British Queen Elizabeth II Funeral Day Highlights: Flags on British government buildings around the world returned to full mast on Tuesday as the period of national mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II ended. The flags had been flown at half mast across the UK for 12 days as a mark of mourning over the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Britain’s longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest with her husband Philip and parents in an intimate ceremony in London’s Windsor on Monday. The evening interment service was not open to the media, and King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William and Kate, Prince Harry and Meghan, and other royals were able to bid a final farewell to the late monarch in private after being in the public spotlight for 10 days of national mourning.
Queen Elizabeth’s closest relatives were ashen-faced throughout solemn funeral rituals in London and Windsor, silently playing their parts in meticulously choreographed processions that nevertheless betrayed the high emotions of the day. The presence of William and Harry, walking side-by-side behind their grandmother’s coffin, was reminiscent of the day 25 years ago when, as boys, they took part in a similar procession to the funeral of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch died on September 8, 2022, after 70 years on the throne. (AP)
Flags on British government buildings around the world returned to full mast on Tuesday as the period of national mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II has ended.
The flags had been flown at half mast across the UK for 12 days as a mark of mourning over the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen was buried in a private ceremony in Windsor on Monday evening, following a state funeral in London and a military procession to Windsor Castle.
But the Royal Family will continue to observe another week of mourning.
Senior royals are not expected to carry out any public duties during this time, the BBC reported.
Flags at royal residences will remain at half-mast until 8 am local time on September 27 - the day after their mourning period ends.
Buckingham Palace has said royal household staff, representatives of the household on official duties and troops committed to ceremonial duties will also observe the extended mourning period.
An intensive clean-up operation is underway after hundreds of thousands of people across the UK flocked to London to watch the Queen's funeral.
Council workers wearing black ribbons and bows were deployed on Monday evening to clean up litter and remove sand on roads in the London borough of Westminster.
Buckingham Palace has said royal household staff, representatives of the household on official duties and troops committed to ceremonial duties will also observe the extended mourning period. 2,000 people, including foreign royalty and world leaders, gathered yesterday at Westminster Abbey for Her Majesty's funeral.
Meanwhile, at least 67 people were arrested in London on Monday as part of the police operation for the Queen's state funeral, police said.
More than 10,000 officers from every force in the UK were deployed in the capital for what was the biggest ever police operation in the country. (PTI)
The death of Queen Elizabeth II marks a shift in the relationship between fashion and the British monarchy, with younger members of the royal family, notably Catherine, Princess of Wales, likely taking on a greater public role.
The late queen had a precise fashion formula - elegant coats, trim hats and square-heeled shoes shaped her familiar silhouette, as well as her handbag, which became a symbol of stability.
"The Queen was aware of how useful a tool style was to help convey her image as monarch," said Alicia Healey, who worked in the Queen's household for four years and has since written a book called "Wardrobe Wisdom from a Royal Lady's Maid: how to dress and take care of your clothes".
"I think, to a certain extent, her clothes were a uniform for her."
While the fashion choices of the new monarch, King Charles III and his wife Queen Consort Camilla, will inevitably attract attention, they are both in their seventies, meaning camera lenses will be focused more on Charles' children, William and Harry - and their wives.
That could see a shift in the royals' association with fashion from formal structures to more relatable - if restrained - styles.
With Harry and wife Meghan now based in California, William's wife Catherine, popularly known as Kate, is set to hold the public's sartorial gaze, recalling the era of William's late mother Diana when she was Princess of Wales.
"I think, really, people are interested in the younger members of the family and what they are wearing because they relate much more to us, to what we wear to parties or to work," said fashion critic and historian Suzy Menkes.
TRICKY FOR KATE
Styles worn by Kate, 40, have been known to spark buying frenzies. The polka dotted dress by Jenny Packham she wore in 2013 after the birth of eldest child Prince George subsequently sold out. It was seen as an homage to Diana, also photographed in polka dots when returning home with baby Prince William.
Kate's style is usually understated but when she dresses up it generates excitement, fashion experts say.
"Whenever the future queen wears something that is a little bit sexy and glamorous, people get very excited about it because Kate isn't really someone who dresses like that," said Menkes, who describes her style as casual but smart.
