As they leave the funeral chapel of Queen Elizabeth II after paying their respectshardly anyone can resist taking one last fleeting look at his coffin. One even waves goodbye to him.
(Also read: This is how it will be, hour by hour, the state funeral of Elizabeth II)
It is the last farewell to a much-loved monarch, in a sad and solemn scene in Westminster Hall, where her body will rest until the funeral that will take place tomorrow in Westminster Abbey and will mark the culmination of decades of meticulous preparation.
The last time a monarch’s funeral was organized here was in 1760, for King George II. The British royal family has since preferred to use the intimate St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. However, the queen wanted to return to a place that could accommodate more people.
At around 10:30 a.m. local time, the pallbearers will carry the coffin from Westminster Hall to the nearby Westminster Abbey in an artillery cart, pulled by young roped sailors, a common occurrence at state funerals.
Members of the royal family – first the four children of Elizabeth II and then Princes William and Harry – will walk behind the coffin to the west door of the temple.
With a capacity for 2,200 people, the British side will be attended by the royal family, Prime Minister Liz Truss, former prime ministers and other personalities.
Many foreign leaders are expected to attend, including US Presidents Joe Biden; from France, Emmanuel Macron; of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, and the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.
Monarchs, such as Prince Albert of Monaco, King Philippe of Belgium, King Philip VI of Spain, also confirmed their presence.
Among the countries not invited are Russia, Burma, North Korea, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
After the funeral, the coffin will be returned to the artillery car and paraded through the British capital to Wellington’s Arch at Hyde Park Corner. There it will be loaded into a hearse for its journey to Windsor.
Upon arrival, the hearse will proceed to St. George’s Chapel, before a televised ceremony.
It will be followed by a religious service with 800 guests and then a final private ceremony will take place in which only the closest members of the royal family will be present, after which the queen will be buried.
The queen’s coffin will be buried in the chapel of King George VI, where her father and mother rest, as well as the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret. The remains of Prince Philip, which rest in the royal pantheon, will be transferred to meet his wife’s.
AFP
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