Tag: funeral

The scale of the state funeral and mourning arrangements led to what police described at the time as “probably the biggest operation we’re likely to launch in the UK”…reports Asian Lite News

Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and events during the period of national mourning cost the government an estimated £162m, the Treasury has said.

The state funeral on 19 September 2022 came 11 days after her death.

During that period of national mourning hundreds of thousands of people visited Westminster where she was lying in state.

The Home Office (£74m) and Department of Culture, Media and Sport (£57m) spent the most.

The costs incurred by the government departments relate to the Queen’s funeral and other events in the run-up, including the monarch’s lying-in-state.

John Glen, chief secretary to the Treasury, said the government’s priority at the time had been to make sure “these events ran smoothly and with the appropriate level of dignity, while at all times ensuring the safety and security of the public”.

In a written ministerial statement made to Parliament, Mr Glen said the Treasury had provided additional funding where necessary and the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments were “fully” refunded for their respective costs.

After Queen Elizabeth II died on 8 September 2022 aged 96, the UK started 10 days of national mourning.

The late Queen’s coffin was laid to rest in St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh for 24 hours, before the monarch was taken to Westminster Abbey in London where thousands of mourners queued for hours to pay their respects.

People lined up in London at all hours of the day, often in chilly temperatures, to pay their respects – including David Beckham.

The wait time at one stage was estimated to be more than 24 hours; and the queue snaked from Westminster Hall, down along the River Thames and stretched south for almost seven miles (11km).

The scale of the state funeral and mourning arrangements led to what police described at the time as “probably the biggest operation we’re likely to launch in the UK”.

Members of the 2,000-strong congregation included the Queen’s great-grandchildren, the prime minister at the time Liz Truss and US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill.

The event was watched by millions of people across the country and around the world.

It was the first state funeral since Sir Winston Churchill’s in 1965 and the biggest ceremonial event since World War Two.

After the funeral, the Queen’s coffin travelled in a procession to Wellington Arch and then on to its final journey to Windsor Castle and a committal service.

The cost was used to facilitate the smooth running of the event and ensure mourners from the UK and across the world could visit and take part safely, Downing Street has said.

“Of course, a major international event of this scale, we wanted to ensure that we could enable people to pay their respects,” a No 10 spokesman added.

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A state funeral means that the UK government has officially declared the day of the funeral as a bank holiday…reports Asian Lite News

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch of the United Kingdom, was carried to Westminster Abbey in London for her state funeral on Monday.

Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Numerous guests ranging from political heads of countries to distinct royal family members and dignitaries from across the world landed in the UK for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen’s funeral is the first state funeral in the UK since Winston Churchill’s in 1965.

A state funeral means that the UK government has officially declared the day of the funeral as a bank holiday.

President Droupadi Murmu arrived in London to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral on September 17 and offered condolences on behalf of the government of India.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden Sunday also expressed his condolences to the royal family.

While mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth, Biden remembered Queen’s warm candour 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. Moreover, senior citizens and children are among those camping along the funeral routes, for over 48 hours in some cases, to bid a final goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II today.

Notably, the funeral service will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster, and readings will be given by Patricia Scotland, the secretary general of the Commonwealth, and Prime Minister Liz Truss. The sermon will be delivered by Canterbury’s archbishop, the Most Reverend Justin Welby.

The Queen was born on April 21, 1926, at 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, London. She was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York – who later became King George VI – and Queen Elizabeth. (ANI)

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World leaders begin gathering in London from Saturday for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, as princes William and Harry are set to lead a vigil of her grandchildren at her coffin…reports Asian Lite News

World leaders begin gathering in London from Saturday for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, as princes William and Harry are set to lead a vigil of her grandchildren at her coffin.

The queen’s death on September 8 aged 96, after a record-breaking 70 years on the throne, has sparked an outpouring of emotion.

Members of the public braved waits that at one point were estimated to be up to 24 hours and chilly night-time temperatures to view her coffin.

Lines have snaked for miles along the River Thames since Wednesday when her coffin was brought to the UK parliament complex to lie in state.

Police are mounting Britain’s biggest-ever security operation for Monday’s funeral, as hundreds of dignitaries including US President Joe Biden are set to jet in.

The queen’s successor, King Charles III, will meet on Saturday with the prime ministers of the Commonwealth realms — the 14 former colonies over which he now reigns in addition to Britain.

