiers will have been selected to provide the bearer party at Her Majesty’s funeral,” the British Army’s website said.
Elizabeth II has been lying inside Westminster Hall since Wednesday, and mourners have been constantly filing through the building to pay their final respects.
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King Charles III en route to Westminster Hall
(Joe Maher/Getty Images)
King Charles III’s car is on the way to Westminster Hall, where the new monarch will grieve his mother as he follows her coffin.
Meanwhile, cars taking other members of the royal family to Westminster Abbey have also departed Buckingham Palace.
Some members of the Queen’s family, including her four children and Princes William and Harry, two of her grandchildren, will walk behind her coffin as it moves from the hall towards the abbey for the funeral.
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British Prime Minister Liz Truss and her living predecessors enter Westminster Abbey
(Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)
Liz Truss, Britain’s new prime minister, has arrived at Westminster Abbey, shortly after the other people to have held the post walked down the aisle.
Truss met Queen Elizabeth II just two days before she died, to formally take up the role.
Before her arrival, Tony Blair, Boris Johnson, David Cameron, Theresa May, Gordon Brown and John Major – all the living people to have previously occupied Downing Street – took their seats.
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French President Emmanuel Macron joins mourners inside Westminster Abbey
(Marco Bertorello/AFP via Getty Images)
Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have now taken their place inside Westminster Abbey.
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US President Joe Biden arrives at Westminster Abbey
(Phil Noble/Pool/Reuters)
US President Joe Biden has stepped out of his car and entered Westminster Abbey for the Queen’s funeral.
He walked into the church hand-in-hand with first lady Jill Biden.
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British troop formations march ahead of Queen's funeral
Troops march through London before the beginning of the funeral.
MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images
A procession of members of Britain’s armed forces is underway in London, as the start of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral nears.
The Royal Navy, Air Force and the Yeoman of the Guard at Westminster Abbey are among those represented.
Elizabeth II’s coffin will soon be removed from Westminster Hall and be carried towards the Abbey for the funeral service.
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Queen Rania of Jordan says Queen Elizabeth was symbolically "queen of the world"
From CNN’s Adam Pourahmadi and Zeena Saifi
Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan said Queen Elizabeth II was “symbolically queen of the world,” as royals from across the globe descend on London for her funeral.
Speaking outside Buckingham Palace on Sunday, Rania told CNN’s Becky Anderson that Queen Elizabeth was “public service personified.”
Queen Rania is in London along with her husband, King Abdullah II, to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and meet with King Charles III.
She told CNN that Elizabeth II’s advice to her when she was beginning her reign was to “always be there” and have ”a sense of duty and discipline.”
Referencing the queues and the atmosphere around the UK, the Jordanian Queen remarked on how the British people have responded to her passing.
“It’s been a rough couple of years for the UK … trying to negotiate a deal with Europe post Brexit, a pandemic, the cost of living, inflation, it has been tough. But I’ve never sensed the sense of togetherness that I feel today in the UK. She was a unifying force during her lifetime, but she is also unifying in her passing.”
She said King Charles III has a “deep respect for what is tradition and custom … but he’s also embracing of the future and of change and of everything new. Her Majesty was like that as well. She was always a reminder of where you came from, but also where you’re going.”
On Charles III’s relationship with the Middle East, Queen Rania told CNN he has “a deep understanding of our region, a deep respect.
“He’s a very wise man. I have no doubt in my mind how much he will enhance relations not just with our world, but every part of the world.”
Mourners get into position to catch a glimpse of the Queen's final journey
From CNN's Hafsa Khalil
CNN
Kieran Feetham and his family arrived at the Mall, near Buckingham Palace, at around 6 a.m. local time on Monday morning so that they could “be a part of history.”
After the funeral service at Westminster Abbey, a procession will set off for London’s Wellington Arch and will pass through the Mall, which links Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square.
Their 8-year-old son, Leo, said he would much “rather be here than at school.”
Everyone in their group shared anecdotes about why the Queen was important to them.
Linda Coombe, 68, remembered “seeing the Queen in a car when I was a little girl when she visited Cornwall.”
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The last person to join "The Queue" says it was "a real privilege" to pay respects
People queue to pay their respects to Britain's Queen Elizabeth in London on September 18.
