RECORDED | Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral

September 19 - 16:11

'In loving and devoted memory': King Charles' handwritten note to late queen

King Charles paid tribute to his late mother Queen Elizabeth on Monday with a handwritten note laid on top of her coffin reading: "In loving and devoted memory, Charles R."

The note was placed amid a colourful wreath for the late monarch that Buckingham Palace said contained, at Charles's request, rosemary, English Oak and myrtle, which had been cut from a plant grown from myrtle used in Elizabeth's wedding bouquet.

There were also gold, pink, burgundy and white flowers cut from the gardens of royal residences.Royals and heads of state from around the world gathered at London's Westminster Abbey on Monday morning for the state funeral for Elizabeth.

September 19 - 14:40

Queen's coffin starts journey to final resting place

King Charles, his sons William and Harry and other senior royals joined a solemn procession behind Queen Elizabeth's coffin through the silent streets of London on Monday, following a state funeral of matchless pageantry at Westminster Abbey.

Hundreds of thousands of people crammed into central London to witness a ceremony attended by leaders and royalty from across the globe, a fitting end for Britain's longest-serving monarch who won widespread respect during 70 years on the throne.

Her flag-draped casket was pulled on a gun carriage the short distance from Westminster Hall to the Abbey by 142 sailors with arms linked. A bell tolled and bagpipes skirled.

Pin-drop silence fell over London's Hyde Park nearby as thousands of people, who for hours had picnicked and chatted, went quiet the second the queen's coffin appeared on screens erected for the occasion.

September 19 - 12:40

Crowds fill London to 'be a part of history' at queen's funeral

Tens of thousands of people, many of whom had camped out overnight, lined the route of Queen Elizabeth's funeral procession on Monday and gathered in London's parks to bid farewell to the only British monarch most have ever known.

Complete silence fell over Hyde Park as people who had been picnicking and chatting for hours, stood and watched the queen's coffin brought to Westminster Abbey. Crowds are following the funeral service on large television screens or from a radio broadcast on loudspeakers.

"We wanted to come and see this historic event, to be part of it and to pay our respects to the queen and thank her for her long life of service. I think we'll probably feel fairly emotional at the end," said Alison Cornish, 66, from Ashford in Kent."

Emotion is not something I try to exhibit, but I'm probably going to," said her husband Robin, also 66.

September 19 - 12:00

Sombre pageantry as funeral begins for Britain's Queen Elizabeth

King Charles and other senior British royals followed Queen Elizabeth's coffin into Westminster Abbey on Monday, joining world leaders and monarchs to bid farewell to a beloved figure who unified the nation through her 70-year reign.

In scenes of inimitable pageantry, pall bearers carried her flag-draped casket along the aisle in the country's first state funeral since 1965, when Winston Churchill was afforded the honour. Tens of thousands of people lined the streets as the queen's casket made the short journey from Westminster Hall where she had been lying-in-state, pulled along on a gun carriage by 142 sailors with arms linked.

A bell tolled and bagpipes skirled. Pin-drop silence fell over London’s Hyde Park nearby as thousands of people, who for hours had picnicked and chatted, went quiet the second the queen's coffin appeared on screens erected for the occasion.

Among those walking behind the casket was her great-grandson and future king, nine-year-old Prince George. The 2,000-strong congregation included some 500 world leaders and foreign royal families.

September 19 - 11:00

Royal mourners face rail disruption on journey to Windsor Castle

Trains travelling from London to Windsor, where Queen Elizabeth will be buried later on Monday were badly disrupted by technical problems, straining the public transport system as tens of thousands travel around the capital to watch her funeral.

Great Western Railway (GWR) said that all lines between Paddington and key connection point Reading, were blocked, advising passengers to take an alternative route to Windsor, the town that is home to the Windsor Castle royal residence.

September 19 - 10:45

Prince George, Princess Charlotte ‘to take part’ in queen’s funeral

The two eldest children of the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine, will reportedly attend the funeral of their great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.

The queen's state funeral will take place at 12pm SA time at Westminster Abbey and will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster. The sermon will be delivered by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who will also give the commendation.

Daily Mail on Monday reported that Prince William’s children, Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 7, will take part in the service while the youngest child, Prince Louis, 4, won’t be present as he is “too young”.

