Queen Elizabeth II dies — follow the latest news as the world mourns
The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II takes place on Monday.
The ceremony will “unite people across the globe and resonate with people of all faiths” and pay a “fitting tribute to an extraordinary reign”, the man in charge of the historic occasion has said.
The Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, described the task as “both humbling and daunting; an honour and a great responsibility”.
The full order of service has been released.
Here is everything you need to know about the day:
Where is the queen's funeral?
A procession will carry the queen's coffin from Westminster Hall, where she is lying in state, to Westminster Abbey for the funeral service.
After the service, it will proceed through central London to Wellington Arch, near Hyde Park, where it will be taken on a specially designed hearse, approved by the late queen, to Windsor where it will travel down the famous Long Walk to the castle.
Where is the queen being buried?
At Windsor, there will then be two more services. At 4pm there will be a committal service at St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle conducted by the Dean of Windsor at which King Charles III will place the Queen's Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin. The queen was their colonel in chief.
At the same time, the Lord Chamberlain will “break” his symbolic Wand of Office and place it on the coffin. The wand was traditionally used to discipline rowdy courtiers.
The queen will then be interred with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in King George VI’s Memorial Chapel in St George’s Chapel in a private service at 7.30pm.
What time is the queen's funeral?
The doors of Westminster Abbey will open at 8am UK time on Monday as the congregation begins to take its seats, three hours before the service begins at 11am.
King Charles will once again lead his family in marching behind the queen’s coffin when it is moved, at 10.44am, from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey for the service.
He will walk with Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, and behind the quartet will be the queen’s grandsons Peter Phillips, Prince Harry and Prince William.
They will be followed by the late monarch’s son-in-law Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the queen’s cousin the Duke of Gloucester and her nephew the Earl of Snowdon.
What will happen at the funeral?
Shortly after 10.35am, a Bearer Party from the Queen's Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards will lift the coffin from the raised platform known as a catafalque and carry it in procession from Westminster Hall to a gun carriage positioned outside the North Door of the building.
The 123-year-old gun carriage will be pulled by 98 Royal Navy sailors using ropes in a tradition dating back to the funeral of Queen Victoria.
The procession will be led by a massed Pipes and Drums of Scottish and Irish Regiments, the Brigade of Gurkhas, and the Royal Air Force — numbering 200 musicians.
Moving elements of the funeral will include the sounding of the Last Post at 11.55am as the service nears its end, followed by a two-minute national silence which will be observed by the abbey congregation and by millions across the UK.
Reveille and then the national anthem will be played, and finally a lament by the Queen’s Piper, which will bring the service to a close at noon.
What is the route of the funeral procession?
Before the funeral, the coffin wall pass from New Palace Yard outside Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey by way of Parliament Square, Broad Sanctuary and the Sanctuary. The route will be lined by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines and a Guard of Honour will be accompanied by a band of the Royal Marines.
After the funeral, the Bearer Party will lift the coffin from the catafalque, through the Great West Door returning to the State Gun Carriage positioned outside the West Gate.
The king and members of the royal family will walk behind the queen’s coffin from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, before it is driven to Windsor on the state hearse, which was specially designed by Land Rover and approved by the late queen.
The route takes in: Broad Sanctuary Parliament Square, Parliament Street, Whitehall Horse Guards including Horse Guards Arch, Horse Guards Road, The Mall, Queen's Gardens, Constitution Hill and Apsley Way.
The route will be lined by members of the armed forces from Westminster Abbey to the top of Constitution Hill at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates. The procession is formed in seven groups, each supported by a service band.
At 1pm, the procession will arrive at Wellington Arch before departing to Windsor.
As the hearse departs Wellington Arch, the parade will give a royal salute and the national anthem will be played. The king and Queen Consort Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and members of the royal family will depart for Windsor by car.
It will reach Shaw Farm Gate on Albert Road, Windsor, at 3.10pm to join a new procession.
