There was a huge outpouring of grief in the UK and throughout the world as mourners stood still on streets throughout the country and in their homes to witness the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch had passed away peacefully over a week ago and people had been using the time to file past her coffin which had been laying in state in London’s ancient Westminster Hall until around six 0’clock on the morning of the funeral which got under way on the 19th of September.
There had been days of processions and rituals as the queen’s body was brought to London from Balmoral in Scotland where she had passed away last Thursday at the age of 96. This gave ordinary people the chance to say their own goodbyes as many of them will have only known one queen so they felt they had the obligation to go and pay their last respects and say a proper goodbye.
Many people had been brought to tears as they saw the queen’s coffin draped in a flag.
Officials had expected approximately three quarters of a million people to file past and view the coffin before queues closed on Monday. They also had to keep a close eye on how many people were in the queues as many people will have had to have waited several hours before they could enter the hall to see the coffin. This may have left some people disappointed, but safety was paramount, and the officials wanted to avoid anyone getting seriously hurt or injured.
The day before the funeral, the new king Charles III had put on a gathering so that all the different leaders from around the world as a way of giving them a welcome and showing good hospitality.
On the day of the funeral, many foreign leaders and dignitaries had been invited to say their own goodbyes to the queen. This included people and officials from right the way round the world including the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. And President of Canada Justin Trudeau.
In what was a very moving ceremony, the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, who is conducting the service, will then give The Bidding, in which he will speak of the late monarch’s “unswerving commitment to a high calling over so many years” as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. “With affection we recall her love for her family and her commitment to the causes she held dear,” he said.
Various hymns, prayers and readings were given by prominent figures, such as The Archbishop of Canterbury, before the service draws to a close with The Last Post, two minutes’ silence, the Reveille, and the national anthem. The Queen’s Piper, Warrant Officer Class 1 (Pipe Major) Paul Burns, will play the traditional lament Sleep, Dearie, Sleep before the coffin and procession exit the church.
There were also many hymns which were sung by a professional choir. The hymns had very historic meanings and helped to place emphasis on the beliefs of many members of the public. This included The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended; and Love Divine, All Loves Excelling. The latter song has featured in several royal weddings over the years, including that of Prince William and Princess Kate, Charles and Camilla and Princess Eugenie.
During the ceremony, a number of prayers were read by official figures including The Right Honourable the Baroness Scotland of Asthal KC and Prime Minister Liz Truss, the former of which will deliver the first while the PM will read the second.
The choir also sang the Anthem, ‘My soul, there is a country’, set by Hubert Parry; an Anthem of great hope.
At the end of the ceremony, two minutes silence was observed as a way of showing respect for the late queen.
At the conclusion of the State Funeral, The Sovereign’s Piper of the Royal Regiment of Scotland played the traditional Lament, ‘Sleep, dearie, sleep’.
The coffin was borne in Procession out of Westminster Abbey, returning to the Gun Carriage for the Procession to Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, before travelling to Windsor for the Committal Service in St George’s Chapel.
Afterwards, the bells of Westminster Abbey were rung, fully muffled, as is the tradition following the Funeral of the Sovereign.
