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what’s happening today
Hello, I’m Léonie Chao-Fong and I’ll be bringing you the latest developments in the wake of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Here’s what to expect today: Today will be the first major ceremony in London as the Queen’s coffin is carried in a gun carriage from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall to lie in state. In a tribute to his late mother, the King will lead a procession behind the carriage to Westminster Hall. King Charles’ three siblings – Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward – as well as his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, will also walk in the procession. Camilla, the Queen Consort and Catherine, Princess of Wales, will travel by car, as will Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. The coffin will leave Buckingham Palace at 14:22 and arrive at Westminster Hall at 15:00. The procession will travel through Queen’s Gardens, The Mall, Horse Guards and Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard. After a short service by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Queen’s funeral will begin, which will last four days and end on the morning of the state funeral on September 19. The King and Queen will return to Buckingham Palace. Those wishing to pay their respects will be able to pay their respects from the Queen’s coffin 24 hours a day from 5pm on Wednesday until 6.30am. on the day of the funeral – Monday 19 September. Senior members of the royal family are expected to pay their own moving tributes, standing guard at some stage around the coffin – a tradition known as the Princes’ Vigil. Lying in state, the Queen’s closed coffin will rest on a raised platform, called a catafalque, in Westminster Hall and be draped in the Royal Standard with the orb and scepter placed on top. Every corner of the platform will be guarded around the clock by a vigil of units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division or the Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London.
Summary
Officials are bracing for a queue stretching up to five miles as huge numbers of people wait to pay their respects to the Queen in state at Westminster Hall. The Queen made her final journey home to Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night as her coffin was received by her family in a small, private ceremony. Outside the palace thousands of well-wishers cheered as the state hearse entered the palace gates. The coffin lay overnight in the Bow Room, where the Queen had hosted foreign royals, high-profile figures and dignitaries during her reign. On Wednesday afternoon, the coffin will be carried in a silent procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall in a gun carriage of the King’s Royal Horse Artillery. King Charles, his sons Princes William and Harry and other senior members of the royal family will follow on foot. The procession will be followed by a short service in Westminster Hall. It will be open to the public from 5pm. Officials have warned that anyone planning to attend the state lay should be prepared to stand in long lines.
In other developments:
Dozens of Clarence House staff have been put on notice as the offices of King Charles and the Queen Consort move to Buckingham Palace. A source said: “Everyone is absolutely furious… All staff have been working late every night since Thursday to deal with this.” British authorities shielded Prince Andrew from US prosecutors investigating his relationship with stockbroker and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a new book by a US lawyer who led the investigation in New York.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport provides information on road closures and the route of today’s queue on its Twitter account. It is also expected to give updates on the length of the queue. what’s happening today 2.22pm: Procession of Her Majesty’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster 5pm: Her Majesty The Queen’s Lying-in-State opens Learn more about how, when and how to view: pic.twitter.com/6kqZs9fFJ5 — Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (@DCMS) September 14, 2022 Caroline Davies Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to file past the Queen’s coffin to pay their respects during the repose. At some stage, senior members of the royal family are expected to stand guard around the coffin, in a tradition known as the Princes’ Vigil. Members of the public will be able to pass by the casket 24 hours a day during the layover from 5pm on Wednesday until 6.30am. on the day of the Queen’s funeral, Monday 19 September. Lying in state, the Queen’s closed coffin will rest on a raised platform, called a catafalque, in Westminster Hall and be draped in the Royal Standard with the orb and scepter placed on top. Every corner of the platform will be guarded around the clock by a vigil of units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, the Household Division or the Yeoman Warders of the Tower of London. Those wishing to attend will have to queue for hours, possibly all night, as a large turnout is expected. There will be airport-style security and strict restrictions on what can be carried, with only small bags allowed. Details of what is and isn’t allowed can be found on the DCMS website. Dozens of Clarence House staff have been put on notice to be made redundant as King Charles and the Queen Consort’s offices move to Buckingham Palace following the Queen’s death, write Pippa Crerar and Caroline Davies. Up to 100 staff at the King’s former official residence, including some who had worked there for decades, were given notice they could lose their jobs as they worked around the clock to smooth his ascension to the throne. Private secretaries, the finance office, the communications team and household staff are among those notified during the Queen’s thanksgiving service at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday that their places were on the line. Many officials had assumed they would merge into the King’s new home, claiming they were given no indication of what was coming until the letter arrived from Sir Clive Alderton, the King’s top aide. A source said: “Everyone is absolutely on board, including the private secretaries and the senior team. All staff have been working late every night since Thursday to meet with him. People were visibly moved by this.” PA Media reports some further details on today’s march. The Imperial State Crown and a wreath of flowers will be placed over the Queen’s coffin, he says, and the procession will start at 2.22pm. The King will follow the coffin on foot, along with his sons, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, as well as the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex. Anne’s son Peter Phillips and her husband, Rear-Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence, will also walk in the procession, as will the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon. The Queen Consort, Princess of Wales, Countess of Wessex and Duchess of Sussex will travel by car. Viewing areas for the public along the route will open at 11am on the day, with large crowds expected to attend. The procession is expected to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm. A service of around 20 minutes will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied by the Dean of Westminster. Updated at 06.51 BST Here’s the Guardian’s roundup of today’s headlines, many of which show the moment the Queen’s coffin passed through the gates of Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night. The Guardian’s front page also hints at stories about anger over the sacking of some members of King Charles’ staff and how the queue to see the Queen lying in state could stretch for five miles. It does, however, lead to “Johnson’s junk food rules under threat as Truss targets read tape”. Updated at 06.52 BST Peter Walker Officials have drawn up official plans for a queue of up to five miles to pay tribute to the Queen lying in state, a logistically complex exercise that includes toilets, first aid and round-the-clock refreshments along the way. As hundreds of thousands of people are expected to queue for hours for a chance to see the Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall, volunteers from groups including the Scouts and Salvation Army have been called in to help. Official guidance to the public coming to London warns those thinking of attending to expect “very long” queues, quite likely overnight, and to be especially mindful if bringing children. People will receive colored and numbered wristbands, which will show their place in the queue and mean they can leave it to use toilets or bring food and drink. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which is leading the arrangements, plans to provide live updates on how long the queue is and where it starts at all times. It will close if the numbers waiting are too large to ensure those in the queue get to Westminster on time. It is 6.10 am. in London, where the Queen’s coffin will be carried today in a gun carriage from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. She will then stay there for four days until her funeral on Monday. King Charles, his sons Princes William and Harry and other senior members of the royal family are expected to walk in silence behind the hearse as it travels through the streets of London. The coffin will leave Buckingham Palace at 14:22 and arrive at Westminster Hall at 15:00. The procession will travel through Queen’s Gardens, The Mall, Horse Guards and Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard. A vigil will then be held in the Parliamentary Complex of Westminster,…
