The funeral of the Queen, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, takes place on Monday and details of what will happen on the day have now been announced by Buckingham Palace. It will be a day of emotion and sadness, but also a celebration of the monarch’s life and 70 years of reign, and thousands are expected to take to the streets in London and Windsor to pay their respects as she makes her final journey. The Queen is in State – Latest News Watch Live: The Queen is in State Millions more will watch at home in the UK and around the world as the funeral is televised in what could become the most-watched show in history. It has been 70 years since the death of the previous monarch, father of Queen Elizabeth II, George VI, so the vast majority of people in the UK are not used to the traditions and pageantry that have been on display in recent days. And for those who remember her father’s reign and death, the Queen’s funeral, held in the digital age, will be unparalleled in scale and far more accessible. The man in charge of the operation, Earl Marshal the Duke of Norfolk, says the state funeral will “unite people around the world and resonate with people of all faiths” and pay “a fitting tribute to an excellent reign.” Here’s our guide to the event – from rehearsal details and everything that happens beforehand to the Queen’s burial, other state funerals and the historical significance of the locations. What time is the Queen’s funeral, where is it – and why? Image: Photo: AP/Felipe Dana After several days of her coffin lying in state, the Queen’s funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday, starting at 11am. Poignantly, this is where she married Prince Philip 75 years ago and her coronation was also held here in 1953. Breaking with centuries of tradition, this is the first funeral for a monarch to be held at Westminster Abbey since the ceremony for King George II in 1760, which was later held at Windsor. However, the funerals for both Princess Diana and the Queen Mother were held here in 1997 and 2002 respectively. It is believed that the move was chosen by the Queen herself, according to reports, as the venue can accommodate more people and the London location is better for hosting crowds. The funeral will be conducted by the Most Reverend Dr David Hoyle Dean of Westminster, and the homily will be preached by the Right Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury. The Choirs of Westminster Abbey and His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace will perform under the direction of James O’Donnell, Abbey Organist and Master of the Choristers. What happens before the service? A continuous vigil of her coffin is kept by the King’s Guards at the Palace of Westminster. Each watch lasts six hours, with individuals within these watches keeping vigil for 20 minutes. The casket is draped with the Royal Standard, upon which are the Organs of State, the Imperial State Crown, the Orb and the Sceptre. These will remain for the duration of the event. A national moment of reflection takes place the day before the funeral at 8 p.m. on Sunday, and a minute’s silence will be observed. Community events and vigils may be organized to mark it across the UK, but people can also mark the moment privately at home or next door to neighbours. Those wishing to pay their respects abroad are also encouraged to observe a minute’s silence at 8pm. BST. The Queen’s Lying in State closes at 6.30 on the morning of the funeral. Her coffin will then be carried in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey, which is closed for preparations until the funeral. Following the coffin will be the king, members of the royal family and members of the king’s household. And what happens next? After the funeral, the Queen’s coffin will travel in procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, also known as Constitution Arch, which was built as the original entrance to Buckingham Palace and is located between the corners of Hyde Park and Green Park . From there, the casket will travel to Windsor. Here, the hearse will travel in procession to St George’s Gothic Chapel, which is within the walls of Windsor Castle, via the Long Walk. A requiem service will be held afterwards at St George’s. This is the church regularly chosen by the royal family for weddings, christenings and funerals – where Prince Harry and Meghan were married in 2018 and where Prince Philip’s funeral was held just last year. Later in the evening there will be a private burial service with senior members of the royal family. Where will the Queen be laid to rest – and will it be with Prince Philip? The Queen’s final resting place will be the King George VI Memorial, a small annexe to the main chapel at Windsor – where her mother and father are buried and where the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret, are kept. Accounts of why Margaret was cremated vary – some say she chose this as she felt the burial was “too somber”, others say her decision was influenced by the fact that there was not much space left for formal burials. When Prince Philip died, he was temporarily laid to rest in the Royal Vault at St George’s, but will now be moved to the Chapel of Remembrance to join the Queen. Important role of the Navy A total of around 6,000 representatives from all three armed forces will take part in the procession, with members of the Navy towing the carriage which will carry the Queen’s coffin to Westminster Abbey. This follows the tradition set at Queen Victoria’s funeral in 1902, when the horses panicked and a group of sailors were ordered to carry the carriage through the streets of Windsor. Since then, the carriage, originally built in 1899, has been kept in an environmentally secure room at HMS Excellent in Portsmouth – where its keeper, Lt Paul “Ronnie” Barker turns its wheels a quarter turn each week to ensure they don’t bow by gravity. And the role of the former head of MI5… The Lord Chamberlain – Baron Parker of Minsmere – is the most senior official in the Royal Family and the former head of the spy agency. He was the head of the Queen’s working household and it is his job to ensure the smooth running of all the different departments. On ceremonial occasions, the Lord Chamberlain carries a white wand and a golden key, the symbols of his office – and tradition dictates that he must now break his wand over the Queen’s grave – a symbolic gesture marking the sovereign’s death who serves. The last Lord Chamberlain to break his wand in this way was the Earl of Clarendon over the grave of King George VI in 1952. The Queen’s trip to Westminster Abbey On the day of the funeral, after arriving at Westminster Hall at 6.30am, the doors will be closed in preparation. Shortly after 10.35am, the Queen’s coffin will be raised and carried in procession to the Royal Navy State Carriage outside the north door. The carriage will then set off at 10.44am, with members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines lining the route to the abbey. A three-part guard of honor will take place in Parliament Square, accompanied by the band of Royal Marines. The procession will arrive at 10.52 and the coffin will be taken to the abbey for the service. The doors to Westminster Abbey will have opened at 8am to allow the general congregation to take their seats. The ceremony itself Invited heads of state and overseas government representatives, including foreign royals, will travel en masse from the Royal Hospital Chelsea to the abbey. The funeral will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster, with Prime Minister Liz Truss and the Commonwealth Secretary-General reading the Lessons. The Archbishop of York, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Moderator of the Free Churches will offer prayers. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 2:50 What is a state funeral? The homily will be delivered by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who will also give the eulogy. The Dean of Westminster will then pronounce the benediction. Towards the end of the service, at around 11.55am, the Last Post will be played, followed by two minutes’ silence to be observed in the Abbey and across the UK. The national anthem will be played and lamentation will follow at the end of the service around noon. The coffin will be followed by the king, queen and members of the royal family. Procession at Wellington Arch The royals will walk in procession from the abbey to Wellington Arch, where the procession is due to arrive at 1pm. The King and members of the Royal Family will again follow in the procession, which will also include contingents from the Commonwealth Armed Forces. Fine guns will be fired in Hyde Park by the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. Big Ben will chime throughout this procession. At Wellington Arch, the coffin will be transferred from the carriage to the state hearse to travel to Windsor. As the procession departs, the parade will give a royal salute and the national anthem will be played. His Majesty The King and members of the Royal Family will then depart for Windsor. The Queen Consort, Princess of Wales, Duchess of Sussex and Countess of Wessex will follow by car. In Windsor There…
