Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, has passed away peacefully at Balmoral in Scotland.
As many aspects of national life are put on hold and the country enters a period of mourning, plans are in motion for the Queen’s lying-in state and her state funeral to allow members of the public to pay tribute to one of the world’s most renowned leaders.
What happens next?
The Queen will lie in state in Westminster Hall for roughly four days before her funeral once her coffin is transported back to London. This is an opportunity for members of the public to view her coffin and pay their respects.
The last of the Royal Family to lie in state at Westminster Hall was the Queen Mother, whose lying-in state in 2002 drew over 200,000 public mourners.
The coffin will be displayed upon a catafalque guarded by royal soldiers. Her body will be moved into Westminster Hall from Buckingham Palace in a procession, accompanied by Royal Family members and a military parade. Members of the public will be able to watch the procession as it moves through the streets of London. It is also likely to be broadcast publicly in the Royal Parks in the capital city.
The coffin will be draped in the Royal Standard flagged and adorned with the Imperial State Crown, orb and sceptre once it arrives at Westminster Hall. A short service will be held there before the public can enter for the lying-in state.
The state funeral will occur in less than two weeks, with an exact date to be confirmed by the Palace.
It will take place at Westminster Abbey, where the Queen married Prince Philip in 1947 and was crowned six years later. The funeral of the Queen Mother was also held there in 2002.
Heads of state from nations around the world, senior UK politicians and former prime ministers will be invited to the funeral. The funeral date itself will see the coffin carried from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey on the Royal Navy’s State Gun Carriage. Senior royals are expected to follow as part of the funeral procession.
The Dean of Westminster will be expected to conduct the service, with a sermon delivered by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Prime minister Liz Truss may also be asked to read a lesson during the service.
Following the funeral service, the coffin will then be part of a walking procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, before being transported to Windsor. It will then be taken to St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, with King Charles III and senior members of the Royal Family expected to join this final procession.
A service will then be held in St George’s Chapel before the Queen’s coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault. It will then be interred in the King George VI memorial chapel, located within St George’s Chapel. The coffin of Prince Philip will then be placed alongside the Queen’s, with the royal couple reunited in their final resting place.
Photo by Joel Rouse/ Ministry of Defence on Wikimedia Commons