"It's interesting to see how that's going to change and whether she is going to go up a notch and look slightly more glamorous," she said.
But doing so could be at odds with King Charles' sustainability messaging.
"Charles' sustainability push calls for a little bit more conscientious fashion," said Jennifer Castro, a West Palm, Florida-based digital marketer, whose fashion blog RoyalStyleWatch has more than 67,000 Instagram followers.
"Charles is someone that has had the same camel coat for 25 years - he's very much about purchasing quality items that will last," Castro said.
NEVER MISSED THE MARK
Gerald Bodmer has lost count of the glossy Launer handbags Queen Elizabeth II bought from his company through her seven-decade reign, but the classic, hand-stitched accessories have been part of her wardrobe since the 1950s and 60s.
He estimates she ordered around a dozen over the past 40 years, sticking to only a handful of models, such as the top-handled Traviata, in a subtle trapezoid shape, which sells for around 2,090 pounds ($2,390).
In her last public photo, with Britain's new Prime Minister Liz Truss, she carried a pre-1980s Launer bag, while the creamy vanilla-coloured bespoke Lisa hybrid model she sported at William and Kate's wedding in 2011 sparked such a flurry of interest the company's website crashed, according to the label.
For many, the accessory will be forever linked to the Queen.
"I never noticed any handbags except those worn by Her Majesty," said Menkes. "Other people, of course, must have handbags, but they haven't quite entered my soul."
The Queen set a high bar when it came to striking the right tone, said Elizabeth Holmes, author of 'HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style'.
"It's incredibly savvy of her to have recognised the power of clothes and harness that to promote sort of the monarchy and support her royal duties," Holmes said.
"There was never a moment where the Queen missed the mark - where she was dressed inappropriately, where her wardrobe failed in some way. And for 70 years to be that consistent? I think we take it for granted." (Reuters)
An estimated over 250,000 people saw British Queen Elizabeth II lying in state in London when her coffin was displayed for public viewing for a little over four days before the funeral, according to a report on Tuesday.
The Queen died aged 96 at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on September 8.
People queued 24 hours a day from late Wednesday until 6.30 am on Monday, the day of the Queen's funeral, to see her coffin in Westminster Hall.
The line stretched from parliament along the south bank of the Thames and past Tower Bridge to Southwark Park.
Culture secretary Michelle Donelan told Sky News that more than a quarter of a million "went through parliament" but that it was an approximate figure and the government is still "crunching the final numbers".
The mayor of London's office said an estimated 80,000 were in Hyde Park, 75,000 in ceremonial viewing areas and 60,000 on South Carriage Drive.
Overall numbers were much higher as crowds formed on virtually the entire route to Windsor, where Thames Valley Police said 100,000 turned out, the report said.
The last member of the public to see the monarch said she went through the queue twice on the same night.
Footballer David Beckham was among those to pay their respects and others spoke of making new friends with people around them in the line.
On two occasions, the Queen's children and grandchildren held vigils around the coffin as the public continued to file past.
The Queen was buried beside Prince Philip on Monday evening in a final private ceremony in St George's Chapel.
It concluded a historic and spectacular day of events that included the state funeral, a final procession through London, and thousands lining the Long Walk as the Queen's cortege arrived at Windsor Castle. (PTI)
London’s Heathrow airport is one of the busiest in the world, but on Monday operations at the bustling area paused as passengers and staff observed a two-minute silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II.
In a tweet, the Heathrow airport wrote, “If you’re at #Heathrow today, we will be broadcasting Her Majesty’s funeral and we invite you to join us in observing a two-minute silence at the end of the service. During this time there will be a short pause in all operations.” (Read more)
Britain and the world mourned Queen Elizabeth II on Monday, with a state funeral drawing leaders and royalty from around the globe. But the royal family's grief also was on display. Check out the full gallery here.
King Charles III salutes as he leaves Westminster Abbey following the state funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey. (AP)
Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales (C) attends with Kate, Princess of Wales (R) and Sophie, Countess of Wessex the State Funeral Service for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, at Westminster Abbey. (Reuters)
Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral concluded last evening at Westminster Abbey, in the presence of 200 attendees, followed by her committal service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in England. At the sombre event, an emotional King Charles III watched the proceedings from a seat in the second row beside his wife Queen Consort Camilla.
