Funeral Held for Queen Elizabeth II with Thousands Paying Respects to Late Monarch
by Karen Rollins Sep 19, 2022
The funeral for Queen Elizabeth II has taken place at Westminster Abbey, followed by a committal service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
Thousands of people lined the streets of London to pay their final respects to the late Monarch as dignitaries, heads of state, and other leading figures from around the world took part in the historic event.
Millions more watched the moving occasion on TV or listened on the radio.
Timeline of events:
At 10.44am on Monday morning, Queen Elizabeth’s coffin was moved from Westminster Hall, where she had been lying in state for approximately four days, to Westminster Abbey for the funeral.
She was carried to the abbey on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy which was drawn by 142 uniformed sailors.
A wreath made up of significant flowers and foliage chosen by King Charles III sat on top of the coffin along with the Imperial State crown and the Sovereign’s orb and sceptre. The king’s handwritten card in the wreath read: “In loving and devoted memory. Charles R.”
Senior members of the Royal Family, including Charles and his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, followed the gun carriage in procession to the abbey.
11am – the Queen’s funeral service began with 2,000 guests in attendance.
The service was conducted by the Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby gave the sermon.
The Dean began the service by speaking of the Queen’s “unswerving commitment to a high calling over so many years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth”.
Among the hymns was ‘The Lord’s my shepherd’ which was also sung at the Queen’s wedding to the Duke of Edinburgh.
At 11.55am, the Last Post was played followed by a two-minute national silence.
The national anthem and a tune played by the Queen’s piper brought the solemn service to an end just after noon.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 19, 2022
Midday – The Queen’s coffin was then drawn in a walking procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch in London’s Hyde Park Corner.
Big Ben tolled at one-minute intervals as the procession moved slowly through the streets. Gun salutes were fired every minute from Hyde Park.
Crowds of mourners lined the route to see the coffin and military parade. The procession was led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and was made up of seven groups, each with its own band.
The King and members of the Royal Family walked behind the gun carriage.
At Wellington Arch, the coffin was transferred to the new State Hearse for its final journey to Windsor Castle.
3pm – The hearse arrived in Windsor just after 3pm and continued in walking procession up Windsor Castle’s Long Walk.
Crowds and members of the armed forces lined the 5km avenue.
Just after 4pm, the coffin entered St George’s Chapel for an intimate committal service with 800 guests, mostly made up of current or former staff from the Queen’s household and estates.
The service was conducted by the Dean of Windsor David Conner, with a blessing from the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
At the end of the service the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign’s orb and sceptre were removed from the top of the coffin, separating the Queen from her crown for the final time.
At the end of the last hymn, King Charles III placed the Queen’s Company camp colour, or flag, of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin. Then the Lord Chamberlain “broke” his wand of office and placed it on the coffin.
The Queen was then lowered into the royal vault and the Sovereign’s piper played. Archbishop Welby gave a blessing before the congregation sang God Save the King.
The performance by the piper at Windsor was something the Queen had personally requested, Buckingham Palace said.
At 7.30pm, the Royal Family held a private burial service. The Queen was buried with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, her parents, and her sister at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, inside St George’s Chapel.
Her marble slab is engraved ELIZABETH II 1926-2022.
Goodbye to a Queen, a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother. pic.twitter.com/hKEI9RcAOp
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 19, 2022