As Queen Elizabeth II will be laid to rest tomorrow, here’s what to expect.
The State Funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday, 19 September, at 11 a.m. BST. The funeral will pay tribute to her extraordinary reign and remarkable life.
On Monday morning at 6.30 a.m., the Lying-in-State will end as the last members of the public are admitted to Westminster Hall. Shortly before 11 a.m, the coffin will be placed on the State Gun Carriage and taken in procession to Westminster Abbey. The coffin will be followed by King Charles, members of the royal family and members of the King’s household.
The State Funeral will be attended by foreign heads of state and official government representatives, including foreign royal families. There will also be representatives of the Realms and the Commonwealth, the Orders of Chivalry, including recipients of the Victoria Cross and George Cross, Government, Parliament, devolved Parliaments and Assemblies, the Church, and Her Majesty’s Patronages will form the congregation, along with other public representatives. The congregation will also be joined by almost 200 people who were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours this year.
The Dean of Westminster will conduct the service, and during the service, the Prime Minister and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth will read Lessons. The Archbishop of York, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Free Churches Moderator will say Prayers. Finally, the Archbishop of Canterbury will give the Sermon.
The service will end around noon, at which point the Last Post will sound, followed by two minutes of silence. The National Anthem will close the service. The Queen’s coffin will then be returned to the State Gun Carriage for a procession to Hyde Park Corner. The coffin will then be transferred to the State Hearse and taken to Windsor.
As the State Hearse reaches Windsor, it will travel via the Long Walk to St George’s Chapel for the Committal Service. The service inside St George’s Chapel will begin around 4 p.m. in the presence of The King and members of the royal family. Before the final hymn, the Imperial State Crown, the Orb and Sceptre will be removed from the coffin. Next, the Lord Chamberlain will “break” his Wand of Office and place it on the coffin. The coffin will then be lowered into the royal vault.
A private burial, together with the coffin of the Duke of Edinburgh, in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, will take place later that evening.
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