London, 19 September 2022 (TDI): The state funeral of the longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II, commenced on Monday, starting the official mourning period for the passing of the monarch.
⚫ The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen at Westminster Abbey:
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 19, 2022
It is an emotional day for the people of Britain, who bid the final farewell to their beloved monarch. Queen Elizabeth II passed away on 8 September 2022 at the age of 96 in Balmoral Castle, Scotland. After her demise, her son, King Charles III, came into power.
Order of the Ceremony of the State Funeral
The ceremony of the state funeral started with Queen’s coffin being taken from Westminster Hall where Queen Elizabeth II had been lying in state, to Westminster Abbey for a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. local time (6:00 a.m. ET).
The hour-long service was initiated by the Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The Prime Minister of the UK, Liz Truss, gave a reading at the ceremony.
The two-minute silence across the U.K. marked the end of the service, along with a reveille, the national anthem, and a royal piper playing a lament.
A gun carriage took the coffin throughout the streets of London, arriving at Wellington Arch, Hyde Park, at 1:00 p.m. (8:00 a.m. ET). From there, a hearse brought the coffin to Windsor for internment.
Over 800 mourners are to attend the committal service, followed by a private burial at the King George VI Memorial Chapel at 7:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. ET).
Who is attending the state funeral?
Many other royals—from Europe and further afield—are prominent among the more than 2,000 people attending the Westminster Abbey service. They include Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands’ are in attendance, alongside Denmark’s Queen Margarethe II and King Harald V, and Queen Sonja of Norway.
Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are attending, as are Jordan’s King Abdullah, Malaysia’s Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the Sultan Abdullah of Pahang), and Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk.
Among political leaders at the funeral are the current and several former British prime ministers. The U.S. is being represented by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. China’s Vice President Wang Qishan is attending, as is Indian President Droupadi Murmu.
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol is attending, as are Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, among others.
Among all these leaders, the Prime Minister of Pakistan is also in attendance at the state funeral. However, leaders from six countries, including Russia, Belarus, Syria, Myanmar, Venezuela, and Afghanistan, along with one former US President, Donal Trump, were not invited to the funeral.
Queen’s Burial
Queen Elizabeth II is being buried at the late medieval St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, where ten other monarchs lie.
She will be laid to rest alongside her beloved Philip, her father, mother, and sister.
Several members of the British royal family rest in the royal vault at the chapel, while the Queen is to be buried at an annex called the King George VI Memorial Chapel.