(Marko Djurica/Reuters)
Perhaps the most enduring image of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing was “The Queue” – a miles-long line of mourners who waited to see the late monarch’s coffin and captured the imagination of the nation in the process.
At times, the queue stretched for more than four miles through London and the waiting time was frequently well over 12 hours.
The Queen’s lying-in-state ended earlier on Monday morning, and the final person admitted to Westminster Hall told PA Media news agency: “I was the last person to pay my respects to the Queen and it felt like a real privilege to do that.
“I’d already been round once, I went in at 1.15 this morning,” Chrissy Heerey said.
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Palace releases unseen photo of smiling Queen ahead of state funeral
From CNN's Lauren Said-Moorhouse
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II photographed at Windsor Castle in Windsor in May.
Beaming at the camera, a joyous Queen Elizabeth II smiles in a new photograph released by Buckingham Palace on the eve of her state funeral.
The photograph was taken back in May ahead of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations at Windsor Castle.
Ahead of the service, King Charles III thanked the public for their support and messages of condolence since the death of his mother.
The new monarch said he and wife, Camilla, the Queen Consort had been “moved beyond measure” by the public outpouring of love and affection seen during the couple’s tour of the nations that make up the United Kingdom over the last week.
Meanwhile, the Queen Consort paid tribute to the late monarch in a televised message on Sunday, saying she will always remember the Queen’s “unforgettable” smile.
In a 3-minute video, interlaced with archive footage of the Elizabeth II, Camilla praised the Queen for “carving her own role” as a “solitary woman” in a male-dominated world of international politics.
“She’s been part of our lives forever. I’m 75 now and I can’t remember anyone except the Queen being there,” the Queen Consort said.
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Biden is in London to pay his respects to the Queen. What’s behind the US and UK’s special relationship?
Analysis from CNN’s International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson in London
US President Joe Biden, watched by first lady Jill Biden, signs a book of condolence at Lancaster House in London on September 18.
(Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
As Britain mourns, America’s “special relationship” with its one-time colonial master completes another cycle of its enduring life.
US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived in Britain Saturday, visiting Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin as she lay in state in the ancient Westminster Hall the following day. They later attended a reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by King Charles III and the Queen Consort.
Paying tribute to the Queen earlier last week, Biden told King Charles III his mother helped strengthen their nation’s bonds, her “dignity and constancy deepened the enduring friendship and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom.”
It is perhaps no surprise she did; her reign was born in the prime of that “special relationship.”
It was the UK’s wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s insistent trans-Atlantic diplomacy that helped win American support for Britain in World War II.
In his famous “special relationship” speech in Missouri on March 5, 1946, six years before Princess Elizabeth would become Queen, Churchill suggested a creed for the nations: “Here is the message of the British and American people to mankind. Let us preach what we practice – let us practice what we preach.”
The Queen would live Churchill’s words to the letter, and significantly he would be her first and formative prime minister. She would later see in another 14, although none with a reputation quite as fearsome as his.
In 1946 Churchill arguably laid the groundwork for decades of close cooperation, from trying Nazi war criminals, to global peacekeeping duties, to standing alongside America after al Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks.
The relationship worked both ways; President Bill Clinton helped the Queen’s government establish peace in Northern Ireland in 1998, a peace that Queen Elizabeth worked tirelessly to strengthen.
During his phone call last week President Biden “conveyed his wish to continue a close relationship with the King.”
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In Photos: London in mourning ahead of the Queen's funeral
People assemble on the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace ahead of the Queen's funeral. After the service, the sovereign's flag-draped coffin will travel by hearse down the Mall to her final resting place in St. George's Chapel, within the grounds of Windsor Castle.
(Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
For the last four days, thousands in London have lined up to say goodbye to the Queen as she lay in state, some waiting up to 20 hours to file past her coffin.
The queue continued overnight, with photos emerging of crowds on the street in the early hours of Monday morning, hours before the Queen’s lying in state is due to end.
A queue of people waiting to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state, moves along the South Bank in London on Sunday.
(Alex McBride/Getty Images)
Others camped out with sleeping bags, scarves, hats and other supplies as they waited for the Queen’s funeral to begin later Monday.
Thousands are expected to flock to the 25-mile (40-kilometer) procession route from central London to Windsor, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sovereign’s flag-draped coffin as it travels by hearse to her final resting place in St. George’s Chapel, within the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Early crowds gather in anticipation of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in Whitehall, London on Monday morning.
