Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's coffin lowered into vault ahead of private burial
King Charles III and the Queen Consort at the Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth II held at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, Berkshire. Picture date: Monday September 19, 2022. Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire
Queen Elizabeth II's coffin was lowered into a vault at Windsor Castle, her final resting place, on Monday following 70 years of service after family, friends and Britain said a fond farewell to the late monarch.
For the woman who was never meant to be sovereign, Queen Elizabeth fulfilled her pledge to serve nation and Commonwealth and came to earn the respect of many — from world leaders to the public.
Her grieving family walked behind her coffin throughout the long day, a simple but public tribute, and the emotion was clear to see on the face of King Charles III, who looked close to tears during the earlier Westminster Abbey state funeral service.
The royal family were united in their loss, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle briefly back with the family they left, but as the queen’s son Prince Edward said in tribute, in death, as in life, they were sharing their “beloved mama” with others.
Hundreds of thousands lined the queen’s funeral procession that carried the monarch from lying in state at Westminster Hall to her state funeral and on to Windsor Castle for the committal service.
Her state hearse arrived at the royal fortress strewn with flowers after the sight of the Queen had been cheered and applauded by mourners along the route.
Earlier, the royal family gathered at Windsor Castle for the queen's committal service following a long journey to her final resting place. It began in Balmoral on the day of her death and ended with her interment at the castle’s St George’s Chapel this evening.
In a touching gesture the late queen’s two faithful friends, her corgis Muick and Sandy, were part of the day and made an appearance.
Hundreds of thousands of well-wishers flocked to London, lining the route through the capital to say their last goodbyes, while millions around the globe are watching proceedings on TV.
King Charles and his siblings walked behind the coffin as it left Westminster Abbey following the state funeral, while other royals are travelling by car.
King Charles was left close to tears during a state funeral service at Westminster Abbey, where the Archbishop of Canterbury described the queen as having touched “a multitude of lives” and been a “joyful” figure for many.
The queen was head of state but also a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and in a personal touch, the wreath adorning her coffin had a handwritten note penned by the king.
The message said: “In loving and devoted memory.”
Mourners filled the streets of the capital to cheer, applaud and throw flowers in the path of her state hearse following the funeral attended by world leaders, foreign royalty and leading figures from the fight against Covid-19 among more than 2,000 guests.
Tens of thousands watched the ceremonial procession from the Abbey to Wellington Arch — a rare spectacle of thousands of sailors, soldiers and airmen accompanying the former head of the Armed Forces or lining the route.
For the coffin’s journey to the outskirts of Windsor, the public’s appreciation of the late monarch mirrored the scenes in the capital.
The hearse was strewn with flowers across its roof and windscreen and at the outskirts of Windsor a procession was formed featuring soldiers on foot from the Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals and Life Guards with mounted members of the Household Cavalry regiment.
The Long Walk was filled with mourners eager to pay their respects to their queen who was a staple of Windsor and was, in turn, loved and respected by the town.
Earlier, the royal family gathered at Westminster Abbey to remember the late monarch at her funeral on Monday morning.
Around 2,000 people attended the queen’s funeral, including members of royal families from across Europe, politicians from all sides of the political spectrum and world leaders, including President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and US President Joe Biden.
King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, walked immediately behind the coffin as it entered the Gothic church for the service, followed by Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Tim Laurence, then Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie Rhys-Jones.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte walked with their parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, and were followed by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and other members of the royal family.
During his sermon, the Archbishop of Canterbury told the congregation the outpouring of emotion for the queen “arises from her abundant life and loving service, now gone from us”.
Justin Welby described the Queen as having touched “a multitude of lives” and being a “joyful” figure for many.
He told mourners: “People of loving service are rare in any walk of life. Leaders of loving service are still rarer.
“But in all cases those who serve will be loved and remembered when those who cling to power and privileges are forgotten.
“The grief of this day – felt not only by the late Queen’s family but all round the nation, Commonwealth and world – arises from her abundant life and loving service, now gone from us.
“She was joyful, present to so many, touching a multitude of lives.” Mr Welby, standing in the church where kings and queens have been crowned since 1066, also said that the Queen had declared on her 21st birthday “that her whole life would be dedicated to serving the nation and Commonwealth”.
He added: “Rarely has such a promise been so well kept. Few leaders receive the outpouring of love we have seen.” Among the hymns sung at the service, The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want, was also sung at the Queen’s wedding to the Duke of Edinburgh in the abbey in 1947.
The other hymns were The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended; and Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.
As the abbey fell silent, the Queen’s Piper, Warrant Officer Class 1 (Pipe Major) Paul Burns, played the traditional lament Sleep, Dearie, Sleep. Also played were The Last Post, Reveille and the national anthem.
The queen’s coffin has been draped in the Royal Standard, with the wreath of flowers requested by the king.
Later on Monday evening in Windsor, there will be a private interment service with senior members of the royal family, where the Queen will be reunited with her husband, Prince Philip.
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