It will proceed from Albert Road to St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle via Long Walk, Cambridge Gate, Cambridge Drive, George IV Gate, Quadrangle, Engine Court, Norman Arch, Chapel Hill, Parade Ground and Horseshoe Cloister Arch.
At about 3.40pm, the king and family will join it at the Quadrangle on the north side as it passes into Engine Court.
Who are the guests at the funeral?
The UK royal family will obviously be in attendance. It was announced overnight that Prince George, 9, and his sister Princess Charlotte, 7, will be there.
A quarter of places on the 2,000-strong guest list have been reserved for foreign dignitaries.
Heads of state and overseas government representatives, including foreign royal families, governors general and Realm prime ministers, will gather at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and “travel under collective arrangements” to the abbey.
On Sunday, King Charles invited around 250 world leaders to a state reception at Buckingham Palace.
Among those who will attend the funeral include US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden.
Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins, French President Emmanuel Macron, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will also be present.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will attend the service, which will be the UK’s first state funeral since former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill's in 1965.
Other world leaders who have confirmed their attendance include New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Australia's Governor-General David Hurley, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Recipients of the Victoria Cross and George Cross, government, Parliament, devolved parliaments and assemblies, the church and the queen’s patronages are among the guests, with further representatives from law, emergency services, public servants and professions, and public representatives.
The will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster. Among those who will speak are Prime Minister Liz Truss, the secretary general of the Commonwealth, the Archbishop of York, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Free Churches Moderator. A sermon will be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Queen Elizabeth II's coffin procession from Buckingham Palace — in pictures
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King Charles III, Prince William and Princess Anne salute alongside Prince Harry and Prince Andrew, as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Palace of Westminster, following a procession from Buckingham Palace. AFP -
Queen Elizabeth lies in state in Westminster Hall before the public is allowed in to pay their respects. Getty Images -
Prince William, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, walk in the procession as it arrives at Westminster Hall. AP -
Britain's Prime Minister Liz Truss at Westminster Hall. AP -
The choir performs at Westminster Hall. Reuters -
A view of the London skyline during the procession of the coffin. AP -
Zara Tindall, her husband Mike Tindall and Princess Eugenie arrive at Westminster Hall. AP -
The imperial state crown sits on top of the coffin carrying Queen Elizabeth into Westminster Hall. Getty Images -
The coffin is laid to rest in Westminster Hall. Getty Images -
Prince Harry, Prince William, and Prince Edward follow the bearer party carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth into Westminster Hall. PA -
A woman wipes away tears as she joins people sitting in Hyde Park. AP -
Life Guards, a unit of the Household Cavalry, stand guard outside the Palace of Westminster. Getty Images -
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry depart after the procession. Getty Images -
The coffin is carried down The Mall. PA -
A man overcome with emotion in Hyde Park. AP -
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth is carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery. PA -
Mourners watch the procession at Hyde Park. Getty Images -
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth, adorned with the royal standard and the imperial state crown, and pulled by a gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, during the procession from Buckingham Palace in London. AFP -
The procession leaves Buckingham Palace. Getty Images -
King Charles follows the coffin of Queen Elizabeth. PA -
The imperial state crown on the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II. AFP -
Catherine, Princess of Wales, is driven behind the coffin. AFP -
King Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth. AFP -
King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walk behind the coffin. Getty -
The cortege makes its way along The Mall from Buckingham Palace. Getty -
Prince William and Prince Harry follow the coffin. AP -
Grenadier Guards flank the coffin of Queen Elizabeth. AP -
Royal Navy soldiers march ahead of the procession near Big Ben. Getty -
Coldstream Guards prepare outside Buckingham Palace, before the ceremonial procession. PA -
King Charles waves to the crowds after leaving Clarence House in central London, before the procession. AFP -
Crowds gather along The Mall. Reuters -
Members of the Life Guards leave Wellington Barracks ahead of the procession. AP -
Mourners gather to watch the procession in Hyde Park. Getty -
A mourner at The Mall decorated with images of Queen Elizabeth. PA -
Queen Consort Camilla arriving at Buckingham Palace. AFP
