The funeral of Britain's Queen Elizabeth will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday, September 19th at 11am, the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk has announced.
Further details were confirmed on Saturday on the carefully choreographed London Bridge plans which will included a four-day lying in state at Westminster Hall from Wednesday, September 14th.
The queen’s oak coffin – which is lying in the Ballroom at Balmoral Castle – will be taken by road to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Sunday, September 11th, on a slow six-hour journey by hearse, to allow mourners gathered in the towns and villages to pay their respects.
On Monday, the coffin will be taken from Holyroodhouse in procession to St Giles’s Cathedral where it will lie at rest until Tuesday, September 13th, before being taken by air by RAF plane to London.
The queen will lie in state “four clear days” in Westminster Hall, arriving there on Wednesday, September 14th until 6.30am on the morning of her funeral, a senior palace official said.
Thousands of people will be able to file past to see the late monarch’s coffin – and further details of how the public can attend will be announced in the coming days.
A spokesman for the King said the monarch’s main focus will be leading the royal family and nation in mourning over the coming days.
“Whilst, in the next few days, the King will carry out all the necessary state duties, his main focus will be leading the Royal Family, the nation, the Realms and the Commonwealth in mourning Her Majesty The Queen. This will include meeting members of the public, to share in their grief,” the spokesman said