According to the site, the duo will be with their mother Catherine and Queen Consort Camilla in a car proceeding to Westminster Abbey rather than walking alongside other royals.

Khanyisile Ngcobo

September 19 - 10:10

I'll always remember Queen Elizabeth's smile, Camilla says

Camilla, wife of King Charles and now queen consort, said the smile of the late Queen Elizabeth was 'unforgettable' in a message of tribute to the late monarch.

September 19 - 10:03

Comments from crowds in London on Queen Elizabeth

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected in central London on Monday as the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, takes place.

Below are quotes from some in the crowds:

ALEXANDRA STEVENSON, 35, A NURSE FROM LONDON

"She' been a around for so long that all of us have taken her for granted.

"I’m here because it’s part of history - like everybody else I think. We’ll get along alright, I think - this country is full of pragmatic people."

VICKY McCONKEY, 70, FROM LONDON

"She’s been here all my life. I’m not particularly mad about the royal family but I like the queen.

"I wasn’t going to miss it, though - I had to be here."

JOEL FESTENSTEIN, 28, BUSINESS RISK ANALYST FROM MANCHESTER

"I’ve been a long admirer of the Queen. I even went to her 80th birthday as a child when she was here in the palace. I wanted to be part of the final send-off."

MARIO REID, VETERAN WHO SERVED 22 YEARS WITH THE ROYAL ENGINEERS, FROM KENT

"We call her the boss - I’ve just come to pay my respects for her.

"I got booted and suited up for this. Polished my shoes and everything."

CRAIG CHAMBERS, 32, RAILWAY WORKER

"I’m from the Caribbean community and we celebrate a life rather than mourning - but we do it respectfully.

"I have a lot of respect for the years she’s reigned. I wanted to be a part of history."

ALISON CORNISH, 66, FROM KENT

"We wanted to come and see this historic event, to be part of it and to pay our respects to the queen and thanks for her long life of service, and I think we'll probably feel fairly emotional at the end of it."

ABBY FOX, 32, WORKS IN RECRUITMENT, FROM ESSEX

"She feels like your nan - like you family. She was always there, always smiling.

"She’s just dedicated her whole life to the country, hasn’t she? And not asked for anything back."

CAROL JOSEPH, 63, FROM LONDON

"She is just magnificent, she’s done such an impeccable reign with such dignity, such respect, she’s never had anything, any scandal against her and she deserves the respect. She’s our Queen, she is the UK." 

September 19 - 09:30

UK falls silent to mourn the Queen

Britons observed a minute's silence in memory of the Queen ahead of her state funeral.

September 19 - 09:00

Biden signs condolence book for 'honorable' Queen

U.S. President Joe Biden said Queen Elizabeth communicated dignity and a notion of service as he signed a book of condolence after viewing the late British monarch's coffin at her lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.

September 19 - 08:17

Britain and the world prepare to say last farewell to Queen Elizabeth II

Britain, world leaders and royalty from across the globe will on Monday bid a final farewell to Queen Elizabeth II, the last towering figure of her era, at a state funeral of inimitable pageantry.

September 19 - 07:41

TIMELINE-The life and death of Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning monarch and the nation's figurehead for seven decades, died on Sept. 8 aged 96. Her funeral is taking place on Monday.

Following is a timeline of the queen's life and reign:

April 21, 1926 - Elizabeth is born at 2:40 a.m. at 17 Bruton Street, London, and christened on May 29 that year in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace.

Dec. 11, 1936 - She becomes heir apparent, aged 10, when her uncle Edward VIII abdicates and her father becomes King George VI.

Nov. 20, 1947 - She marries navy lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, a Greek Prince, at London's Westminster Abbey.

Nov. 14, 1948 - Eldest son Charles is born.

Aug. 15, 1950 - Daughter Anne is born.

February, 1952 - Princess Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, set out on a tour of Africa and Asia in place of her ailing father, King George VI.

Feb. 6, 1952 - News of the king's death reaches her in Kenya, meaning she is the first sovereign in more than 200 years to accede to the throne while abroad.

June 2, 1953 - Queen Elizabeth is crowned at Westminster Abbey in the first televised coronation service.

Nov. 24, 1953 - The Queen's first Commonwealth tour begins covering a distance of 43,618 miles.

