Queen's Funeral To Be Held On September 19, Buckingham Palace Announces

The ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey, presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Queen Elizabeth II pictured in 2018
Queen Elizabeth II pictured in 2018
Jane Barlow via PA Wire/PA Images

The Queen’s funeral will take place on Monday September 19, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

A state funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

A statement from the Palace said: ″The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday 19 September at 1100hrs BST.

“Prior to the State Funeral, The Queen will Lie-in-State in Westminster Hall for four days, to allow the public to pay their respects.”

The Queen will be the first British monarch to have her funeral in Westminster Abbey since 1760, and 2,000 guests will sit within.

She will then be laid to rest at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, where her late husband Prince Philip and both of her parents are buried.

The hearse will travel 23 miles by road from London to Windsor Castle, when TV cameras will then stop broadcasting.

The day of the Queen’s funeral will be a bank holiday, as King Charles III confirmed when he was officially proclaimed sovereign on Saturday morning. This means schools will be closed, as well as many workplaces.

The Queen’s coffin is currently lying at rest in the Ballroom at Balmoral Castle, where she died on Thursday afternoon.

In its statement, Buckingham Palace said it will travel to Edinburgh on Sunday September 11 by road, to arrive at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will rest in the Throne Room until the afternoon of Monday September 12.

A procession will then be formed on the forecourt of the Palace of Holyroodhouse to convey the coffin to St Giles’ Cathedral in the city.

“The King and Members of the Royal Family will take part in the Procession and attend a Service in St Giles’ Cathedral to receive the Coffin,” the Palace said.

“Her Majesty’s Coffin will then lie at rest in St Giles’ Cathedral, guarded by Vigils from The Royal Company of Archers, to allow the people of Scotland to pay their respects.”

On Tuesday afternoon, the coffin will travel from Scotland by Royal Air Force aircraft from Edinburgh Airport, arriving at RAF Northolt later that evening.

It will be accompanied on that journey by Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, the Palace said.

The Queen’s Coffin will then travel to Buckingham Palace by road, to rest in the Bow Room.

On Wednesday afternoon, it will be borne in procession on a Gun Carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster, where the queen will lie in state in Westminster Hall until the morning of the State Funeral.

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, with many thousands expected to line the route.

European royal families are anticipated to come to the UK to show their respects and to attend the funeral.

The UK is currently in a period of national mourning set to last for 10 days from Friday September 9, although there is no obligation for any organisations to suspend business during this time.

It is King Charles’ wish for royal mourning – the period of time observed by the royal family, royal household staff and royal representatives – to be observed until seven days after the Queen’s funeral.

The throne passed immediately to Queen Elizabeth II’s heir and without ceremony following her death on Thursday.

King Charles III’s accession was formally approved in a ceremony on Saturday, although his the coronation is not likely to happen for some time.

Westminster Abbey said it would be closed for visiting and worshipping while preparing for the Queen’s funeral.

Announcing the news on Twitter, a statement read: “Buckingham Palace has announced that the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II will be held at Westminster Abbey at 11am on Monday 19th September.

“As a royal church, the Abbey had a special relationship with the Queen.

“It was here that she married Prince Philip in November 1947, and her coronation was held in the Abbey in June 1953.

“The Abbey will be closed for visiting and worshipping from Monday (12 September) as we prepare for the state funeral, which will be broadcast live on television, radio and online.”

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