The crown jeweler removed the imperial crown, orb and scepter from the queen’s coffin before it was lowered into the royal vault. Bouquets of flowers have been left outside Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in Northern Ireland in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. ► VIDEO: President Michael D. Higgins, accompanied by his wife Sabina, was among the foreign dignitaries present at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London pic.twitter.com/h9jRgvONlg — Irish Times Video (@irishtimesvideo) September 19, 2022 The ceremony, which was attended by about 800 people, ended. The Imperial State Crown was removed from the Queen’s coffin before it was lowered into the royal vault at St George’s Chapel. This closes the public events for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. A private burial will be held at a later date. The ceremony has begun at St George’s Chapel, where the Queen often worshipped. The dean of Windsor says: “In our fast-changing, often turbulent world, her calm and dignified presence gave us the confidence to face the future, as she did, with courage and hope.” Pallbearers carry the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II to St George’s Chapel for the ceremony. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty) The King and other members of the royal family again joined the funeral procession behind the Queen’s coffin in Castle Square. The coffin has now been raised on the west steps in St George’s Chapel. The Queen’s corgis, Moic and Sandy walk inside Windsor Castle ahead of the Committal Service for Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. (Glyn Kirk/Getty) According to local visitor guides, Windsor Castle’s Long Walk is 2.64 miles long. Viewers may remember the tree-lined avenue from Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding in 2018. Chopin’s Funeral is played as the hearse moves towards the castle. Among those watching is the Queen’s pony, named Emma. Her corgis, Moic and Sandy, are waiting for her at Windsor Castle. Among the guests who arrived for the engagement are former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie. Senior British royals, including King Charles III will join the procession in the Windsor Castle Quadrangle. Meanwhile, Camilla, the Queen Consort, will follow in a car along with Catherine, Princess of Wales, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Camilla, Queen Consort, Prince George of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales look at the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as they leave Westminster Abbey in London. (Tim Merry/Getty) The procession has made its way across the countryside and has made its way down Windsor Castle’s famous Long Walk to St George’s Chapel. Huge crowds have gathered on the lawn, while cannons have been fired periodically since the Queen’s arrival. Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II The State hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II drives along Albert Road, Windsor, to a committal at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. (PA) (Niall Carson/PA) The Royal Family have released details of the engagement, which is due to take place at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle at 4pm. The leaflet includes the exact times of the service, including that the State Hearse carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin is due to stop at the bottom of the chapel’s West Steps at 3.53pm. At the end of a hymn, the King of Britain will place the Queen’s “camp colour” on her coffin. The Lord Chamberlain will break his ‘wand’ and place it in the coffin. The Dean of Windsor will read from the Book of Psalms as the casket is lowered, according to the Order of Service pamphlet. At 4pm Her Majesty The Queen’s Committal Service will take place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. Read the service order: — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 19, 2022 Members of the public threw flowers at the hearse carrying the Queen’s coffin as it made its way to Windsor. God Save the King was played again and the coffin has now been placed in the back of the hearse which will take the Queen on her final journey from central London to the grounds of Windsor Castle, where she will be buried in a private ceremony. . King Charles III greets his mother for the last time. The hearse is due to arrive in Windsor shortly after 3pm today. Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin passes through Wellington Arch in London on Monday. Photo: David Ramos/Getty The hearse is now on its way to Windsor. There are still thousands on the way as the team leaves London. Crowds of people are now gathering in the chapel of St. George. Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial Crown and the Sovereign’s orb and sceptre, is carried into Westminster Abbey, London on September 19, 2022.
Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II Members of a military band marching in the casket procession walk down Horse Guards Road after the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London.
The coffin is now leaving Westminster Abbey. The procession is led by King Charles III followed by other members of his family and then by the clergy who took part in the funeral ceremony. The note on top of the casket reads: “In loving and devoted memory.” Various church leaders in the UK are now reading the prayers. Queen Elizabeth II was also head of the Church of England. Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II Members of the crowd on The Mall listen to the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London. (PA) He attended Queen Elizabeth’s funeral this morning at Westminster Abbey. The queen stretched for our peace process. It is important that we do the same to show respect to her and all those for whom she held a special place in their hearts. — Colum Eastwood 🇺🇦 (@columeastwood) September 19, 2022 The Prince of Wales and Prince George during Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral at London Abbey. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin, which will be placed in a gun carriage, will not be pulled by horses as you might expect, but by Royal Navy ratings (apprentice sailors). This is a tradition that dates back to Queen Victoria’s funeral, when some of the horses that were supposed to pull her gun carriage bolted and the Royal Navy intervened. President Michael D. Higgins, US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill arrived as did President Emmanuel Macron of France and Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan. Today I respectfully join leaders from Britain, Ireland and the international community at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II as she is laid to rest. It is a sad day for her family who are grieving her loss, and all those with a British identity from across our community who are also grieving. — Michelle O’Neill (@moneillsf) September 19, 2022 Read Queen Elizabeth II’s obituary Hear from London publisher Denis Staunton on the death of Queen Elizabeth II

How will the UK cope with the loss of Queen Elizabeth II?

London editor Denis Staunton on the death of Queen Elizabeth II: how the world learned she was dying, what happens next and the impact her death will have on the British people and the monarchy itself. How many countries have been invited to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral? It would be easier to count those who have not been invited, only three in fact, Russia obviously, Belarus and Myanmar, a former British colony when it was Burma. Somewhat unexpectedly North Korea, Iran and Syria are all invited. There will be a large Irish contingent today consisting of President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Sinn Féin deputy leader Michelle O’Neill, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Doug Beattie and Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP) leader Colum Eastwood. Sinn Féin’s Alex Maskey will also attend as Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Senior officials from Ireland’s four largest churches will all attend. They are the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh John McDowell, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church the Right Reverend John Kirkpatrick and the President of the Methodist Church the Reverend David Nixon. Patricia Donnelly, who was made an OBE in recognition of her work leading the Covid-19 vaccination program in Northern Ireland, will attend as will the Reverend Mervyn Gibson, Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, who was made an MBE for services to the community. The last funeral of a British monarch was on 15 February 1952. The then Foreign Secretary Frank Aiken, a former IRA commander in the War of Independence and the Civil War, along with Irish Ambassador to Great Britain Frederick Henry (FH) Boland attended. How many people around the world will attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral today? According to the “experts” it will be 4.1 billion. Why such an exact number? It’s half the world’s population. The truth is, no one knows. The audience is likely to be much smaller in the western hemisphere where it is still night. Nice comments today in The Irish Times from British Ambassador Paul Johnson. Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the face of the nation for seven decades, has died aged 96, according to Buckingham Palace. We remember our Queen. Today people from across the UK, the Commonwealth and the world will pay tribute to the extraordinary life and reign of Her Majesty The Queen. pic.twitter.com/yuFxoo6Gdu — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 19, 2022 Goodmorning and…