(Alex McBride/Getty Images)
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How to watch Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral on TV
From CNN's Sana Noor Haq, Lauren Said-Moorhouse and Max Foster
Members of the public pay their respects at the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II at the Palace of Westminster in London on Monday.
(Yui Mok/Reuters)
On Monday, the Queen’s coffin will travel in procession to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral, after which it will be taken to Wellington Arch. From there, it will travel to Windsor, then to the Queen’s final resting place in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
Here’s how to watch the state funeral:
CNN platforms: Tune in to CNN or CNN International to watch live coverage of the Queen’s state funeral from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. CNN’s special coverage will also stream live on CNN.com’s homepages and across mobile devices via CNN’s apps for iOS and Android.
In the US, other networks, including NBC News Now, ABC and Fox News, will also air coverage of the funeral.
In the UK, the event will be broadcast on BBC television and available to stream on BBC iPlayer, with updates across BBC Radio and on the website. ITV confirmed the event will be shown live and uninterrupted on ITV’s main channel and all of its digital channels. Sky News will also provide live coverage throughout the day, available free of charge on Sky News, the Sky News App, YouTube and Freeview.
In Canada, CBC News will offer live coverage on CBC TV, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, CBC Gem, CBCNews.ca and the CBC News and Listen apps.
In Australia, the public broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corp. is scheduled to broadcast the funeral live from 8 p.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time (6 a.m. ET). CNN affiliate Channel 9 will also have live coverage.
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Prince George and Princess Charlotte will go to the funeral today
From CNN's Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
Queen Elizabeth II, Prince George and Princess Charlotte stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London on June 05.
(Jonathan Buckmaster/WPA/Getty Images)
Over the last few days, there’s been much speculation here in the UK over whether we might see some of the younger royals at the Queen’s state funeral today.
We now know that two of the Queen’s great-grandchildren, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, will attend the historic event. It wasn’t “announced” by Buckingham Palace, as it were. However, when the order of service for the 11 a.m. state funeral was released last night, the two Cambridge children were listed as part of the royal procession, and thus confirmed their attendance.
It will be a poignant moment to see the two young royals walk with the rest of their family, and particularly George, who is now second in line to the throne, and his presence in the line up telegraphs the future of the monarchy.
The pair will walk behind the Queen’s coffin as it is brought into the church with other members of the royal family. The children, aged nine and seven, will walk behind their parents and ahead of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
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Cinemas will screen the Queen's funeral. Here's what else is open on Monday
From CNN's Anna Cooban in London
Much of Britain will come to a standstill on Monday, which the government declared a public holiday, for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
That means all banks, the London Stock Exchange, public offices and most businesses will shut.
What’s still open:
Cinema chain Vue will keep some venues open for live screenings of the funeral. Viewers won’t have to pay for tickets, and they’ll be given a free bottle of water.
Greene King, a chain with more than 2,700 pubs across England, Wales and Scotland, will keep its venues open on Monday “for communities to gather to mourn and reflect together on the life of the Queen,” a spokesperson said.
JD Wetherspoon, a chain of about 840 pubs, said most of its venues wouldbe closed during the funeral service but would open from around 1 p.m., while those in central London and atrail stations and airports would remain open.
London hotels are already doing big business as people from around the country and overseas flock to the capital.Many are now fully booked, while room rates have tripled in some cases.
UK road and rail networks are expected to be busy. But there could be some disruption; London’s Heathrow airport is altering 15% of its flight schedule to reduce noise over central London while the funeral is taking place, meaning there will be cancellations.
What is closed:
All the McDonald’s locations across the UK until 5 p.m. Monday, and most of Pizza Hut’s locations until 2 p.m.
Most cinemas, including those operated by Cineworld and Odeon.
Many of London’s West End theaters have canceled shows, including Hamilton, Mary Poppins and The Phantom of the Opera.
Most major supermarkets will close, including Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Morrisons and Tesco’s larger stores.
Retailers including Harrods, Ikea, H&M, John Lewis, Argos and Primark will close.
King Charles III thanks the public for being a “comfort” in his family’s time of grief
From CNN’s Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse in London
King Charles III has expressed his gratitude for the messages of condolence sent since the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 8.
The new monarch said he and wife, Camilla, the Queen Consort had been “moved beyond measure” by the public outpouring of love and affection seen during the couple’s tour of the nations that make up the United Kingdom over the last week.
