World Leaders Gather for Queen Elizabeth’s Grand Funeral
Hundreds of world leaders and royals from across Europe, Lesotho, and Japan are set to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday. Among those who paid last respects during the official lying-in-state at Westminster Hall were US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Emperor Naruhito, and Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan.
Biden praised the late monarch as “decent, honourable, and committed to service.” He added, “You were lucky to have her for 70 years. We were all.”
Thousands Brave Lengthy Queues to See the Queen
Hundreds of thousands queued for hours to glimpse the oak coffin draped in the royal standard, topped with the Imperial Crown, orb, and sceptre. At its peak on Saturday, waiting times soared to over 25 hours before lines were closed to newcomers on Sunday.
King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla expressed they were “deeply touched” by the outpouring of condolences from home and abroad. On Sunday, the nation observed a minute’s silence in honour of the late Queen.
“Everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to my dear mother, The late Queen, were moved beyond measure,” King Charles said in a heartfelt statement.
Historic Funeral Procession to Westminster Abbey
The Queen’s coffin will be ceremonially placed on a gun carriage and drawn by 142 Royal Navy sailors to Westminster Abbey just before 11am Monday, marking the end of ten days of national mourning. Leading the procession will be 200 pipers and drummers.
The coffin will be followed by King Charles, his siblings, Princes William and Harry, and other senior royal family members. Monday is a public holiday, and millions are expected to line the procession route, with broadcasts available across the UK and 200 countries worldwide.
Final Farewell at Westminster and Windsor Castle
The Abbey’s historic tenor bell will ring 96 times to honour each year of the Queen’s life. The Dean of Westminster, David Hoyle, will lead the funeral service, highlighting her “long life of selfless service.”
The congregation will include holders of Britain’s highest gallantry medals, representatives from charities the Queen supported, and key COVID-19 frontline heroes.
After the service, the coffin will pass Buckingham Palace en route to Wellington Arch, with the royals following on foot. It will then travel by hearse west to Windsor Castle for the Queen’s final burial in the royal vault.
The Sovereign’s Piper will play a lament as the ceremony closes, fading into silence in the chapel – a poignant farewell to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.
