World leaders including American President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and India’s Droupadi Murmu were in attendance and joined the public in observing two-minute silence in the memory of Queen Elizabeth II after her funeral services ended in London on Monday.
The services ended with the recitation of “God Save the King”, the national anthem. With top world leaders and Royal family members present, the coffin of the Queen was carried at Westminster Abbey in London today.
The longest serving monarch of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Since Winston Churchill, this is the first state funeral in the UK since 1965.
The Queen’s wreath had foliage of rosemary, English oak and myrtle and flowers, in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with touches of white, cut from the gardens of Royal residences.
Taking to Twiiter, the Royal Family wrote, “At The King's request, the wreath contains foliage of Rosemary, English Oak and Myrtle (cut from a plant grown from Myrtle in The Queen's wedding bouquet) and flowers, in shades of gold, pink and deep burgundy, with touches of white, cut from the gardens of Royal Residences.”
Her Majesty the Queen’s coffin was borne in a procession to Westminster Abbey on the State Gun Carriage.
“As for her father King George VI, grandfather King George V, great-grandfather King Edward VII and great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, Her Majesty The Queen's coffin was borne in a Procession to Westminster Abbey on the State Gun Carriage,” tweeted the Royal Family.
Several guests including political heads of countries and distinct royal family members, along with dignitaries from across the world had landed in the UK for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
It may be noted that a state funeral means that the government in UK officially declared the day as a bank holiday.
Indian President Droupadi Murmu had arrived in London to attend the funeral of the Queen on Saturday. She offered her condolences on behalf of the government of India.
President of the United States of America (USA) Joe Biden also expressed his condolences to the royal family on Sunday.
He remembered the Queen’s warm candour while mourning and said, “The way she touched when she leaned over. The way -- she had that look like, "Are you okay? Anything I can do for you? What do you need?" And then also, "Make sure you do what you're supposed to do," Biden said adding that she reminded him of his mother.
Senior citizens and children were seen camping along the routes of the funeral for over 48 hours to bid their final goodbyes to the Queen today.
The funeral service is conducted by the Dean of Westminster and the readings were given by the secretary general of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland and Prime Minister Liz Truss.
The sermon was delivered by the archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby. He said, “Rarely has such a promise been so well kept.”
The Queen was born on April 21, 1926 at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair in London to the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