As billions across the world saw the funeral, people were quick to notice an empty seat in front of King Charles. Reportedly, the seat in the front is left empty due to a royal protocol so that the monarch can have a clear view of the proceedings if he/she is not sitting in the first row. “The seat in front of the Queen is always left empty,” Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams had previously told The Independent. (Read more)
Ever since the passing away of Queen Elizabeth II, who will be laid to rest today in a state funeral, Princess Charlotte and her brother Prince George — the future king — were seen in public for the first time.
What caught people’s attention was that as she said her final goodbye, Charlotte also paid a tribute to the late monarch in her own sweet way. The seven-year-old was dressed in an all-black look featuring a long coat and a round hat, which made her look like a mini version of her own mother.
The other grown-up gesture that she demonstrated for the queen — and a suitable one at that given the emotional occasion — was that Charlotte appeared to wear a small diamond brooch that was shaped like a horseshoe. It was her way to honour and remember her great-grandmother. (Read more)
The 12-day mourning period for late Queen Elizabeth II came to an end Monday with her state funeral that was attended by thousands of mourners at the Westminster Abbey in London.
During the ceremony, Prince Harry, who was accompanied by his wife Meghan Markle, got in hot waters after a clip of him purportedly not singing to the royal anthem “God Save the King” (which was “God Save the Queen” during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign) went viral. (Read more)
The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II was held last evening at London’s Westminster Abbey, in the presence of royal family members and around 200 invited guests. For the event, women of the royal family wore quiet tributes to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and honoured her with their outfits and jewellery. Symbolic dresses, brooches, necklaces and earrings dominated the event as the family bid their final goodbye to the Queen.
Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, who often gives a nod to the Queen with her attire, was seen in a black Alexander McQueen coat dress which was paired with black pumps and a black hat, with a veil. Her outfit gave us a major Deja vu as she was earlier seen wearing a white version of the same dress during the Trooping the Colour parade in June, where she appeared alongside the Queen on the Buckingham Palace balcony. (Read more)
French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited London to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, faced criticism for his choice of attire, as per reports in local media.
Macron, along with his wife Brigitte, visited Westminster Hall on Sunday, a day ahead of the British monarch’s funeral. During the visit, the 44-year-old ditched his usual formal suit and black leather shoes for a casual blue blazer, a pair of sunglasses and navy blue trainers. Brigitte, too, was dressed in a similar manner.
The decision to opt for what a French talk show referred to as “streetwear” stirred debate on social media and triggered misinformation that the president had disrespected the formal dress code for the funeral. The choice of trainers — reportedly from French luxury J.M. Weston costing 570 euros — also raised eyebrows. (Read more)
Ever since Prince Harry landed in the UK recently, there have been lots of speculations about where he stands vis-à-vis his relationship with other members of the royal family.
With Harry’s father King Charles III acceding to the throne, there have been many changes within the family, including Harry’s elder brother William and his wife Kate’s promotion to the posts of Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke of Sussex’s recent oscillation between whether or not he can wear his military uniform, participate in events where dignitaries and world leaders — who have arrived to pay their tribute to the queen — are in attendance, etc.
During the recent vigil for the queen — as her coffin lay in state in Westminster Hall — which was kept by her eight grandchildren, during which Harry was allowed to wear his military uniform at the “king’s request”. It was the first time that he wore the uniform after stepping away from royal duties in 2020.
The Duke of Sussex, however, was purportedly left ‘heartbroken’ after he found that Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘ER’ initials — for ‘Elizabeth Regina’ — were removed from the shoulder of his uniform. The initials, however, appeared the Prince of Wales’ uniform. It was even seen on the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, even though he no longer is a working royal himself. (Read more)
“In loving and devoted memory, Charles R.”
This handwritten card from King Charles III placed among the colourful flowers lying over rich green foliage gave a personal touch to British Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin during the late monarch’s final journey on Monday.
The gold, pink and deep burgundy colour flowers and plants, taken from the gardens of royal properties, were chosen for their symbolism, the BBC reported. (Read more)
The Royal Family Twitter account paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth, sharing a previously unseen photo of the Queen walking through a hillside, presumably in Scotland.