Feb. 19, 1960 - Second son, Prince Andrew, is born.

March 10, 1964 - Youngest son, Prince Edward, is born.

March, 1970 - During a visit to New Zealand, the queen introduces the "walkabout", a meet-the-people tactic for royal tours.

1977 - The queen marks her Silver Jubilee - 25 years as monarch - with a tour of Commonwealth countries and lavish celebrations in Britain.

July 29, 1981 - Prince Charles marries Lady Diana Spencer in a glittering ceremony.

June 21, 1982 - Charles and Diana's first child, Prince William, is born.

Sept. 15, 1984 - Charles and Diana's younger son Prince Harry is born.

July 23, 1986 - Prince Andrew marries the high-spirited publishing executive Sarah Ferguson, known as "Fergie". The couple become the Duke and Duchess of York.

May 14-26, 1991 - The queen tours the United States and becomes the first monarch to address Congress.

1992 - Her 40th year on the throne, which she calls her 'annus horribilis' (horrible year), is marked by marital upsets and public dissent.

March, 19, 1992 - Andrew and Sarah announce separation.

April 13, 1992 - Palace announces Anne and Mark Phillips to divorce.

Nov. 10, 1992 - Windsor Castle is badly damaged by fire.

Nov. 26, 1992 - The queen agrees to pay income tax.

Dec. 9, 1992 - Charles and Diana announce their separation.

March 20, 1995 - The queen makes the first address by a British monarch to a South African parliament since 1947.

Dec. 20, 1995 - Buckingham Palace confirms the queen has written to Charles and Diana urging them to divorce.

Aug. 28, 1996 - Charles and Diana are divorced.

Aug. 31, 1997 - Diana and her millionaire companion Dodi al-Fayed are killed when their car crashes while being chased through Paris by photographers on motorcycles. The queen and the royal family are criticised for their reserved response.

Nov. 20, 1997 - large crowds greet the queen and Philip as they mark their golden wedding anniversary. In an unusually frank speech, the queen acknowledges that monarchies survive only through public support.

Feb. 9, 2002 - The queen's sister, Princess Margaret, dies at the age of 71 after a life of glamour and heartbreak.

March 30, 2002 - Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, dies at Windsor Castle aged 101.

June 1-4, 2002 - Four days of nationwide celebrations mark the queen's Golden Jubilee.

April 9, 2005 - Son and heir Prince Charles marries Camilla Parker Bowles at a civil ceremony in Windsor.

April 29, 2011 - The queen attends the wedding of her grandson Prince William and Kate Middleton.

May 17-20, 2011 - Queen makes four-day state visit to Ireland, the first by a British monarch since Ireland won its independence from London in 1921.

June 2-5, 2012 - The diamond jubilee to mark her 60th year on the throne sees four days of celebrations along with a nationwide tour. A million people gather for a pageant on River Thames, and millions more attend street parties.

July 22, 2013 - Prince William's wife Kate gives birth to son Prince George.

June 23-26, 2014 - The queen embarks on what was her last foreign state visit to Germany.

Sept. 9, 2014 - At about 5.30 p.m. UK time, Elizabeth becomes the nation's longest-reigning monarch, overtaking her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.

May 2, 2015 - William and Kate's daughter, Princess Charlotte, is born.

April 21, 2016 - Elizabeth celebrates her 90th birthday, the first British monarch to reach such a milestone.

Aug. 2 , 2017 - Husband Philip bows out of public life after 65 years of supporting his wife.

Nov. 20, 2017 - Elizabeth and Philip celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary with a private party at Windsor Castle.

April 23, 2018 - William and Kate's youngest child, Prince Louis, is born.

May 19, 2018 - The queen's grandson Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle, a divorced U.S. actress from Los Angeles, at a star-studded wedding at Windsor Castle.

Oct. 20, 2019 - A family row between William and Harry becomes public, with the younger prince confirming the rumours of a rift.

Nov. 15, 2019 - Prince Andrew gives a disastrous interview to BBC TV in an attempt to draw a line under a sex scandal. Days later he is forced to step down from royal duties over his links to the disgraced U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was jailed in 2008 for child sex offences.

Jan. 8, 2020 - Harry and Meghan announce they will no longer be working members of the royal family. They move to Los Angeles in March.

