Everything you need to know about the Queen’s state funeral
The funeral service, which will be attended by 2,000 people including heads of state and foreign royalty, will take place at Westminster Abbey.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Queen’s state funeral will take place on Monday September 19 following her death on Thursday September 8.
Here is everything you need to know about the late monarch’s funeral.
– The timings
The funeral service will begin at 11am in Westminster Abbey, where the doors will open at 8am for members of the congregation to take their seats.
The service is expected to last one hour and then a procession will set off at 12.15pm to Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, arriving at 1pm.
The state hearse and royal family will then travel to Windsor where a committal service will take place at 4pm in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
A private burial service will take place at 7.30pm.
– The funeral service in Westminster Abbey
The Queen’s funeral service will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster, with the sermon given by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Prime Minister and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth will read lessons, while the Archbishop of York, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Free Churches Moderator will say prayers.
Towards the end of the service, the Last Post will sound, followed by two minutes of silence to be observed in the abbey and around the UK.
– The congregation
US president Joe Biden and French president Emmanuel Macron will be among the 2,000 people gathered inside Westminster Abbey.
The leaders of most Commonwealth countries are expected to attend, with New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern saying she will make the nearly 24-hour journey, while her Canadian and Australian counterparts, Justin Trudeau and Anthony Albanese, have also confirmed their attendance.
Germany’s president Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella and Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro are among those attending, along with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
King Felipe of Spain and his wife, Queen Letizia, are among the European royals who will attend.
They will join members of the British royal family, UK prime ministers past and present and key figures from public life.
Downing Street said nearly 200 key workers and volunteers recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June have been invited.
A senior palace official said heads of state and overseas government representatives, including foreign royal families, governors-general and realm prime ministers, will gather at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and “travel under collective arrangements” to the abbey.
– The committal service in St George’s Chapel
The congregation will be made up of the Queen’s household past and present, including personal staff who work, or who have worked, on the private estates.
The majority of those attending this service, which will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor, will not have attended the earlier service at Westminster Abbey.
Before the final hymn, the Imperial State Crown, the orb and the sceptre will be removed from the coffin by the Crown Jeweller and, with the Bargemaster and Serjeants-at-Arms, will be passed to the dean who will place them on the altar.
At the end of the final hymn, the King will place The Queen’s Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin.
At the same time, the Lord Chamberlain will “break” his Wand of Office and place it on the coffin.
As the coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault, the Dean of Windsor will say a psalm and the commendation before the Garter King of Arms will pronounce the styles and titles of the Queen.
– The private burial
The Queen will be buried with the Duke of Edinburgh at the King George VI Memorial Chapel.
The private burial service will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor, and will be attended by the King and members of the royal family.
– The route
On Monday morning, the Queen’s coffin will be carried on a State Gun Carriage from New Palace Yard to Westminster Abbey by way of Parliament Square, Broad Sanctuary and the Sanctuary – a route lined by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.
After the funeral service, the royal family will walk in a procession with the coffin to Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner.
The procession will go by way of Broad Sanctuary, Parliament Square (South and East sides), Parliament Street, Whitehall, Horse Guards including Horse Guards Arch, Horse Guards Road, The Mall, Queen’s Gardens (South and West sides), Constitution Hill and Apsley Way.
The state hearse, carrying the coffin, will then travel to Windsor. The route to Windsor has not been made public.
In Windsor, the state hearse will approach Shaw Farm Gate on Albert Road and join the procession which will be in position.
The procession route from Albert Road to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle is by way of Albert Road, Long Walk, Cambridge Gate, Cambridge Drive, George IV Gate, Quadrangle (South and West sides), Engine Court, Norman Arch, Chapel Hill, Parade Ground and Horseshoe Cloister Arch.
– How to watch on television
The BBC’s special programming will air from 8am until 5pm on BBC One and iPlayer, with BSL signed coverage on BBC Two.
ITV’s programming will start at 9.30am, and all the day’s programming – from 6am to midnight – will be broadcast simultaneously on the main channel and five digital channels and the ITV Hub, the first time the broadcaster has done so.