The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, concluded on Monday with United Kingdom’s national anthem and the piper’s lament. Led by the Dean of Westminster, Reverend Dr David Hoyle MBE, the service at Westminster Abbey paid tribute to the Queen’s “remarkable reign and lifetime service”, Buckingham Palace noted.
The service, which was attended by 2,000 guests and was watched by billions across the world, included three hymns which were sung at various times during the funeral. These hymns are – The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended, The Lord’s my Shepherd, Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.
The second hymn – The Lord’s my Shepherd – held a special place in the late monarch’s life and was one of her favourites. In 2016, it was featured in a list of her 10 favourite pieces of music. In addition to it, did you know that this hymn was also a poignant nod to Queen’s husband Prince Philip? (Read more)
President Droupadi Murmu on Monday joined around 500 world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, and royals from across the world at Westminster Abbey for a sombre ceremony to bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II.
President Murmu and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra formed the official Indian delegation at the state funeral of the British monarch at Westminster Abbey.
They arrived at the Abbey in a procession alongside other Commonwealth heads of state and government. (PTI)
I have avidly watched for long hours the television coverage of events in the United Kingdom immediately after the demise of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, staying up late at night. I have asked myself what was my compulsion in doing so, as I am not a royalist even remotely. Nor do I have any personal interest in the British royalty. I had smugly laughed at my Sri Lankan friends who were lapping up the coverage of the Prince Charles-Diana Spencer wedding in 1981 when I was in that island nation. I have not had the slightest interest in watching the award-winning television serial based on the late Queen’s life.
I now realise what kept me glued to the tube was my fascination with the pomp and circumstance of the rituals of the Queen’s passing and her succession. Starting from the immediate announcement of her death and continuing all the way to her state, sorry, Royal funeral on September 18, everything was and will be ritualistically choreographed. Even those who do not play any formal role in the proceedings will all follow their own rituals. (Read more)
Queen Elizabeth II's coffin has been lowered into the royal vault at St George's Chapel, in Windsor Castle, at the conclusion of her committal service. The Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the British royal household, broke a rod known as the “wand of office” as the royal family and hundreds of mourners bid a final farewell to the late monarch.
Andrew Parker, who is the former head of Britain's domestic secret service MI5, broke the white rod and placed it on the queen's coffin. The ritual symbolises the end of his service to the monarch.
Earlier David Conner, the Dean of Windsor, paid tribute to the queen, telling 800 mourners gathered at the chapel about the queen as “someone whose uncomplicated yet profound Christian faith bore so much fruit.” He said: “In the midst of our rapidly changing and frequently troubled world, her calm and dignified presence has given us confidence to face the future, as she did, with courage and with hope.” (AP)
A service for Queen Elizabeth II begans at Windsor Castle hours before she's interred next to late husband Prince Philip. Queen's coffin is lowered into the royal vault at the St George’s Chapel.
A procession carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin has entered St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle for the late monarch's committal service. Eight hundred guests are attending the service, including prime ministers from Commonwealth countries and many staff who worked with the queen or on her royal estates.
Most of those attending the chapel service did not attend the state funeral held at Westminster Abbey in London earlier Monday.
During the service, the Imperial State Crown and the sovereign's orb and sceptre are removed from the top of the queen's coffin and placed on an altar, separating the queen from her crown for the last time. (AP)
The first lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska on Monday said that it was a great honour to be present at the Queen’s funeral “on behalf of all Ukrainians”.
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II has competed a procession at walking pace through central London and is bound in a hearse for her final resting place at Windsor Castle. After being pulled more than a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Westminster Abbey on a gun carriage by 142 Royal Navy sailors, the coffin was transferred to a hearse at Wellington Arch, near Buckingham Palace.
Dozens of Buckingham Place staff stood in a neat line in the palace courtyard, and many bowed or curtseyed as the procession passed by. The monarch’s coffin will go by car the 20 miles (32 kilometers) to Windsor Castle, where she will be interred later Monday alongside her husband Prince Philip, who died last year.Dense crowds packed the route through the heart of ceremonial London – and thousands more people are lining the more workaday suburban roads the hearse will take on its journey to Windsor. (AP)
President Droupadi Murmu on Monday met the President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, in an official reception at the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. President Hassan is the first woman president of Tanzania.
