After a ceremonial procession in London, Queen Elizabeth II will be buried in a small circle in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in the evening. Before that there is a funeral service with more than 800 guests in honor of the deceased.
The hearse carrying the coffin of the late British Queen Elizabeth II has arrived at Windsor Castle. Hundreds of military personnel and dignitaries escorted the Queen on the final leg of her final journey as the hearse slowly made its way towards the palace. Thousands of people had gathered on either side of the avenue known as the Long Walk to pay their last respects to the Queen. Some threw flowers as the car passed them with the coffin draped in the royal standard.
The royal hearse was followed in convoy by Queen’s daughter Princess Anne and her husband Timothy Laurence. King Charles III, King’s wife Camilla and other members of the royal family were already waiting in the courtyard of the castle to join the funeral procession. The destination of the procession was the King George VI Memorial Chapel on the grounds of the castle. After a funeral service in the church, the Queen will find her final resting place there alongside her Prince Consort Philip, who died last year.
The coffin was previously loaded onto a hearse at Wellington Arch on the south-east corner of Hyde Park for transport to Windsor. For Londoners, who took to the streets in the hundreds of thousands to pay their last respects to their Queen during the procession, it’s a goodbye forever. Many waved and applauded as the hearse drove past them.
During the afternoon procession, the Queen’s four children, King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, as well as grandchildren Prince William and Prince Harry, walked behind the flower-adorned coffin. King consort Camilla and Princess Kate followed in the car with their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Also driving in the car were Duchess Meghan and Countess Sophie, Prince Edward’s wife. The coffin was covered with the royal standard, crown, orb and scepter rested on it. The wreath of flowers on the coffin was inscribed with the message “In loving and devoted memory. Charles R”, where the “R” stands for “Rex”, meaning King. The gun carriage, known as the gun carriage, on which the coffin was transported, was pulled by 98 marines.
Countless other soldiers from Great Britain and Commonwealth countries, police officers and employees of the NHS health service accompanied the funeral procession. The royals had previously said goodbye to the Queen at a service in Westminster Abbey along with around 2,000 guests, including hundreds of heads of state and government, crowned heads and dignitaries from around the world.
A televised funeral service at King George VI’s Memorial Chapel is attended by more than 800 guests, including members of the Royal Family, politicians and former Queen’s staff. After the service, the coffin is lowered into the royal tomb to the sound of the bagpipes and a blessing from the Archbishop of Canterbury, bringing the public part of the funeral to a close. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the anthem “God Save the King” is sung.
Only close family members will attend the Queen’s funeral at 20.30 CEST in the chapel, a special part of the church. The Queen’s parents and her sister Princess Margaret are also buried there. Prince Philip’s coffin is now also being moved from the royal tomb to the memorial chapel. Prince Harry and Meghan got married in St. George’s Chapel in May 2018, and Prince Philip’s funeral service took place there in April 2021. The chapel is also regularly used for royal baptisms.
