Queen's funeral: World's final goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II in state funeral at Westminster Abbey
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Queen Elizabeth II ruled over the UK and Commonwealth for more than 70 years, celebrating her Platinum Jubilee earlier in 2022. She was Britain's longest-serving monarch, ascending the throne in 1952 and remaining dedicated to her duty until her death on Thursday, September 8 at the age of 96.
Tributes were paid to her lifetime of service at the state funeral on Monday, September 19 with some of the world's most prestigious leaders and politicians joining the Royal Family in paying their respects.
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Hide AdThe nation fell quiet as a two-minute silence was held to mark the end of the funeral service, followed by a burst of applause and emotion as the national anthem, now God Save the King, rang out across the Abbey and elsewhere.
Mourners lined the streets in London and surrounded Windsor Castle in an incredible show of respect for the Queen and all she represented to so many.
Her final resting place is the King George VI memorial chapel, in Windsor, alongside her late husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He died in April 2021, at the age of 99.
With well-wishers from across the globe present in London to play a part in the landmark occasion, we brought you coverage from our reporter Georgina Cutler in the capital as well as from across the North East with the rest of our team.
See our coverage from Queen Elizabeth II’s final journey below
Queen Elizabeth II: World’s final goodbye to the Queen in state funeral at Westminster Abbey - updates
Key Events
- History is made as the state funeral for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday, September 19.
- Thousands of well-wishers are in London to pay their respects, as world leaders and global politicians visit for the service.
- The service marks the last day of national mourning following the death of the Queen. The period of Royal Mourning will continue until seven days after the funeral.
A great honour
Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, said it was a “great honour” to be present at the Queen’s funeral “on behalf of all Ukrainians”.
Mrs Zelenska, who met the Princess of Wales at Buckingham Palace yesterday, said the Queen’s attention to Ukraine “was an important signal of support”.
“She wished us better times and shared our desire for freedom. We will always remember it with deep gratitude,” she wrote on Twitter.
‘It’s really special'
A family of eight people from three generations said they were feeling “emotional” moments before they were due to watch the Queen’s final journey through Windsor.
Ten-year-old Isabelle Dauncey said she cried at home in Maidenhead, Berkshire, before she set off to line the street with her parents and grandparents.
She told PA: “I was a bit upset this morning, I cried quite a lot, it’s quite emotional but it’s also a good thing that we can have a King.”
Speaking about seeing the Queen’s final journey, her father, Steve Dauncey, a 36-year-old sales consultant, said: “It’s a great event to celebrate both their reign and an opportunity to see such a diversity of people coming together, united for the same cause of celebration but also mourning – it’s really special.”
Esther Dauncey, 35, also a mother to Charlotte, nine, Felicity, seven, and Alex, five, said she was feeling “emotional” amid a huge crowd.
“It’s quite a big thing – the Queen having been our monarch most of our lives, I know that we’re probably not going to see another Queen in our lifetime,” she said.
The scene at Windsor
Soldiers from the Grenadier Guards at the Committal Service, held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
Streets of Sunderland fall silent in honour of Queen Elizabeth II
High Street West, Market Square and Keel Square were deserted as an eerie silence pervaded through the city on what would normally be a busy Monday morning of commuters making their way to offices and retail outlets at the start of the working week.
It was a different story on the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral. See more online here.
The Long Walk
Silence fell among crowds of mourners as the state hearse carrying the Queen’s coffin turned into the Long Walk in the final stretch of her journey to Windsor Castle.
The hearse is travelling in procession to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle via the Long Walk, which is lined by members of the armed forces.
The crowds, made up of people of all ages, who flanked the Long Walk, fell quiet as the sound of drummers in the procession grew louder.
Children were lifted on adults’ shoulders and camera phones were raised in the air as people struggled to get a glimpse of the scene.
Her Majesty arrives in Windsor
Volunteer and RAF Regiment veteran fires gun salute
Wally Stewart, 80, who served in the RAF Regiment for 22 years, was given the honour of firing a bristling 25-pounder field gun at the Headland’s Heugh Gun Battery on Monday.
Committal service begins at Windsor
The service has begun with the choir singing Psalm 121, set to music by Sir Henry Walford Davies, who previously served as an organist of the chapel.
Over a number of years, the Queen was involved in discussions about the order of service for her funeral, to approve the choice of prayers, hymns and other accompanying music.
Following the psalm, which includes the line “the Lord shall preserve thee from all evil”, the choristers move on to sing ‘The Russian Contakion of the Departed’, which was also performed at the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in April last year.