From Australia and New Zealand to Canada, they have formally proclaimed him their new sovereign.

But republican movements are gaining ground, and efforts to keep them all in the royal fold will likely be a feature of his reign.

Charles on Friday wrapped up his maiden tour as monarch to the four nations of the United Kingdom with a visit to Wales, part of an operation dubbed “Spring Tide” to launch him in his new role.

Large crowds in Cardiff chanted “God save the king” as he shook hands with well-wishers following a multi-faith service in Llandaff Cathedral, and at Cardiff Castle.

Charles met Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford, an avowed republican, and there was isolated booing on the streets after the new monarch was quick to declare his son William the new Prince of Wales.

But Drakeford said questions over the future of the monarchy were “a footnote to the dominant feelings of the day”.

Tide of emotion

Back in London, Charles held a 15-minute vigil with his siblings — Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward — around their mother’s casket on Friday night.

They stood, eyes lowered and silent, while members of the public filed past.

Andrew — stripped this year of his royal titles over a sex assault scandal — was allowed to wear military uniform for the only time during the 11-day mourning period.

The Duke of York, as he is also known, flew Royal Navy helicopters during the 1982 Falklands War with Argentina.

The vigil will be repeated on Saturday evening by eight of the queen’s grandchildren, including the new heir to the throne Prince William and his estranged brother Harry.

Harry — who served two tours with the British army in Afghanistan — has reportedly also been given special permission to wear his military uniform despite no longer being a working royal.

The move appeared to be the latest olive branch offered to Harry by the royals after he and his wife Meghan launched accusations of racism in interviews from their new home in the US.

The personal sorrow of the queen’s family has been playing out in the glare of intense international attention.

But the queen’s youngest son Edward said: “We have been overwhelmed by the tide of emotion that has engulfed us and the sheer number of people who have gone out of their way to express their own love, admiration and respect.”

Beckham joins queues

The most striking manifestation of public reverence for the queen has been the vast queues of the hundreds of thousands of people wanting to bid her farewell.

Officials warned on Friday that expected queuing time had reached over 24 hours and briefly paused admission when the lines reached capacity.

Those paying their respects included former England football captain turned fashion icon David Beckham, who spent 12 hours to reach Westminster Hall.

“It’s very emotional, and the silence and the feeling in the room is very hard to explain,” he told reporters after filing past the coffin.

“We’re all there to say thanks to Her Majesty for being kind, for being caring, for being reassuring throughout the years.”

June Nayler, 76, a retired former local authority worker from Milton Keynes in central England was undaunted by the long wait she faced as she joined the back of the line in Southwark Park.

“I’m here now and going to make it all the way — it’s my duty to do it,” she said.

“I’m just overcome by the crowds and number of people turning out.”

The public has until Monday morning to view the coffin before the queen is honoured with Britain’s first state funeral in nearly six decades.

The spectacular ceremony at Westminster Abbey — expected to be watched by millions around the globe — will see 142 sailors pulling the gun carriage bearing her lead-lined coffin.

It will be attended by more than 2,000 guests, but leaders from countries at loggerheads with the UK such as Russia, Belarus and Afghanistan have not been invited.

A private burial will follow at Windsor Castle after a committal service.

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The funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey – the same church that hosted the wedding of Prince Williams and Kate Middleton…reports Asian Lite News

People of UK will mark the glorious life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II at her state funeral on Monday. The Queen breathed her last on September 9 and ever since the Royal Family and the people of the UK have been mourning.

The Queen’s funeral is the first state funeral in the UK since Winston Churchill’s in 1965. A state funeral means that the UK Government has officially declared the day of the funeral as a bank holiday.

For the funeral, many guests ranging from political heads of countries to distinct royal family members and dignitaries from across the globe will fly to the UK.

The funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey – the same church that hosted the wedding of Prince Williams and Kate Middleton.

Although the official guest list hasn’t been released yet, New York Post has shared the names of a few countries that didn’t make the cut.

1. Russia

2. Belarus

3. Afghanistan

4. Myanmar

5. Syria

6. Venezuela

According to the online publication, Russian President Vladimir Putin wished King Charles III on his accession recently, however, the country was still snubbed by the UK as they reportedly didn’t get an invite for the funeral.

It’s also interesting to note here that North Korea, Iran, and Nicaragua were sent invites however those were only sent out to their ambassadorial representatives and not the head of state.

