Queen Elizabeth II funeral: Queen laid to rest in Windsor after emotional public farewell
The Queen was laid to rest following 70 years of service after family, friends and the nation said a fond farewell to the late monarch.
The Queen’s coffin was carried from New Palace Yard towards Westminster Abbey on the Royal Navy State Funeral Gun Carriage.
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Hide AdThe coffin was followed by the King and other members of the royal family on foot, including the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex.
As the hearse left Wellington Arch just before 2pm the national anthem was sung while the vehicle was given the royal salute by members of the military parade.
The King, the Queen Consort and members of the royal family are following the hearse to Windsor by car, ahead of the procession to St George’s Chapel where a committal ceremony will take place from 4pm.
Presidents and prime ministers from across the globe filled the Abbey, with US President Joe Biden were among the mourners alongside France’s President Emmanuel Macron, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, her counterpart from Canada Justin Trudeau, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Hundreds of thousands lined the Queen’s funeral procession that carried the monarch from lying in state at Westminster Hall to her state funeral and on to Windsor Castle for the committal service.
Queen laid to rest in Windsor after emotional public farewell
The Queen’s coffin was carried from New Palace Yard towards Westminster Abbey on the Royal Navy State Funeral Gun Carriage.
The coffin was followed by the King and other members of the royal family on foot, including the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex.
The route through Parliament Square, Broad Sanctuary and the Sanctuary is lined by Royal Navy personnel and Royal Marines.
The arrival of the sailors pulling the carriage at New Palace Yard at around 10am, was heralded by the sound of their boots tapping loudly on the cobbles.
The State Gun Carriage carries the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre, as it leaves Westminster Hall for the State Funeral at Westminster Abbey
King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex followed by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II leaves Westminster Hall for the State Funeral at Westminster Abbey
Diplomatic cars from countries around the world arrived at Westminster Abbey this morning as leaders and dignitaries congregated to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen’s coffin has arrived at Westminster Abbey and has been carried inside by the bearer party of Grenadier Guards ahead of the state funeral service.
The short procession from Westminster Hall, to the sound of bagpipes and with Big Ben tolling, took around eight minutes.
As the coffin entered, the Choir of Westminster Abbey sang lines, known as The Sentences, from Revelation 14:13, set to music written by William
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is carried into Westminster Abbey, followed by King Charles III, the Queen Consort, the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex, the Countess of Wessex, the Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, the Duke of Sussex, the Duchess of Sussex and Peter Phillips.
The Dean of Windsor has given the bidding, ahead of the first hymn, ‘The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended’, written by John Ellerton, and which evokes the image of one day, one era, leading into another.
He told the congregation: “Here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, we gather from across the nation, from the Commonwealth, and from the nations of the world, 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.”
Watching from Holyrood Park Tracy McDougall, Trevor Thompson and Bob the Jack Russell who came from Duddingston in Edinburgh.Tracy told The Scotsman: “I live in Edinburgh and just wanted to come and pay my respects because she’s been with us all my life.
“The atmosphere here is lovely. It was very quiet walking down, the streets were very quite -it was quite nice.”
He said: “I just wanted to come down and pay my respects to a woman who has done her job for 70 years and been faultless.
“I’ve even got a wee tattoo - ER - although it is a few years old now.
“I think it’s bringing people together - the atmosphere is quite sombre. But it’s nice, whether you’re a royalist or not, that everybody gets together.”