London: Britain’s longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest with her husband Philip and parents in an intimate ceremony in London’s Windsor on Monday.
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault at the St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle after a day of matchless pagaentry that drew world leaders and thousands of well-wishers.
In a tradition dating back to Queen Victoria’s funeral in 1901, the State gun carriage bearing the coffin was hauled to the abbey by Royal Navy sailors, followed in a solemn procession by King Charles III and other senior royals. Queen Elizabeth, who died on Sept. 8, had been lying in state at the Westminster Hall since Wednesday evening. Huge crowds built in central London overnight and since early morning to secure a spot to watch the State funeral at Westminster Abbey.
The evening interment service was not open to the media, and King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William and Kate, Prince Harry and Meghan, and other royals were able to bid a final farewell to the late monarch in private after being in the public spotlight for 10 days of national mourning. Queen Elizabeth’s closest relatives were ashen-faced throughout solemn funeral rituals in London and Windsor, silently playing their parts in meticulously choreographed processions that nevertheless betrayed the high emotions of the day.
The presence of William and Harry, walking side-by-side behind their grandmother’s coffin, was reminiscent of the day 25 years ago when, as boys, they took part in a similar procession to the funeral of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
President of India Droupadi Murmu paid her last respects on behalf of India and met with King Charles III.
US President Joe Biden, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif were among the attendees.
This post was published on September 20, 2022 6:38 pm