Ever since Prince Harry landed in the UK recently, there have been lots of speculations about where he stands vis-à-vis his relationship with other members of the royal family.
There have been some strains especially after he stepped down as a senior member of the institution more than two years ago to relocate to the US with his family. His wife Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, confirmed it in her recent interviews and it seems the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, has only brought to light these tensions, even if the family has refused to openly admit it.
With Harry’s father King Charles III acceding to the throne, there have been many changes within the family, including Harry’s elder brother William and his wife Kate’s promotion to the posts of Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke of Sussex’s recent oscillation between whether or not he can wear his military uniform, participate in events where dignitaries and world leaders — who have arrived to pay their tribute to the queen — are in attendance, etc. (Read more)
The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, concluded on Monday with United Kingdom’s national anthem and the piper’s lament. Led by the Dean of Westminster, Reverend Dr David Hoyle MBE, the service at Westminster Abbey paid tribute to the Queen’s “remarkable reign and lifetime service”, Buckingham Palace noted.
The service, which was attended by 2,000 guests and was watched by billions across the world, included three hymns which were sung at various times during the funeral. These hymns are – The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended, The Lord’s my Shepherd, Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.
The second hymn – The Lord’s my Shepherd – held a special place in the late monarch’s life and was one of her favourites. In 2016, it was featured in a list of her 10 favourite pieces of music. In addition to it, did you know that this hymn was also a poignant nod to Queen’s husband Prince Philip? (Read more)
At the end of a state funeral watched by millions of people the world over, Queen Elizabeth was being brought home to her beloved Windsor Castle to be buried in a small chapel in a private ceremony after her state funeral. Originally built by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest in 1066, Windsor Castle has been rebuilt and remodelled over the centuries but is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world.
Just outside London, it was the queen's main weekend retreat and in the later years of her reign her preferred home. A huge fire there in 1992 caused much damage, capping what the queen called her "Annus Horribilis" (Horrible Year), which saw a strong of scandals hit the royal family.
Windsor Castle is the resting place of more than a dozen English and British kings and queens. Most are buried in St. George's Chapel, including Henry VIII, who died in 1547, and Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649. The queen will be buried at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, which is next to the quire of the main St George's Chapel. She commissioned the memorial chapel in 1962 and named it for her father. (Reuters)
A hearse carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin sets off from London's Wellington Arch on its way to Windsor Castle. (AP)
The tens of thousands gathered in central London for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth fell silent and bowed their heads on Monday to follow her funeral service in Westminster Abbey and watch the procession of her coffin afterwards through the city.
Some watching in Hyde Park dabbed their eyes and others sobbed during the service, while later children were hoisted in the air or put on parents' shoulders to see her coffin pass. There was also applause among the crowd for a grand state funeral of pageantry and rousing music that captured how many felt for the queen, who died on Sept. 8 aged 96. She had been on the throne for 70 years, meaning most Britons have known no other monarch. (Reuters)
Queen Elizabeth II is getting a funeral fitting for a monarch who reigned for 70 years, and even became the longest-serving one in the history of the British royal family, after she took over from her father, George VI, in 1953.
Details of the queen’s coffin — which will lie in state in London later this week before her funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 19 — have emerged, and according to reports, the box — made with English oak and lead — had been crafted more than three decades ago.
The royal casket will reportedly rest on a raised platform — called a ‘catafalque’ — inside Westminster Hall, before it is lowered to the ground next week. Queen Elizabeth will be laid to rest beside her husband Prince Philip — who died last year at the age of 99 — at the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle. (Read more)
King Charles, his sons William and Harry and other senior royals joined a solemn procession behind Queen Elizabeth's coffin through the silent streets of London on Monday, following a state funeral of matchless pageantry at Westminster Abbey. Hundreds of thousands of people crammed into central London to witness a ceremony attended by leaders and royalty from across the globe, a fitting end for Britain's longest-serving monarch who won widespread respect during 70 years on the throne.
Her flag-draped casket was pulled on a gun carriage the short distance from Westminster Hall to the Abbey by 142 sailors with arms linked. A bell tolled and bagpipes skirled.