Read the King’s full message released by Buckingham Palace:
The monarch’s message was released the evening before the Queen’s state funeral on Monday, where the King will lead members of the royal family behind the matriarch’s coffin.
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Who’s on the guest list for Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral?
From CNN's Max Foster, Luke McGee and Toyin Owoseje
Monday’s funeral is one of the largest diplomatic occasions this century.
World leaders, politicians, public figures and European royals, as well as more than 500 dignitaries from around the world, have descended on London to pay their last respects to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
No official guest list was released, but many leaders have confirmed their attendance. The doors to Westminster Abbey open at 8 a.m. local time (3 a.m. ET), when it will start to become clear who is and isn’t present.
US President Joe Biden was among the first to confirm he will be at the event, which will be attended by up to 2,000 people.
Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro and South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol are among the presidents attending.
French President Emmanuel Macron also confirmed on his Twitter account that he will attend the funeral. In addition, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will be present.
China’s Vice President Wang Qishan will also attend, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmed — despite British lawmakers sanctioned by China having criticized the decision to extend an invitation to Beijing.
Leaders of most Commonwealth countries are expected to attend, with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese making the nearly 24-hour journey.
Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will travel to London for the funeral, an unusual move that demonstrates the close relationship between the Japanese and British royal families.
Members of several European royal families will also be seated in the pews on Monday.
Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan are three of the countries that haven’t been asked to send a representative, according to Britain’s PA Media news agency.
Representatives from North Korea and Nicaragua have been invited “only at ambassadorial level,” PA added.
Leaders and officials from Russia, Belarus and Myanmar will also be absent. Diplomatic relations between the UK and Russia have all but collapsed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Queen's lying-in-state comes to an end, after "The Queue" became national phenomenon
Britons waited for hours to see the Queen's coffin.
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II’s lying-in-state has come to an end, after a four-and-a-half-day period that saw huge crowds queue through London for several hours to see the monarch’s coffin.
The doors to Westminster Hall, where the Queen’s coffin was displayed to the public, shut at 6:30 a.m. (1:30 a.m. ET) ahead of her funeral.
Thousands of people waited patiently to see her in recent days. “The Queue,” which stretched for miles along the River Thames towards east London, became a national phenomenon and one of the enduring images of Elizabeth’s passing.
Waiting times of more than 12 hours were recorded on several occasions and the entrance to the queue was briefly paused when it reached capacity.
Queuers opposite the Houses of Parliament on Sunday morning.
OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
“I am not particularly monarchist or royalist, but I wanted to join for the historical aspect, just to see what it’s all about, see everyone coming together,” added Alice Hickson, a student, while standing near the end of The Queue near Tower Bridge.
On Saturday, King Charles III and Prince William visited queuers to thank them for their efforts.
"Operation London Bridge" is underway, as police and security services prep for massive task
From CNN's Lianne Kolirin
Police officers patrol on their horses as members of the public gather outside of Buckingham Palace on Sunday.
ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images
London police chiefs and medics are bracing themselves for a security nightmare at the Queen’s funeral on Monday as they balance the need to protect the world’s top leaders and dignitaries with the desire among many to mourn their much-loved monarch.
Some have compared the event in scale to the London Olympics, but in truth the state funeral — the first in Britain since Winston Churchill died in 1965 — is likely to dwarf the 2012 sporting extravaganza.
Codenamed “Operation London Bridge,” arrangements for Britain’s longest-serving monarch have been carefully pored over for years by the many agencies involved, with the Queen herself signing off on every detail before her death.
The three police forces which operate in the British capital — the Metropolitan Police, the City of London Police and British Transport Police — initiated their well-rehearsed plans across London as soon as the death of Elizabeth II was announced on September 8.
The funeral will be the “largest single policing event” that London’s Metropolitan Police force has undertaken, its Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy told reporters Friday.
The UK has ground to a standstill for the Queen’s funeral
From CNN's Rob Picheta in London
A tribute on the large screen for the late Queen Elizabeth II at Piccadilly Circus on September 9, 2022 in London.
Tristan Fewings/Getty Images
Monday is a Bank Holiday across the UK, with millions of people being given the chance to watch the Queen’s funeral.
It marks the culmination of a mourning period that has seen Britain gradually grind towards a standstill.