Another news that recently made rounds was that former US President Donald Trump would also be in attendance however, the UK government, according to New York Post, has squashed the rumour saying that only the sitting US President and his wife will be attending.

The publication further reports that 750,000 people will be present at the funeral, here are some names who are expected to be present for the funeral.

Royal Family Members

Most of the Queen’s family is expected to be present. According to the New York Post, the list includes the closest family members of the Queen like King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Queen’s daughter Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Andrew and Sarah, and Prince Edward and Sophie.

UK Prime Minister and other political leaders

Led by UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, senior members of the UK government will be in attendance.

World Leaders

According to New York Post, around 500 dignitaries and heads of state have been invited. Among those invited to the funeral are US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Irish President Michael D. Higgins, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Foreign Royalty

New York Post also reports that royal families from across Europe have been invited. The list includes King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, King Felipe VI and Queen Letitia of Spain, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, and Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco.

Talking about who has confirmed their attendance so far, Indian President Draupadi Murmu will be in the UK between September 17 and 19 for the funeral. French President Emanuel Macaron has also confirmed his visit to the UK. From Nepal, their foreign minister Narayan Khadka will be there and from Srilanka, President Renil Wickremesinghe will fly to the UK to be at the funeral.

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The coffin was draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland with a wreath on top made of flowers taken from the Balmoral estate including sweet peas, one of Elizabeth’s favorites…reports Asian Lite News

Queen Elizabeth’s coffin arrived in Edinburgh on Sunday after a six-hour journey from her summer home in the Scottish Highlands, past tens of thousands of mourners lining the route, many in somber silence, some applauding and others in tears.

Shortly after 10 a.m. (0900 GMT), a hearse carrying Elizabeth’s oak coffin emerged from the gates of Balmoral Castle, where she died on Thursday aged 96, at the start of a slow drive to the Scottish capital.

The coffin was draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland with a wreath on top made of flowers taken from the Balmoral estate including sweet peas, one of Elizabeth’s favorites.

Crowds, fifteen deep in places, massed in the center of Edinburgh to greet the cortege, which included the queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, as it made it way to the Palace of Holyroodhouse where it was met by a military guard of honor.

Soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland then carried the coffin to the throne room of the palace where it will remain overnight.

“There was no way I could miss this. I would regret it for the rest of my life,” said Eilidh Mackintosh, 62, who left her home at 6 a.m. to be sure of a good view on Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile where large crowds were gathering.

“She never let us down and I didn’t want to let her down either. Now she has gone there is a big hole in the heart of the nation.”

The journey from Balmoral was the first of a series of events leading up to the state funeral at Westminster Abbey in London on Sept. 19.

In an emotional tribute to his mother on Friday, the new monarch, King Charles, said she had begun a “last great journey” to join Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years who died last year.

Her death has drawn tears, sadness and warm tributes, not just from the queen’s own close family and many in Britain, but also from around the globe — reflecting her presence on the world stage for seven decades.

Wherever the cortege went as it wound its way through picturesque countryside, villages, small towns and cities, people lined the road or stopped their cars to get out and watch. At one point, it passed a guard of honor formed by dozens of tractors lined up in adjacent fields by farmers.

Many watched silently in bright sunshine. Some threw flowers into the road. For others, the emotion of the moment moved them to tears. “It’s just very, very sad. I’m happy I was here to say our goodbyes,” said Elizabeth Alexander, 69, who was born on the day the queen was crowned in 1953.

Many thousands are continuing to gather at other royal palaces across Britain, and large piles of flowers are massing as people visit to pay their respects.

Charles became king immediately after his mother’s death and was officially proclaimed the new monarch at a ceremony on Saturday, full of pageantry and centuries-old traditions.

Similar proclamations are following across the United Kingdom and the other 14 realms of which Charles is now head of state, including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said parliament would be recalled on Thursday to allow members to pay tribute.

The queen came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was just 25. Her coronation took place a year later.

While Elizabeth’s death was not totally unexpected given her age and deteriorating health, there was still a sense of shock at the news.

“We all thought she was invincible,” her grandson Prince William, now the heir to the throne, told a well-wisher on Saturday as he met crowds at Windsor castle.

The day of Elizabeth’s funeral will be a public holiday in Britain, officials have announced. US President Joe Biden said he would be there, although full details of the event and the attendees have not yet been released.

Before that, her coffin will be flown to London and there will be a somber procession when it is later moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where it will lie in state for four days.