April 5, 2020 - The queen makes only the fifth special televised broadcast of her reign to rally the nation amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

April 9, 2021 - Prince Philip, the queen's husband of 73 years, dies peacefully aged 99 at Windsor Castle.

Oct. 20, 2021 - the queen spends a night in hospital for the first time in years for what Buckingham Palace termed "preliminary investigations".

Nov. 30, 2021 - Barbados becomes a republic, meaning the queen is now the head of state of just 15 realms.

Jan. 13, 2022 - Buckingham Palace says Prince Andrew has been stripped of his military links and royal patronages and will no longer be known as "His Royal Highness" as he defends a U.S. lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre who said the royal sexually abused her when she was a teenager.

Feb. 6, 2022 - Queen marks her 70th year on the throne, using the occasion to give her blessing to Charles's second wife Camilla being called Queen Consort when he becomes king.

Feb. 15, 2022 - Prince Andrew pays an undisclosed sum to settle the U.S. lawsuit, but admits no wrongdoing.

Feb. 20, 2022 - The queen tests positive for COVID-19 and is said to be suffering from mild cold-like symptoms. She soon returns to official duties.

May 9, 2022 - The queen pulls out of ceremonial opening of parliament due to mobility problems.

June 2-5, 2022 - Four days of celebration in Britain mark the queen's Platinum Jubilee. The queen herself has to withdraw from several events due to "episodic mobility issues" but says she has been "humbled" by the support she has received.

Sept. 6, 2022 - Queen performs what will be her last public duties, accepting the resignation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Balmoral Castle and appointing his replacement Liz Truss - the 15th prime minister of her reign.

Sept. 8, 2022 - Queen Elizabeth dies at Balmoral, aged 96.

Sept. 11, 2022 - Her coffin is driven to Edinburgh, past tens of thousands of mourners lining the route.

Sept. 13, 2022 - Tens of thousands line the streets of London as the coffin is flown to the capital and driven to Buckingham Palace.

Sept. 14-19, 2022 - Queen's body lies in state at Westminster Hall. Hundreds of thousands of people queue for hours to file past her coffin.

September 19 - 07:39

Order of service for Queen Elizabeth's state funeral

The state funeral for Queen Elizabeth will be held at London's Westminster Abbey on Monday when world leaders will join King Charles and the British royal family to bid farewell to Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

Following are some of the details of the order of service for the funeral:

- The state funeral will take place in Westminster Abbey, central London, at 11 a.m. (1000 GMT).

- The funeral will be led by the Dean of Westminster David Hoyle, and the sermon will be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

- Before the service, the Abbey's Tenor Bell will toll once a minute for 96 minutes - one toll for each year of the queen's life.

- At the start of the service, as the queen's coffin is carried into the abbey, the Sentences will be sung by the choir of Westminster Abbey. The five Sentences - lines of scripture set to music - have been used at every state funeral since the early 18th century.

- The Dean of Westminster will give the bidding before the first hymn, and the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Scotland, will read the first lesson from the book of First Corinthians.

- A specially commissioned choral piece composed by the Master of the King's Music, Judith Weir, will be sung by the choir. The piece, "Like as the Hart", is a setting of Psalm 42 to music.

- The second lesson, from the Gospel of John, will be read by British Prime Minister Liz Truss, and will be followed by the hymn "The Lord's my Shepherd". The hymn was also sung at the queen's wedding in 1947.

- Following the sermon, the choir will sing the anthem "My Soul, There is a Country".

- Prayers will be said from the High Altar before the choir sings a short anthem, "O Taste and See How Gracious the Lord is", which was composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams for the queen's coronation in 1953.

- The Archbishop of Canterbury will give the commendation and the Dean of Westminster will pronounce the blessing.

- Near the end of the funeral, around 11:55 a.m., the Last Post will be sounded by the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry from the steps of the Lady Chapel. Two minutes' silence will then be observed across the United Kingdom.

- The Reveille will be sounded by the State Trumpeters before the congregation sings "God Save the King".

- At the end of the funeral the Sovereign's Piper of the Royal Regiment of Scotland will play the traditional lament "Sleep, Dearie, Sleep".

- Afterwards, the bells of Westminster Abbey will be rung, fully muffled, which is the tradition following the funeral of the sovereign.

Reuters