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The saddest day: The world farewells Queen Elizabeth II
The Royal family, joined by thousands of dignitaries, have paid tribute to the Queen’s long life of reign, diligence and service.
The funeral service to remember Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has been held at Westminster Abbey.
Among the guests are world leaders including US President Joe Biden and leaders from across the Commonwealth.
The Dean of Westminster expressed gratitude for the Queen’s “life-long sense of duty”.
King Charles III followed his mother’s coffin from Westminster Hall behind the State Gun Carriage.
The Queen’s coffin was conveyed through Parliament Square, a short distance to Westminster Abbey.
The procession from the abbey saw the State Gun Carriage carry the coffin, drawn by 142 sailors.
The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex walked side-by-side behind their father, the King.
As the service began, The Dean, the Very Rev David Hoyle, spoke of the Queen’s “life-long selfless service”.
“With gratitude we remember her unswerving commitment to a high calling over so many years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. With admiration we recall her life-long sense of duty and dedication to her people,” he said.
Solemn service
The service was filled with traditional church music and readings from the Bible. It was 70 years ago that the new Queen stood in the same Abbey for her coronation.
Towards the end, the Last Post was played before a two-minute national silence
As they walked to the abbey the royals were accompanied by the Massed Pipes and Drums of Scottish and Irish Regiments, the Brigade of Gurkhas, and the Royal Air Force.
Thousands poured into London’s Westminster Abbey to farewell Queen Elizabeth the Second. Numerous dignitaries, including former Prime Ministers, Emperors and Presidents were at the ceremony, watched by millions right around the world.
It was a sombre farewell for Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, who passed away at her Balmoral Estate on the 8th of September.
The Royal Family led a procession into the historical church, where Reverend David Hoyle began the service.
Each of the Queen’s living Former UK Prime Ministers were at the service, alongside U.S. President Joe Biden, French leader Emmanuel Macron and delegations from right across the Commonwealth.
There were 15 British Prime Ministers across the Queen’s reign, with Liz Truss being sworn in just days before her death.
Truss read ‘The Second Lesson’ from John 14 at the service. The airspace around London was closed as a tight security operation got underway. Inside Westminster Abbey, you could hear a pin drop as mourners gathered to pay their respects.
It was the same building that Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned over 70 years ago.
The Queen’s Piper, Warrant Officer Paul Burns, played ‘Sleep, dearie, sleep’ as the service continued. And inside Westminster Abbey, the 2-thousand strong mourners sung ‘God Save The King’.
World leaders
It was a who’s who of world leaders who came to say farewell on behalf of their countries.
Some 2,000 mourners bid farewell to the Queen at the state funeral, including 500 dignitaries.
Former prime ministers Theresa May, Tony Blair, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, John Major and Boris Johnson are at the historic abbey.
There are also members of many European royal families, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Denmark, as well as the Emperor and Empress of Japan.
US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are among the world leaders who came to pay their respects.
A fitting end to the Elizabethan era.
‘INVINCIBLE’
Elizabeth died on Sept. 8 at her Scottish summer home, Balmoral Castle.
Her health had been in decline, and for months the monarch who had carried out hundreds of official engagements well into her 90s had withdrawn from public life.
Such was her longevity and her inextricable link with Britain that even her own family found her passing a shock.
“We all thought she was invincible,” Prince William told well-wishers.
The 40th sovereign in a line that traces its lineage back to 1066, Elizabeth came to the throne in 1952, Britain’s first post-imperial monarch.
