Elizabeth II was laid to rest in King George VI’s mausoleum at Windsor Castle Chapel after a private funeral on Monday night, according to Buckingham Palace. It was an emotional day for the grieving royals, with tens of thousands of people lining the streets to catch a glimpse of the procession carrying the Queen’s coffin and millions more watching on television around the world. The King appeared near tears during his mother’s funeral at Westminster Abbey, where world leaders – including US President Joe Biden, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Liz Truss – were among the 2,000 people. Read live updates as they happened from Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 1:21 The emotional king at his mother’s funeral The Queen’s coffin left Westminster Hall on Monday morning, where the last members of the public had queued overnight to see the monarch lie in state, and was carried in a carriage to the abbey in a procession that included the monarch’s children . In a personal touch, the wreath adorning the Queen’s coffin had a handwritten note from the King, which read: “In loving and devoted memory. Charles R.” The wreath also included flowers requested by the king, which were cut from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Highgrove House. George and Charlotte walk behind the coffin Inside Westminster Abbey, King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen’s consort, walked right behind the coffin. They were followed by the Princess Royal and her husband Rear-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the Duke of York, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Prince and Princess of Wales. Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, seven, accompanied their parents, followed by their uncle and aunt, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Before the service, the Princess of Wales was seen holding Charlotte’s hand and giving her a reassuring tap on the shoulder. ‘We will meet again’ Delivering the homily, the Archbishop of Canterbury told mourners that the “sorrow” felt around the world at the Queen’s death “stems from her abundant life and loving service”. “She was joyful, present to so many, touching so many lives,” said the Reverend Justin Welby. “People who love service are rare in any walk of life. Service leaders with love are even rarer.” “Her late Majesty’s show during the COVID lockdown ended with ‘We’ll meet again,’ words of hope from a Vera Lynn song”. He added: “All who follow the Queen’s example and are inspired by trust and faith in God, can say with her: ‘We shall meet again.’ Read more: The King’s farewell message and Andrew’s tears – highlights In pictures: the Queen’s state funeral The Dean of Windsor told congregation members they were standing at the site where the Queen was “married and crowned… to remember her long life of selfless service”. State trumpeters from the Household Cavalry played the Last Post, followed by a two-minute silence across the country, with the national anthem then sung by the congregation. Huge crowds gather for the historic procession Image: The coffin was carried along The Mall in London Tens of thousands of mourners lined the ceremonial procession from the Abbey to Wellington Arch, passing Buckingham Palace, where staff stood outside the gates and watched the late monarch pass. The Queen’s four children – the King, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex – walked behind the coffin in the procession, followed by three of her grandsons, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex and Peter Phillips. Flowers were thrown on the street by members of the public after the Queen’s coffin was carried in the state hearse at Wellington Arch and then traveled to Windsor Castle. Thousands of people gathered along the Long Walk leading to the landmark and broke into applause as the casket procession passed them. The queen buried next to her husband Around 800 mourners, including senior royals and members of staff from the Queen’s Household and the Windsor estate, attended a commitment ceremony held at St George’s Chapel in the castle grounds. The King took the same seat where the Queen sat alone for the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the final hymn, the imperial crown, orb and scepter were removed from the Queen’s coffin and placed on the altar. At the end of the last hymn, the King placed a flag – the camp color of the Queen’s Grenadier Guards – on the coffin. The coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault, before the Queen’s piper played a lament as it left, in a symbolic gesture. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 3:02 The coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault The Archbishop of Canterbury concluded the service with a benediction before the congregation sang the national anthem. In a touching gesture before the service, the Queen’s loyal friends, her corgi Miwick and Sandy, made an appearance in Windsor Castle Square. Read more: History and significance of Queen’s final resting place Windsor bids farewell to much-loved Queen – and neighbor The Queen’s final resting place is in the King George VI Memorial, an annexe to the main chapel where her mother and father were buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret. The coffin of the Queen’s husband, Prince Philip, was moved from the royal vault to the memorial to join her. The earth strewn on the Queen’s coffin was collected from the royal mausoleum at Frogmore. The Queen’s death on Thursday, September 8, aged 96, ended her 70-year reign and triggered a period of national mourning, which ends on Monday. The royal family will remain in mourning for seven days after her funeral.
