Queen Elizabeth II's funeral took place on Monday, Sept. 19. Here's everything that happened.
The state funeral for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II concluded at Windsor Castle on Monday afternoon after beginning the day in London and completing several church services and royal parades along the way. Here's everything you need to know.
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- Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip laid to rest together. Following a private ceremony, the royal family's website was updated to confirm, "The Queen was buried together with The Duke of Edinburgh, at The King George VI Memorial Chapel."
- Queen Elizabeth's coffin was lowered into the royal vault at Windsor Castle on Monday afternoon. She will soon be buried alongside her late husband.
- Prince William and Kate Middleton sat alongside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during the Windsor Castle committal service, along with William and Kate's children. As the group settled into the pews, Prince William gestured to Harry to sit in the same row, marking a show of unity between the brothers.
- Two of the queen's beloved corgis, Sandy and Muick, walked inside of Windsor Castle ahead of the Committal Service for Her Majesty. The queen's Fell pony, Emma, and the queen's Head Groom, Terry Pendry, also received a special nod during the Windsor Castle procession.
- Meghan Markle and Prince Harry returned to the site of their 2018 royal wedding for the committal service at St. George's Chapel.
- Queen Elizabeth II's coffin arrived at Windsor Castle from London, and processed to to St. George's Chapel for the committal service.
- The coffin left London for the last time early Monday afternoon, beginning its final journey to Windsor Castle. Prior to leaving, the coffin received a royal salute at Wellington Arch in Hyde Park after processing there from Westminster Abbey.
- Prince George and Princess Charlotte joined their mother and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in a car behind the procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch. They stepped out of the car for the royal salute ahead of their drive to Windsor Castle.
- Princess Charlotte paid tribute to her great-grandmother at the funeral with small diamond brooch in the shape of a horseshoe. The service also marked the first time the little royal wore a hat to a large ceremony. The princess also appeared upset as she wiped her eyes outside of the church.
- King Charles III became visibly emotional as the the church sang the Commonwealth's national anthem, "God Save the King." The newly-appointed king began to tear up during the final stretch of his late mother's funeral service.
- President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden joined other world leaders at the funeral service. On Sunday, Joe and Jill signed the Official Condolence Book for the queen.
- The internet fawned over one particular choir boy, dubbed by some as the "MVP" of the funeral. The boy was praised for his earnest emotion -- and Twitter just couldn't get enough.
- Meghan Markle got emotional during the funeral, appearing to wipe tears from her eyes during the service. In one photo, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, who is the wife of the queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, looked to be about to comfort Meghan.
- Kate Middleton honored the queen at Westminster Abbey in an all black coat dress with a matching topper and a necklace that once belonged to the late queen. The piece was also worn by her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reunited with Prince William and Kate Middleton as they made their way to their seats for the service. William and Kate's children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, walked beside their parents.
- Sandra Oh was among those paying their respects during the funeral service. The actress, who is a member of the Order of Canada, attended the event with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Canadian delegation.
- The note on top of the queen's coffin was written by King Charles III and says, "In loving and devoted memory. Charles R." The R stands for Rex, which is Latin for "king." The wreath contained foliage of rosemary, English oak, myrtle (cut from a myrtle plant that was in the queen's wedding bouquet) and flowers, in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with touches of white, cut from the gardens of Royal Residences. The selections were chosen at King Charles III's request, a royal source tells ET.
- See the full order of service for the state funeral here. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Prime Minister Liz Truss both addressed the congregations.
- Prince Harry arrived on Monday wearing his mourning suit and military medals. He was not permitted to wear his full uniform to the state funeral.
- See the famous figures, royals and world leaders who turned out to pay their respects and honor the legacy of the late monarch.
- Prince George and Princess Charlotte walked behind Queen Elizabeth's coffin during its procession to Westminster Abbey. Their youngest brother, Prince Louis, appeared to be absent.
- Meghan Markle arrived at the funeral solo as her husband, Prince Harry, participated in the procession behind the queen's coffin from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey. Her outfit included a touching tribute to the queen.