Sporting fixtures and cultural events have been almost entirely suspended on Monday, while museums, banks, businesses, shops and schools are shut.
But while those closures were mostly anticipated following the demise of a monarch whose reign lasted seven decades, others have caused more serious consequences — leaving some Brits mystified and angry.
Non-urgent hospital appointments across the country have been pushed back due to staffing shortfalls, adding to an already unprecedented waiting list for health care in Britain. Holidaymakers have seen their accommodation plans torn up, travelers are warned that flights will be disrupted to avoid noise over London, and funerals and food banks are braced for disturbances.
The confusion reflects a country that has wrestled with how best to honor the Queen. Despite decades of planning for Elizabeth II’s passing, the government has declined to issue firm guidance on what should and should not go ahead during the period of national mourning, leaving many decisions up to providers.
What to expect on Monday as the Queen makes her final journey to Windsor
From CNN's Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse in London
The meticulously planned arrangements for the Queen’s funeral are set to be a fitting farewell to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
Speaking on behalf of the many agencies and departments involved in the funeral, the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, said orchestrating the event was “both humbling and daunting.”
He added that it aimed to “unite people across the globe and resonate with people of all faiths, whilst fulfilling Her Majesty and her family’s wishes to pay a fitting tribute to an extraordinary reign.”
Here’s a rundown of what we’re expecting:
At around 10:35 a.m. (5:35 a.m. ET), the coffin will be lifted from the catafalque where it has been resting by a bearer party founded by the Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, and carried in procession from Westminster Hall to the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy, a senior palace official said.
In keeping with tradition, the gun carriage will set off at 10:44 a.m. and begin the short journey from New Palace Yard to Westminster Abbey. The King, royal family members, and members of both households of the monarch and Prince of Wales will follow directly behind the coffin.
The service will be conducted by the Rev. David Hoyle, the Dean of Westminster, at Westminster Abbey, starting at 11 a.m. UK Prime Minister Liz Truss and Patricia Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary General, will read lessons. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will deliver a sermon.
Towards the end of the service, at around 11:55 a.m., the Last Post will sound before a two-minute silence is observed. The state funeral will be brought to a conclusion by the Queen’s Piper, who at noon will play a Reveille, the National Anthem and a Lament.
Following the state funeral, the coffin will be conveyed from the hall to Wellington Arch — again with King Charles III leading some members of the royal family behind on foot, while Camilla, the Queen Consort and others follow by car — before making its final journey out of London to Windsor.
Its destination: St. George’s Chapel, within the grounds of Windsor Castle, where a committal service will take place at about 4 p.m.(11 a.m. ET), conducted by the Dean of Windsor.
A private burial service will be held for the family later, and the Queen will be laid to rest with her late husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, at the King George VI Memorial Chapel.
Britain bids final goodbye to its longest-reigning monarch
From CNN’s Rob Picheta in London
Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle on September 8.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Few people alive remember a time before Queen Elizabeth II.
Her seven-decade reign began in the aftermath of World War II; it persevered through the last throes of Britain’s empire, the insecurity of the Cold War and the dawn of a new millennium, providing a counterweight to the relentless pace of change.
For each of those 70 years, the Queen remained the central fixture in Britain’s collective psyche. Her death, at the age of 96, plunged the country into mourning and an unfamiliar new age.
But on Monday, the nation will say its final goodbye. Britain has ground to a halt for Elizabeth II’s state funeral, expected to be one of the most-viewed events in recent history.
Crowds will line the streets of London to glimpse the procession, and leaders from countries in every part of the world have descended on the British capital.
The first state funeral in Britain since Winston Churchill’s death in 1965, Monday marks the climax of a lengthy mourning period that has seen Britons turn out in droves to join commemorations for Elizabeth. Thousands queued for several hours to see her lying-in-state, and memorial events were held in towns, cities and villages across the country.
King Charles III, Elizabeth’s son and heir who assumed the throne amid a wave of national mourning, will be joined by the rest of the royal family at Westminster Abbey as he pays respects to his mother later.
After the service, the Queen will undertake her final journey as her coffin is driven to Windsor and the late monarch is privately buried — the end of a somber period of transition, and the last act of Britain’s long and momentous second Elizabethan age.
The state funeral begins at 11 a.m. (6 a.m. ET).
Stay with us as we take you through this historic moment for the British royal family and the nation.