Pin-drop silence fell over London's Hyde Park nearby as thousands of people, who for hours had picnicked and chatted, went quiet the second the queen's coffin appeared on screens erected for the occasion. Shortly before, hundreds of armed personnel in full ceremonial dress had marched in a historic display of kilts, bearskin hats, scarlet tunics and brass bands. (Reuters)
All state ceremonies, from the memorial service to lying-in state, since the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8 have followed strict Royal protocols. Her funeral on Monday will be no exception with every detail meticulously planned, down to the dress code.
The funeral for the late queen, who died aged 96 at her Balmoral estate in Scotland, will be held at Westminster Abbey in London.
Members of the royal family will all be in attendance, including the queen’s four children, her eight grandchildren and their spouses, along with several UK prime ministers including the current and past ones. What the royal family wears to the funeral will be dictated largely by tradition. (Read more)
On the eve of her funeral, on Monday, The Royal Family released an unseen portrait of Queen Elizabeth in which she can be seen smiling at the camera. The photograph was reportedly taken in May, ahead of Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, at her Windsor Castle Home. It is said to have been taken by photographer Ranald Mackechnie, who also captured her Jubilee portrait.
“Ahead of Her Majesty The Queen’s Funeral, a new photograph has been released,” The Royal Family wrote, adding that “it was taken this year to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, as she became the first British Monarch to reach this milestone.” (Read more)
Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral service on Monday ended with United Kingdom's national anthem and piper’s lament. The queen's coffin has left Wesminster Abbey to start a procession from central London to Windsor Castle.
On the eve of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday, world leaders gathered for what is being termed the ‘reception of the century’ at Buckingham Palace on Sunday evening. Hosted by King Charles III, around 500 people including presidents, prime ministers, and royals from around the globe came together to remember Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
Prince William and Kate Middleton – the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Edward and Sophie – the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Anne – Princess Royal and other working members of the royal family accompanied King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla in greeting with guests. However, what caught everyone’s attention was the absence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (Read more)
by SHREEKANT SAMBRANI
I have avidly watched for long hours the television coverage of events in the United Kingdom immediately after the demise of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, staying up late at night. I have asked myself what was my compulsion in doing so, as I am not a royalist even remotely. Nor do I have any personal interest in the British royalty.
I had smugly laughed at my Sri Lankan friends who were lapping up the coverage of the Prince Charles-Diana Spencer wedding in 1981 when I was in that island nation. I have not had the slightest interest in watching the award-winning television serial based on the late Queen’s life. (Read more)
The chimes of the Big Ben fell silent and hymns rang out as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II was carried into Westminster Abbey for the state funeral of Britain's longest-serving monarch on Monday. Her son and heir King Charles III followed the coffin in solemn procession, accompanied by his sons Princes William and Harry and siblings Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward.
William's children, nine-year-old Prince George and seven-year-old Princess Charlotte were among the youngest members of the royal family who walked between their parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales.
In the congregation of around 2,000 guests made up of world leaders, royalty from the UK and overseas and community leaders, India was represented by President Droupadi Murmu. The funeral service is being led by the Dean of Westminster and will include many personal touches of the late monarch, who was also the head of the Church of England. (PTI)
King Charles and other senior British royals followed Queen Elizabeth's coffin into Westminster Abbey on Monday, joining world leaders and monarchs to bid farewell to a beloved figure who unified the nation through her 70-year reign. In scenes of inimitable pageantry, pall bearers carried her flag-draped casket along the aisle in the country's first state funeral since 1965, when Winston Churchill was afforded the honour.
Tens of thousands of people lined the streets as the queen's casket made the short journey from Westminster Hall where she had been lying-in-state, pulled along on a gun carriage by 142 sailors with arms linked. A bell tolled and bagpipes skirled. Pin-drop silence fell over London's Hyde Park nearby as thousands of people, who for hours had picnicked and chatted, went quiet the second the queen's coffin appeared on screens erected for the occasion.
Shortly before, hundreds of armed personnel in full ceremonial dress had marched past in a historic display of kilts, bearskin hats, scarlet tunics and bands in white gloves. Inside the abbey, lines of scripture were set to music that has been used at every state funeral since the early 18th century. Among those walking behind the casket was her great-grandson and future king, 9-year-old Prince George. (Reuters)
Procession carrying the Queen Elizabeth’s coffin has arrived at the West Gate of Westminster Abbey. The Abbey was filled with 2,000 mourners, as the coffin entered the building.