“It goes without saying that we can expect large numbers of people,” a spokesperson for Prime Minister Liz Truss told reporters.

Truss, whose appointment as prime minister on Tuesday was the queen’s last public act, will join King Charles as both the new head of state and prime minister tour the four nations of the United Kingdom in the next few days.

Charles, 73, is now the 41st monarch in a line that traces its origins to the Norman King William the Conqueror who captured the English throne in 1066.

Elizabeth’s death has capped a difficult couple of years for the royal family.

The most high-profile issue has involved her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who stepped down from royal life in 2020 to move to California from where they both have heavily criticized the institution.

That has left them alienated from the rest of the family, with Harry and his older brother William said to be barely on speaking terms. But the death of their grandmother has seen differences put aside, as they appeared together with their wives outside Windsor Castle to meet the crowds on Saturday.

A royal source described it as an important show of unity at an incredibly difficult time for the family.

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Following the State Funeral, the coffin will travel in procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch in London for its onwards journey to Windsor…reports Asian Lite News

The State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II will take place at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19, at 11am local time, Buckingham Palace announced on Saturday.

Prior to the State Funeral, the late British monarch will lie-in-state at Westminster Hall nearby for four days, to allow the public to pay their respects.

“During the Lying-in-State, members of the public will have the opportunity to visit Westminster Hall to pay their respects to the Queen, the palace statement said.

“On the morning of Monday 19th September, the Lying-in-State will end and the coffin will be taken in Procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey, where the State Funeral Service will take place, it said.

Following the State Funeral, the coffin will travel in procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch in London for its onwards journey to Windsor.

In Windsor, the State Hearse will travel in procession to St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, the monarch’s final resting place with her late husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, died on Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland after reigning for 70 years. She was 96.

On Sunday, the coffin will travel to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, a journey of six hours by road, via Aberdeen. Six of her Balmoral gamekeepers will carry the coffin from the Balmoral ballroom to the hearse.

It will remain in the throne room at Holyroodhouse until Monday afternoon, before a procession to St Giles’ Cathedral on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, with the King, Queen Consort and other members of the royal family walking behind. At 3pm there will be a service, attended by the King and family members, during which the crown of Scotland will be placed on the coffin.

The Queen will then lie at rest at St Giles’ Cathedral for 24 hours, enabling the people of Scotland to pay their last respects, with vigils mounted by the military. That evening, the King and members of the royal family will mount their own vigil.

The following evening the Queen’s coffin will be flown to London, accompanied by the Princess Royal, and arriving at Buckingham Palace at 8pm, the palace said. It will be received by a guard of honour, with the King, Queen Consort and other family members watching, before being carried to the Bow Room, where a rota of chaplains will keep watch.

In the early afternoon on Wednesday, the coffin – adorned with the Imperial State Crown, along with a wreath of flowers – will be taken by procession to the Palace of Westminster for the lying in state, where it will remain for four days until the morning of the funeral.

The King, members of the royal family and senior staff of the Queen and King’s households will walk in silence behind the coffin as it follows a route along Queen’s Gardens, the Mall, Horse Guards Parade and Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard.

Throughout the procession, guns will be fired at Hyde Park by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and Big Ben will toll. The coffin will be carried in procession from the gun carriage to the catafalque positioned in the centre of Westminster Hall by a bearer party.

During the lying in state, a continuous vigil will be mounted around the catafalque from the Household Division, the King’s Body Guards of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, the King’s Bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers and the King’s Bodyguard the Yeomen of the Guard.

The Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, who has overall responsibility for the funeral, which the Queen herself would have approved, said he and others involved “will carry out our duty over the coming days with the heaviest of hearts”.

“But also, with the firmest of resolve to ensure a fitting farewell to one of the defining figures of our times; a monarch whom we were truly privileged to have had as the head of state of our country and the realms, and head of the wider Commonwealth,” he said.

“While His Majesty the King was speaking about his family, I think it applies to us all when he said in his broadcast yesterday that ‘we owe her the most heartfelt debt’. I think we can, in some way, repay that debt by carrying out her last wishes in delivering Her Majesty the Queen’s funeral.”

On his visit to Scotland, the King will have an audience with the first minister, followed by an audience with the presiding officer of the Scottish parliament.

The King and the Queen Consort will then attend the Scottish parliament to receive a motion of condolence.

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