AMN / LONDON
World leaders are arriving in London, ahead of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday, September 19, even as preparations are going on for the last rites. Meantime, the lying-in-state continues at Westminster Hall, where thousands of mourners continue to queue to see the Queen’s coffin.
In a few minutes, at 20:00 BST, the UK will observe a national minute’s silence to remember the Queen.
As we reported earlier, Big Ben will strike once to mark the start of the moment of reflection, and again to mark its end.
The iconic clock tower will also ring on Monday at one-minute intervals as the Queen’s state funeral procession departs from Westminster Abbey.
The ceremony will be attended by leaders and dignitaries from around the world, including US president Joe Biden and French president Emmanuel Macron Indian President Darpadi Murmu. Nearly 200 members of the public who were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours have also been invited, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
On Sunday, Biden, first lady Dr Jill Biden and US ambassador to the UK, Jane Hartley visited Westminster Hall to pay their respects to the Queen lying in state.
Speaking after his visit, the US president said that the world was “better” because of the late monarch’s influence, adding that the Queen reminded him of his own mother. “I think what she [Queen Elizabeth II] gave was a sense of, above all, the notion of service — we all owe something”.
The service will begin at 11am on Monday and be conducted by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, with a sermon given by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. A committal service will take place at 4pm at St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
Over the weekend, King Charles III conducted official meetings including with prime ministers of the realm, such as New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern, and with military leaders including Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, head of the UK’s Armed Forces.