President Droupadi Murmu on Monday was seen with Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana before commencement of the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, in London.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived at the Westminster Abbey to attend Queen Elizabeth II funeral.
The Queen’s Elizabeth's coffin will shortly leave for Westminster Abbey for her funeral service. It will be lifted from the catafalque where it has been resting since Wednesday afternoon.
American presidents usually make a splash when they travel abroad, holding the spotlight and quickly becoming the center of attention. Not this time.
For US President Joe Biden and other presidents, prime ministers and dignitaries, there were no red-carpet arrivals, no big speeches and no news conferences as they gathered for Monday's state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II. Instead, world leaders used to people hanging on their every word checked their egos in the service of honouring the queen, Britain's longest-serving monarch, who died earlier this month at age 96 after 70 years on the throne.
“They know that they are there to honour the passing, honour the individual,” said Capricia Marshall, who was the US State Department's protocol chief for a period during Barack Obama's administration. “They also are aware that they're representing their country.” The protocol office is a key player in US foreign policy and diplomatic affairs, working to make sure US officials don't say or do anything that will offend a foreign visitor or host. (AP)
French President Emanuel Macron and wife Brigitte arrived for the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, at the Westminster Abbey, London on Monday.
A bell at Westminster Abbey has begun tolling 96 times, once for each year of Queen Elizabeth II’s life.
The abbey’s Tenor Bell struck at 9.24 am (1.54 pm IST) Monday and was due to toll once a minute until the queen’s funeral service begins at 11 am (3.30 pm IST).
Hundreds of mourners have already arrived at the Gothic cathedral for the service. They will be joined by royalty, heads of state and political leaders from around the world. (AP)
From Kolkata to London, hundreds pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.
The Royal Family on Twitter shared the Order of Service for the Queen's funeral, starting at 3.30 pm IST on Monday. Order of Service is defined as the programme of events for a religious ceremony.
All the viewing areas from where members of the public can witness the funeral procession of Queen Elizabeth have reached capacity, London's governing body said Monday.
City Hall said on Twitter that new arrivals would no longer be allowed entry. Tens of thousands of people have come to the capital to see the queen's coffin over the past few days, with her funeral due to begin at 3.30 pm IST. (Reuters)
As the Queen's official lying-in-state period ended after four days, British media shared photographs of the Royal guards who were standing guard to Queen Elizabeth's coffin taking a moment of rest.
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom's longest-reigning monarch, is made of English oak, lined with lead and it was built decades ago, according to British media reports on Monday.
The coffin is made of oak from the Royal Family's Sandringham Estate according to royal tradition, the Sky News reported.
According to the Telegraph, it was originally built by the specialist firm Henry Smith over three decades ago. The records of the exact date that the casket was made were lost when Henry Smith was taken over by another firm in 2005.
Since its manufacture, it has been in storage under the care of two different firms that have been responsible for royal funerals. (PTI)
The Paris Metro has renamed one of its stations after Queen Elizabeth II to honour the British monarch on the day of her state funeral.
The Metro company tweeted that the George V station, which serves the French capital’s famed Champs-Elysees boulevard, has been renamed Elizabeth II station for the day on Monday. (AP)
Archive footage showing a young Queen Elizabeth II at the funeral of her father, King George VI, 70 years ago, has been shared by ABC News.
Mourners are arriving at Westminster Abbey to take their seats for Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral service.
Guests began entering the Gothic medieval abbey shortly after 8 am (12.30 pm IST) on Monday. Dignitaries were arriving later, with many heads of state gathering at a nearby hospital to be driven by bus to the abbey.
Westminster Abbey is where Elizabeth was married in 1947 and crowned in 1953. A day packed with funeral events in London and Windsor began early when the doors of 900-year-old Westminster Hall were closed to mourners after hundreds of thousands had filed in front of her coffin since Sept 14. (AP)
Britain has invited heads of state or a representative at an ambassadorial level from any country with which it has full diplomatic relations. Countries that have not been invited include:
– Syria
– Venezuela
– Russia
– Belarus
– Myanmar
Kenyan President William Ruto Monday arrived in London, United Kingdom to attend the burial of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Christina Heerey who was the final mourner to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth said that it was an amazing experience.