The Queen lies in state: Her Majesty’s coffin to rest for four days as cries of ‘God Save the King’ ring out
14 September 2022, 14:26 | Updated: 15 September 2022, 05:43
The Queen completed her final departure from Buckingham Palace this afternoon, and will lie in state at the Palace of Westminster for four days so she can be mourned by the nation.
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Her final sombre journey on a gun carriage from the palace, left at 2.22pm. She was followed by King Charles, Prince Charles and Prince Harry and other members of the royal family.
Her coffin entered Westminster Hall as the Westminster Abbey choir and the choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, sang Psalm 139.
An opening prayer was read by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Cries of "God save the King" could be heard as the King and the Queen Consort left Westminster Hall.
Royal couples left the building side by side, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex holding hands.
Four officers from the Household Cavalry - two from the Life Guards and two from the Blues Royals - began the first six-hour vigil around the coffin, taking their places at the corner of the catafalque.
A double tap on the floor from the stick of the Officer of the Watch, who has command of the rotations, signalled the start of the vigil.
King Charles III and Princes William and Harry walked a solemn mile behind the Queen's coffin in front of thousands of mourners as she was brought to lie in state at Westminster Hall.
A hush descended on central London as flights were halted over the capital, to allow the sound of guns to ring out in Hyde Park and Big Ben to toll in memory of Queen Elizabeth II.
A watching crowd of tens of thousands looked on in sombre mood as the Royals followed the Queen's coffin on the forty-minute march down the Mall to the site where she will lie in state for four days.
The royals followed the coffin on foot as she left Buckingham Palace for the final time.
Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence also walked in the procession, as well as the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.
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The Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex travelled the 1.1 miles from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall by car.
The procession left the palace at 2.22pm and is expected to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm.
The royals were joined by members of the Household Cavalry regiment, Bands of the Grenadier and Scots Guards.
Ahead of the coffin were the Major General Commanding the Household division, the Director of the Royal Collection, the Comptroller, Lord Chamberlain’s Office and the Master of the Royal Household.
The Keeper of the Privy Purse, Private Secretary, the Master of the Horse and Lord Steward formed behind, followed by Queen’s Pages and the Palace Steward.
Behind the Coffin was the Earl of Wessex, the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and King Charles.
Peter Phillips, the Duke of Sussex and the Prince of Wales followed behind, closely followed by Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.
The Procession
The Imperial State Crown and a wreath will be placed on top of the Queen's coffin.
At 2.22pm, the late monarch will be taken from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where she will lie in state.
The King will follow the coffin on foot, joined by his sons the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex, as well as the Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex.
Anne's son Peter Phillips and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence will also walk in the procession, as well as the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.
The Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex will travel by car.
There will be a gun salute from Hyde Park during the procession, with one round fired every minute.
Viewing areas for the public along the route are now full
A service lasting around 20 minutes was led by the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied by the Dean of Westminster.
Her Majesty spent her final night in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace before she was conveyed on the gun carriage to Westminster Hall - the ancient heart of Parliament - where she will lie in state until her funeral on Monday.
The scene will likely remind many of the funeral of Princess Diana.
Prince William and Prince Harry, aged 15 and 12 respectively, walked behind the coffin of their mother along with their father Charles.
The decision to have the youngsters playing such a key part in the funeral was very controversial.
Prince Harry has since said the experience was traumatic for him.
It comes after William and Harry put on a united front with their wives during a walkabout on Saturday.
The brothers put their strained relationship to one side last week when the death of their grandmother saw them unexpectedly come together to view floral tributes left to the late Queen at Windsor Castle.
William, Kate, Harry and Meghan arrived in the same vehicle and greeted well-wishers for around 40 minutes before William hopped into the driver's seat of the Audi with his wife in the passenger seat, and his brother and sister-in-law in the back.
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In his televised address to the nation on Friday evening, the King talked of his love for Harry and Meghan, saying: "I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas."
Then in Harry's tribute to his grandmother, released on Monday, Harry said he wanted to honour his father at the start of his reign as King.
The last time Charles and his two sons were all seen together in public was at the service of thanksgiving for the Queen in St Paul's Cathedral during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.
The Queen's coffin arrived at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night, after its final journey down from Edinburgh.
Mourners cheered and clapped as the hearse travelled down Constitution Hill and around the Queen Victoria Memorial before driving through the gates of the palace and through the central arch into the quadrangle.
Outriders stopped with their heads bowed at the end of the journey, while a police officer at the gate saluted.
The coffin was received by King Charles and the Queen Consort, who were also joined by Prince William, Kate and Harry, among other royals.
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Tomorrow Her Majesty will be brought to Westminster Hall to lie in state from 5pm on Wednesday.
The coffin will be borne in Procession on a Gun Carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace.
The procession will travel via Queen’s Gardens, The Mall, Horse Guards and Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard.
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Mourners have already joined the queue to attend the Queen's lying in state
It will continue until 6.30am on September 19 - the day of the Queen's funeral.
Government guidance says the queue is expected to be very long, with people standing for "many hours, possibly overnight" and with very little opportunity to sit down.