- A police officer collapsed ahead of the funeral, fainting in Parliament square. According to the New York Post, the man had to be carried away on a stretcher.
Here’s everything you need to know about how, what, and where to watch Elizabeth’s final memorial services.
When is Queen Elizabeth II's funeral?
The funeral is set to begin at 11 a.m. local time (6 a.m. ET/3 a.m. PT), but Monday's events will start at 6:30 a.m., when the doors of Westminster Hall are set to close in preparation for the coffin's procession.
Why is it a state funeral?
The state funeral is a service reserved only for monarchs or extremely important British figures, meaning it is the grandest and most honorable service the palace has to offer. The queen's will be the first state funeral in the United Kingdom since the death of Winston Churchill in 1965.
What will happen at the state funeral?
Heads of state and foreign royals will begin the day at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and travel together to Westminster Abbey, where the funeral is set to take place. The Abbey will open to invited guests at 8 a.m.
Around 10:45 am, the queen's coffin will be borne in Procession on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy, moving from Westminster Hall across the street to Westminster Abbey. The journey should take less than 10 minutes, and will be led by roughly 200 musicians. The coffin will be followed by King Charles III and members of the royal family.
At 11 a.m., the dean of Westminster will begin the funeral service, with readings by Prime Minister Liz Truss and secretary general of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland. The archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby, will give the sermon.
The last post -- the traditional bugle call of the British infantry -- will ring at 11:55 a.m., followed by a two-minute silence observed across Britain. The service is set to end around noon.
Who will attend the queen's funeral?
Buckingham Palace has not released a list of attendees, but many public leaders have already confirmed their attendance. President Joe Biden said he would attend, as well as leaders from Germany, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Kenya.
Royal families across Europe have also confirmed their attendance, including King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, and the king’s mother, Princess Beatrix.
On Friday, the prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, also confirmed that actress Sandra Oh would attend as part of the Canadian delegation with him.
Westminster Abbey seats about 2,000 guests. The Palace also said in a statement that 200 people from the queen's honors list this year would be invited, along with those who made "extraordinary contributions" to Britain's response to COVID-19.
What happens after the queen's funeral service?
When the service is done, the coffin will process to Wellington Arch in Hyde Park, arriving around 1 p.m. It will then be transferred to the State Hearse to travel to Windsor Castle. As the hearse leaves, "the Parade will give a Royal Salute and the National Anthem will be played," the Palace's statement reads. King Charles III and the rest of the royal family will depart for Windsor with the hearse.
What will happen when the coffin arrives at Windsor Castle?
The coffin will arrive at Windsor Castle around 4 p.m. King Charles and Camilla, Queen Consort will lead the royal family in their procession to St. George's Chapel in the castle.
Around 800 guests, made up of the queen's personal staff and those who worked on her estates, will then attend the committal service in St. George's Chapel.
What is the committal service at St. George's chapel?
The Dean of Windsor, David Conner, will conduct the service along with prayers from the Minister of Crathie Kirk, Chaplain of Windsor Great Park and Rector of Sandringham. The queen's personal piper will also play a lament in her honor.
Before the service's conclusion, the crown jeweler will remove the Imperial State Crown, the orb and the scepter, all resting on top of the coffin, and place them on the altar. The coffin will be lowered into the royal vault, a burial chamber below the chapel, prior to the end of the service.
"A Private Burial will take place in The King George VI Memorial Chapel later that evening, conducted by the Dean of Windsor," the Palace's release states.
Will Queen Elizabeth II be buried next to Prince Philip?
Queen Elizabeth II will be buried next to Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years who died in April 2021. She will also be near her sister, Princess Margaret, and her parents, King George VI and the Queen Mother.
How can I watch the queen's funeral and processions?
The queen's service will be the first time cameras are allowed to stream the funeral of a British sovereign. In 1952, the Palace allowed the public to watch King George VI's funeral procession, but not the service itself.
The BBC will stream the procession from Westminster Hall, the funeral and the committal service on TV and online. The broadcast will be shared as widely as possible with international affiliates.
For more information on Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, check out ET’s ongoing coverage.
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