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How The State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II unfolded, including timings, who was there and where she was laid to rest in Windsor

The nation has bid a final farewell to The Queen after more than 10 days of national mourning.

Following a funeral service attended by close to 2,000 people, Her Majesty's coffin was led through London on to Windsor, in a specially-designed hearse, where she will be buried next to husband Prince Philip and other members of her family.

The State Gun Carriage carries the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre, in the Ceremonial Procession following her State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, London. Picture: PA
The State Gun Carriage carries the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre, in the Ceremonial Procession following her State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, London. Picture: PA

Alongside the hundreds of thousands on the streets of the capital and in Windsor, the full state funeral - which the Queen was heavily involved in the planning of before her death at 96 - was watched by millions around the world.

The spectacle was described as the single biggest event ever staged since the Second World War.

Members of the public mourn The Queen Picture: PA
Members of the public mourn The Queen Picture: PA
The State Gun Carriage carries the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre, in the Ceremonial Procession down The Mall, following her State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, London. Picture: PA
The State Gun Carriage carries the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre, in the Ceremonial Procession down The Mall, following her State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, London. Picture: PA
The Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, King Charles III, the Duke of Sussex, the Queen Consort,the Duchess of Sussex, the Princess Royal, Princess Beatrice, Peter Phillips, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex and the Countess of Wessex look on as the State Gun Carriage carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Wellington Arch during the Ceremonial Procession following her State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, London Picture: PA
The Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, King Charles III, the Duke of Sussex, the Queen Consort,the Duchess of Sussex, the Princess Royal, Princess Beatrice, Peter Phillips, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex and the Countess of Wessex look on as the State Gun Carriage carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Wellington Arch during the Ceremonial Procession following her State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, London Picture: PA

For the last four days the late monarch has been lying-in-state at Westminster Hall, with the Palace of Westminster closing to final visitors at 6.30am this morning.

Her coffin was carried from Westminster Hall to neighbouring Westminster Abbey at 10.44am on a State Gun Carriage, drawn by 142 sailors from the Royal Navy. The same carriage was also used for the funeral of the Queen's father and also during the funeral of the Queen's very first prime minister, Winston Churchill.

The Queen is to be carried from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey on a gun carriage pulled by the Royal Navy
The Queen is to be carried from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey on a gun carriage pulled by the Royal Navy

The journey took just eight minutes with senior members of the Royal Family, including the King, his siblings and sons Princes William and Harry, escorting her on foot. The short route from Westminster Hall to the Abbey was lined by more members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

The funeral service began at 11am - but the doors to the Abbey were opened some three hours in advance to allow the hundreds of people invited to take their seats.

The coffin of Sir Winston Churchill draped with the Union Flag during his state funeral on January 30 1965. Picture: The Port of London Collection, Museum of London Docklands.
The coffin of Sir Winston Churchill draped with the Union Flag during his state funeral on January 30 1965. Picture: The Port of London Collection, Museum of London Docklands.

What is a state funeral?

A state funeral is a very public event held to honour someone of huge national significance. The funerals themselves have to follow strict protocol and are full of many military traditions.

While usually reserved for monarchs, the last state funeral seen in London was held for Sir Winston Churchill in 1965, but state funerals for key figures like the wartime hero are extremely rare.

Members of the Royal Family are also not automatically entitled to a state funeral and tend to have what is described as a ceremonial funeral instead.

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh was given a ceremonial funeral following his death in April last year and prior to that there were ceremonial funerals for the Queen Mother and Princess Diana.

A state funeral is publicly funded.

The crowd near Horse Guards in London ahead of the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Picture: PA
The crowd near Horse Guards in London ahead of the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Picture: PA

Who was there?

The Queen's funeral saw one of the biggest gatherings of world leaders and royal families the world has ever seen - with some 500 dignitaries and heads of state among the congregation of 2,000 people.

They were led by the new King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla, closely followed by his siblings Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward together with his son and heir to the throne Prince William and his wife Catherine the new Princess of Wales.

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are among the guests. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA.
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are among the guests. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA.

All senior members of the Royal Family were in attendance, in particular the Queen's eight grandchildren. As well as Prince William this included Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Peter Phillips, his sister Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall, Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, her sister Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank and Prince Edward's children Lady Louise Windsor and her younger brother James, Viscount Severn.

Sitting alongside many other cousins, royal relations and very close friends were members of royal families from across Europe, many of whom were distant blood relatives of the Queen.

The Queen has been laid to rest after almost two weeks of mourning. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA.
The Queen has been laid to rest after almost two weeks of mourning. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA.

US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill flew in for the service.

Prime Minister Liz Truss led the delegation of UK politicians while there was also leaders there from across the Commonwealth where the Queen was also head of state, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Invites were also sent to leaders and diplomats from across Europe - with French President Emmanuel Macron among those crossing the Channel to pay his respects. Invites also went to South Korea, China, South America, Japan and India.

Representatives from many of the charities and organisations the Queen supported both before and during her reign also attended, along with around 200 people recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

The funeral service was brought to a close, at around 11.55am, with a national two-minute silence, the sounding of the last post and a lament played by the Queen's personal piper.

The latter is said to have been included by the Queen herself, who during the hours of funeral preparations to have taken place during her reign, was able to add some of her own personal touches and wishes.

The Ceremonial Procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the Long Walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle. Picture: PA
The Ceremonial Procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the Long Walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle. Picture: PA

After the service

Following the service the Queen's coffin, at 12.15pm, travelled in a long Procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, which is just behind Buckingham Palace, escorted by thousands of members of the military, with the Royal Family again walking behind the gun carriage.

Among those helping to lead the Queen's coffin on her final journey through Central London was the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and some members of NHS staff.

King Charles III and senior members of the royal family walk behind the coffin at the Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. Picture: PA
King Charles III and senior members of the royal family walk behind the coffin at the Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. Picture: PA

At 1pm the coffin was lifted into the State Hearse - a modified Jaguar Land Rover with lights inside and large windows built to give the public the best view in a design which was reportedly approved by Queen Elizabeth II herself.

The hearse carried her body by road to Windsor, with the Royal Family also following by car. The route took in a number of A roads out of London, instead of all motorway, to give the public a further chance to say their goodbyes.

At 3.10pm the hearse travelled in another Procession to St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle via the Long Walk, where members of the Royal Family again joined it on foot for the final part.

A Committal Service, led by the Dean of Windsor, was then held inside St George's Chapel attended by around 800 people including the Royal Family and members of the Queen's staff to have served her over the years.

The Crown Jeweller was also there to collect the crown from the Queen's coffin and return it safely to the Tower of London at the end of ceremonial events.

Members of the royal family during the Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth II at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Picture: PA
Members of the royal family during the Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth II at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Picture: PA

The burial

After an emotional public farewell, The Queen was laid to rest inside St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, with her coffin placed inside the Royal Vault.

A private interment service attended by just close members of her immediate family took place this evening, when the Queen was moved to the King George VI memorial chapel, which is an annex to the main chapel.

It is also where her mother and father were buried as well as her sister Princess Margaret.

The Duke of Edinburgh's coffin was moved from its current resting place in the Royal Vault to the same chapel so the Queen could be re-united with her husband.

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