UPDATE: 9:35 a.m The queen who ruled the United Kingdom and served as Canada’s head of state for seven decades was laid to rest on Monday after a state funeral watched across the Commonwealth and around the world. Thousands of mourners on the streets of London stood by in respectful silence as a procession made up of members of the military and Queen Elizabeth’s family carried her coffin past city landmarks at the end of her state funeral. The Queen’s son, King Charles III, her other children, grandchildren and young great-grandchildren accompanied the coffin from historic Westminster Abbey after her funeral, which lasted about an hour, following a military procession that brought her to last part of the rest at Windsor Castle. A crowd watched from the sidelines, many of whom had camped out for days for a chance to catch a glimpse of the crown-topped casket carrying the country’s longest-serving monarch. Members of the RCMP led horses near the front of the procession which also included uniformed members of the armed forces from Canada and around the Commonwealth. A handful of the Queen’s relatives who have served in the military were among those in uniform for the procession, while others dressed in black, as did many of the dignitaries who attended the service. The procession slowly passed important landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, where the Queen lived throughout her reign. The tolling of bells rang through the streets which were mostly silent except for the sounds of the ceremonial procession. Farther away, outside the barricades, a raucous gun salute from Hyde Park echoed through the streets, while the distant sound of a military band drifted down to those trying to find a way in or gathering around screens set up in public squares. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, officially led the Canadian delegation that was ushered into the church in the hours before the funeral began. They sat a few rows behind Governor General Mary Simon and her husband, the members of the Canadian delegation seated closest to the King and other senior members of the royal family. A procession of decorated Canadians – including holders of the Victoria Cross, George Cross and Orders of Chivalry – walked through the church on their way to their seats. Actress Sandra Oh, Olympian Mark Tewksbury and artist Gregory Charles walked near the front of the procession. Canada’s delegation also included former governors generals Michaëlle Jean and David Johnston, as well as former prime ministers Kim Campbell, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin and Stephen Harper. The UK’s first state funeral since Winston Churchill’s was filled with spectacle: 142 Royal Navy sailors pulled the carriage carrying the late Queen’s coffin to Westminster Abbey, with the King and his sons, Princes William and Harry, to walk back as they played bagpipes. Pallbearers carried the coffin into the abbey, where about 2,000 people, from world leaders to health workers, gathered to mourn her. Before the service, a bell rang 96 times — once a minute for every year of her life. “Here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, we gather from all the nation, from the Commonwealth and from the nations of the world, to mourn our loss, to remember a long life of selfless service, and with sure confidence to pledge ourselves to mercy of God our creator and redeemer,” the dean of the medieval abbey, David Hoyle, told mourners. In his homily, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby paid tribute to the Queen’s “beloved service”, her religious faith and her ability to touch lives. Near the end, he quoted a Vera Lynn song and echoed the final words of the Queen’s 2020 address to the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic: “We shall meet again.” Later, the King stood in silence as the congregation, including his wife and family, sang “God Save the King.” The state funeral marked the culmination of 10 days of tributes and mourning following the Queen’s death on September 8 aged 96. Dignitaries and everyday mourners have poured into London in recent days to pay their respects to the UK’s longest-serving monarch and Canada’s longest-serving head of state. The final leg of the Queen’s final journey saw her in a hearse en route to Windsor Castle, where she was to be buried in St George’s Chapel alongside the late Prince Philip, her husband of nearly 74 years. The crowd applauded as the hearse arrived at the castle and paraded through the estate. The procession was passed by one of the Queen’s saddled Fell ponies and two of her pet corgis, in a nod to her well-known love of animals. The Queen’s death has sparked an outpouring of grief and affection from around the world. In London, an entire park near Buckingham Palace has been filled with floral tributes, with people at one point queuing for up to 24 hours for the chance to see the Queen’s coffin in state in Westminster Hall. Tim Thompson of Fredericton was among the members of the public who camped out for the procession. He had set up a tent on the flagged road leading to Buckingham Palace early on Sunday morning to ensure he would have a good view. As a military member of the Cadet Instructors Cadre, he said it was worth spending a night out in the cold to pay his respects to Canada’s former commander-in-chief and head of state. Thompson, who also stood in line for 13 hours to attend the recumbent queen, said he had mixed feelings about the funeral. Although the event is sad, he said he was proud and happy to see different nations come together to mourn the queen. “We have a shared grief that we’re going through, so it’s nice to see that camaraderie between Canadians, Australians and Brits,” he said in an interview. Evert McLaughlin, a Toronto native who lives in London, said it felt “surreal” to be a part of such an important moment. “I think she still means a lot to a lot of Canadians,” he said of the queen outside the park where people were laying flowers. ORIGINAL: 6 a.m Britain and the world bid a final farewell to Queen Elizabeth II at a state funeral on Monday that brought together presidents and kings, princes and prime ministers – and crowds lined the streets of London to honor a monarch whose 70-year reign defined a age. In a country known for pomp and pageantry, the first state funeral since Winston Churchill was filled with spectacle: Before the service, a bell tolled 96 times — once a minute for each year of Elizabeth’s life. 142 Royal Navy sailors then used ropes to pull the carriage carrying her flag-draped coffin to Westminster Abbey. Pallbearers eventually brought it to the abbey, where about 2,000 people, from world leaders to health workers, gathered to mourn her. Ornaments of state and monarchy abounded: The casket was draped in the royal standard and topped by the imperial state crown, glittering with nearly 3,000 diamonds, and the sovereign’s orb and scepter. But the personal was also present: a handwritten note from her son, King Charles III, that read, “In loving and devoted memory” and was signed Charles R — for Rex, or king. “Here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, we gather from all the nation, from the Commonwealth and from the nations of the world, to mourn our loss, to remember a long life of selfless service, and with sure confidence to pledge ourselves to mercy of God our creator and redeemer,” the dean of the medieval abbey, David Hoyle, told mourners as the funeral service opened. The service concluded with a two-minute silence across the UK, after which those present sang the national anthem, entitled ‘God Save the King’. The day began early when the doors of Parliament’s 900-year-old Westminster Hall were closed to mourners after hundreds of thousands had paid their respects in front of her coffin. Many waited in line for hours, including through cold nights, to attend the lay-in-state in an outpouring of collective grief and respect. “I felt I should come and pay my last respects to our majestic queen. He’s done so much for us and a little thank you really from the world,” said Tracy Dobson, who was one of the last to join the line. Monday was declared a bank holiday in honor of Elizabeth, who died on September 8 — and hundreds of thousands of people descended on central London to take part in the historic moment. They blocked the pavements to watch the coffin pass through the streets of the capital after the service. As the procession passed Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s official residence in the city, staff stood outside, some bowing and retreating. Millions more tuned in to the funeral live on television and crowds flocked to parks and public spaces across the UK to watch it on screens. Even Google’s doodle went respectfully black for the day. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said in his homily that “few leaders accept the outpouring of love we have seen” for Elizabeth. After passing through central London, the coffin was placed in a hearse and headed to Windsor Castle – where Elizabeth spent much of her time. Mourners threw flowers at the motorcade as it passed. There will be another procession to Windsor before the service at St George’s Chapel. The Queen will be buried with her late husband Prince Philip in a private family service. The night before the funeral, Charles sent a message of thanks to people in the UK and around the world, saying he and his wife Camilla, the Queen consort, had been “moved beyond measure” by the large number of people who returned. out to pay their respects to the queen. People across Britain observed a minute’s silence at 8pm on Sunday in memory of the only monarch…
