The World Prepare To Say Final Farewell To Queen Elizabeth II

In a few hours, Britain’s long-serving monarch will be laid to rest.

Britain and the world leaders including royalty and individuals from across the globe will today Monday (Sep 19) bid a final farewell to Queen Elizabeth II, the last towering figure of her era, at a state funeral of inimitable pageantry.

At 6.30 am, an official lying-in-state period ended after four days in which hundreds of thousands have queued to file past the casket of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch at London’s historic Westminster Hall.

Shortly before 11 am, the oak coffin, covered in the Royal Standard flag with the Imperial State Crown on top, will be placed on a gun carriage and pulled by naval personnel to Westminster Abbey for her funeral and eventually on to Windsor Castle where she will be laid to rest alongside her late husband.

The funeral of a British monarch has never been televised before. Millions more will watch on television at home on a public holiday declared for the occasion.

Among the 2,000 in the congregation will be some 500 world leaders, from Biden and Emperor Naruhito of Japan to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mark Brown, prime minister of Cook Islands.

The queen’s great-grandchildren, Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 7, the two eldest children of now heir-to-the-throne Prince William, will also be attending.

“Over the last 10 days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolence and support we have received from this country and across the world,” Charles, the late queen’s son and the new king, said in a statement.

“As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my family and myself in this time of grief,” Charles, Elizabeth’s son and the new king, said in a statement.

Queen Elizabeth died on Sept. 8 at her Scottish summer home, Balmoral Castle.

May her soul continue to rest in peace, Amen.