Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral on Monday was a historic moment, witnessed by what was probably the largest-ever gathering of world leaders, foreign dignitaries, members of royal families and faith leaders. But it was also a deeply personal affair that gave the world a glimpse of what the late monarch was like as a mother and a beloved family matriarch.
It was a celebration of the Queen's life and a reminder of her many roles.
The Queen was the head of state in 15 independent countries as well as heading the Commonwealth of Nations. She was the supreme governor of the Church of England, the commander in chief of one of the world's biggest militaries, the long-time head of one of the world's most notable royal families as well as a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. |
Personal touches.
Despite its very public nature, the service was also a family occasion. At no point was this more noticeable than when King Charles III and his siblings entered Westminster Abbey.
Walking slowly behind their mother's coffin, their private grief was suddenly on display not just to the 2,000-strong congregation but also to millions of people watching around the world. In a particularly striking moment that no doubt touched the hearts of many, two of the Queen's great-grandchildren -- Prince George and Princess Charlotte -- took part in the funeral procession in the abbey.
Placed atop the Queen's coffin was a wreath made of flowers and foliage cut from the gardens of Buckingham Palace and royal residences Clarence House and Highgrove House. The flower arrangement included myrtle grown from a sprig that was in the Queen's wedding bouquet. Alongside the wreath was a handwritten card from the King that read: "In loving and devoted memory. Charles R."
And in a further personal touch, the funeral music featured a hymn that was also sung at the Queen's wedding to Prince Philip. |
Military pomp.
The funeral arrangements also showcased the British military at its ceremonial best, reflecting the Queen's role as commander in chief as well as someone who personally served in the armed forces during World War II.
Flanking the coffin were the bearer party, from the Queen's Company 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, and 10 pallbearers made up of former equerries to the Queen, as well as detachments of the King's Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, the Yeomen of the Guard and the Royal Company of Archers.
Thousands of British service members took part in the ceremony, marching through central London to accompany the Queen on her last journey. They were joined by representatives of the armed forces of other countries where the Queen was the head of state.
The moment the nation fell silent.
Just before the end of the ceremony, the congregation inside Westminster Abbey -- and the nation alongside it -- paused to mark the Queen's death with a moment of silence.
Lining the route of the funeral procession, tens of thousands of people bowed their heads, paying their last respects.
While Monday was all about remembering and celebrating the Queen, there was one moment that underscored the transition that began with the monarch's death. When the congregation rose to sing the national anthem, it was "God save the King," not "God save the Queen," that sounded throughout the abbey.
Read our full story on Britain's farewell to Queen Elizabeth II.
|
|
|
The Royal Vault won't be the Queen's final resting place. |
After the pomp and pageantry of the state funeral at Westminster, a more intimate committal service was held at St. George's Chapel on Monday afternoon. In a ceremony presided over by the Dean of Windsor, the Queen's coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault -- the resting place of many past monarchs.
However, it won't be her final resting place. This evening, the royal family will gather for a private burial service, where the Queen's coffin will be moved to the King George VI Memorial Chapel. There, the late monarch's coffin will join those of her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Prince Philip's coffin will also be relocated from the vault, so that the Queen can be laid to rest alongside her beloved husband of 73 years. Read more here.
|
|
|
The Queen's corgis were brought outside to see her coffin pass. |
Among the thousands of faces awaiting the arrival of the Queen at Windsor, perhaps the most familiar to her would have been those of Muick and Sandy, two of her beloved corgis.
Throughout her life, the monarch was regularly photographed with one of her many Welsh corgis at her feet.
The Queen's passion for corgis dated back to her childhood, when she fell in love with her father King George VI's dog, Dookie. In 1944, on her 18th birthday, she was given a Pembroke Welsh corgi puppy named Susan. Such was her attachment to Susan, she reportedly took her on her honeymoon in 1947.
Her surviving corgis will now live with the Duke and Duchess of York, Andrew and Sarah, a source close to the Duke of York told CNN last week.
Head here to check out our gallery of the Queen and her corgis over the years.
|
|
|
🎧 Hear the Queen's piper marking the end of her funeral. |
The Queen's funeral service at Westminster Abbey concluded with music played by her bagpiper, Pipe Major Paul Burns. For decades the monarch was roused in the mornings by the sound of bagpipes, played beneath her window. Have a listen:
|
|
|
From black hats to brooches, funeral guests wear quiet tributes to the Queen. |
As we've mentioned in previous newsletters, the late Queen was a master of symbolic dressing, using clothes, colors, hats and jewels to communicate with subjects and conduct soft diplomacy. As Britain's longest-reigning monarch was laid to rest Monday, it was time for her admirers -- family members, heads of state and other dignitaries -- to do the same.
Needless to say, black was the predominant color among the estimated 2,000 guests packed into Westminster Abbey for the ceremony. And while the attendees' choices of outfit were appropriately understated, hats, brooches and nods to national dress added character to the otherwise somber attire.
Formal headpieces came in all shapes and sizes, from wide-brimmed hats to diminutive fascinators with dark veils. Read the full story from CNN Style. |
|
|
"I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my Family and myself in this time of grief."
– King Charles III
|
Ahead of the Queen's state funeral, the King expressed his gratitude for the messages of condolence sent since the death of his mother. Read it in full here. |
|
|
|
