On Monday, September 19, 2022, the world said goodbye to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II after 70 years and 214 days on the throne. The one head of state in the world who knew her place and remembered she served the people of the UK and the Commonwealth, not the other way around. A classy and professional lady.
The funeral occurred at Westminster Abbey, the first royal state funeral at the church in 200 years.
Members of European royal families and over 100 heads of state made up the 2,000 guests. The Emperor and Empress of Japan, who rarely travel abroad, attended the funeral.
All times are local.
The United Kingdom came to a standstill, roads remained empty, and trains stopped, as people gathered around London and parks around England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to watch The Queen’s funeral.
The last of the public waiting to see The Queen lying state happened at 6:30 AM. The final vigil at her casket closed at 8:30 AM.
Big Ben rang at 9:00 AM before they covered it with a leather pad to muffle the rest of the day’s strikes out of respect for The Queen.
At 10:35 AM, the Grenadier Guards lifted The Queen’s coffin onto the State Gun Carriage, where 142 Royal Navy Ratings escorted her to transfer her to Westminster Abbey. The Royal Mourners, which included His Majesty King Charles III, followed behind the coffin. It arrived at 10:44 AM.
The funeral for The Queen began at 11:00 AM. All faiths were represented at the funeral. The London Times pointed out that Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, taking part is “a clear signal of the rapprochement between the established Protestant church and Roman Catholicism after centuries of repression and persecution.”
After the service, The Queen’s coffin returned to the gun carriage, where it made its way to the Wellington Arch, about two miles from Westminster Abbey. The same royal mourners and guards accompanied The Queen to the arch.
The procession, which started at 12:15 PM, went to Parliament Square, Whitehall, Horse Guards Arch, Horse Guards Parade, The Mall, Buckingham Palace, Queen’s Gardens, Constitution Hill, and Apsley Way.
The Queen arrived at Wellington Arch and departed for Windsor. The procession during the Long Walk captivated everyone.
Oh, my heart. The Queen’s beloved corgis and horse were waiting for her at Windsor.
The royal family joined the procession as the hearse made its way to St. George’s Chapel, which will host the committal service.
A committal service will take place at St. George’s Chapel. This is a short and simple service with mostly royal household staff. But it’s also the place where The Queen will be laid to rest.
At the end of the service, The Queen will be lowered into the Royal Vault.
The Royal Family will have a private burial service tonight where The Queen will be buried with her husband His Royal Highness Prince Philip at the King George VI Memorial chapel, which houses her family: King George VI, the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY
