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Her Majesty The Queen Leaves Buckingham Palace for the Last Time

Her Majesty The Queen Leaves Buckingham Palace for the Last Time

Her Majesty’s coffin rested in the Bow Room at Buckingham Palace last night after it was brought to England.

Today, she left Buckingham Palace for the last time as her coffin was taken to Westminster Hall to lie in state. From the Ministry of Defense’s Army site:

Before the procession set off, dismounted detachments of The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment formed up on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace, as a Guard of Honour formed from troops of 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, with its state colour draped, waited outside in the Queen’s Gardens.

Below, members of that dismounted detachment as they arrived for today’s procession.

Another view from Horse Guards Parade.

The procession started at precisely 2:22 pm. 

It was timed to take 38 minutes, arriving at 3 pm.     

Also precisely at 2:22 pm, a gun salute from The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery got underway, with one round fired every minute for the duration of the procession.

King Charles wore an RAF Marshal uniform, while the Prince of Wales wore the No. 1 uniform. 

More than 320 military personnel from all three services took part.

In today’s formation family members were in order of age, not title. Left to right: King Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and behind them, Princes William and Harry.

Ten pallbearers also walked behind the coffin; they were former and currently-serving armed forces equerries who worked for the Queen throughout her reign. 

It was an extraordinary sight. 

From The Telegraph

Members of the public with a front row view of the procession stood mostly in respectful silence, occasionally breaking out into applause.

Some, tears streaming, seemed surprised by the weight of their own emotions, their faces crumpling as the coffin travelled past them and the death of the Queen became reality.

A video of the King and his siblings as they walk behind the carriage. 

The gun carriage of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery was used to carry the coffin, the same carriage that carried the coffins of the Queen’s mother and father.

Another view. 

The Imperial State crown atop the coffin. We return to The Telegraph’s story.

In September sunshine, the jewels of the Imperial Crown glittered on top of the coffin, on which was also placed a wreath of white flowers incorporating pine from the gardens at Balmoral and pittosporum, lavender and rosemary from Windsor.

The crown was worn by the Queen after her coronation and for the yearly State Opening of Parliament. In the last few years, it became too heavy for her to wear.

From The Evening Standard’s story

Thousands of mourners flocked to see the moving sight of the Queen departing the official residence where she spent so much of her working life at the heart of the nation, with viewing areas declared full ahead of the procession starting.

In bright summer sunshine, funeral marches played by military bands added to the solemn mood that left some mourners weeping, while others held up their camera phones to record the historic moment.

Prince William and Prince Harry. 

For many, today’s images of the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex were a poignant reminder of them walking behind their mother’s coffin 25 years ago. 

A wide view of the Mall. 

From The Telegraph’s coverage

A distant thumping of drums and the sound of trumpets could be heard from half the way down The Mall as the procession started from Buckingham Palace, writes India McTaggart.

Silence fell over the crowd as they watched in awe and sadness the final time the late Queen would leave her home.

King Charles, Princess Anne, and Peter Phillips. Princess Anne, in the rank of Admiral, wore a full ceremonial Royal Navy Uniform.

A brief video of the procession. 

The British Army reports “The procession marched at a pace of 75 steps per minute, which is specifically reserved for funerals and ensures it keeps time with the slow pace of the gun carriage. Ordinarily, troops would either do a slow march of 60 beats per minute, or a quick march of 110 beats per minute.”

Those not walking in the procession were driven to Westminster. 

The procession in Whitehall. 

A salute as the procession passed the Cenotaph. 

Another salute as the coffin arrives at Westminster. 

The coffin is carried into Westminster Hall by The Queen’s Company 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards.

A wider view.

You can see the royals gathered as the coffin is carried into the hall. 

A curtsey as the late Queen’s coffin is brought into the hall. 

James, Viscount Severn, and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi bow their heads in respect, and Princess Beatrice curtseys.

The coffin was placed on a catafalque draped in purple.

From The Telegraph’s story. 

Members of the Royal family, who less than a week ago learned of the death of their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother in Balmoral, have passed her coffin from their care to the public, as the greatest lying in state in living memory begins.

The Prince and Princess of Wales.

More from The Telegraph’s piece.

On Tuesday night, they had spent their final private moments en masse with her coffin in the Bow Room of Buckingham Palace, before making way for the late Queen’s long-serving and loyal staff to tearfully pay their respects.

From there, as one royal source put it: “The coffin is passing from the family, to the state, to the nation.”

Zara Tindall and Princess Eugenie.

Another view of the Princess. 

King Charles.

Below, members of Parliament. Second from the left in the front row is the Prime Minister, Liz Truss. To her left, Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party. 

Today’s Order of Service via Greg Hands, a member of Parliament; he shared the photo on Twitter.

Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Behind them you see Lady Helen Taylor, the Duke of Kent’s daughter.

Below, Lady Frederick Windsor (née Winkleman), her husband is the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent; in the center, Lady Amelia Windsor, one of the Duke of Kent’s granddaughters; on the right, Lady Marina Windsor, another granddaughter of the Duke of Kent and sister of Lady Amelia. 

From left to right: The Duke of Sussex, Prince of Wales, Earl of Wessex, Duchess of Sussex, and Princess of Wales. 

James, Viscount Severn, and Lady Louise Windsor, the Wessex children.

Below, Daniel and Lady Sarah Chatto (Princess Margaret’s daughter). Also in the photo are, Arthur Chatto, Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, and Viscount Linley.

The Archbishop of Canterbury read the opening prayer, reading from the Book of John, 14:1-6. 

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.

We return to The Evening Standard’s coverage

During the service at Westminster Hall, the senior royals stood in formation facing the coffin on its purple-covered catafalque, which was flanked with a tall, yellow flickering candle at each corner of the wide scarlet platform.

The Princess of Wales and Countess of Wessex. 

A view from just outside the hall. 

And another shot of royal family members.

Zara and Mike Tindall.

After the brief service, “the captain of The Queen’s Company 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, assisted by a senior sergeant, laid The Queen’s Company Colour, the royal standard of the regiment, on the steps of the catafalque at the south end” per the British Army

The Sovereign’s Orb, which dates back to 1661, was placed atop the coffin, as was the Sovereign’s Sceptre, also part of the coronation regalia, used at every coronation since Charles II’s in 1661. 

After the service concluded, the first shift of those keeping vigil took their places. Three ceremonial units are going to be standing guard during the Lying In State period.    

ITV has more in this story.

The Gentlemen at Arms were the first royal bodyguards to begin the vigil, and can be seen standing closest to the coffin as Her Majesty rests on the raised platform, known as a catafalque.

The Royal Company of Archers and the Yeomen of the Guard will also stand guard.

The Gentlemen at Arms are the most senior of the sovereign’s guards.

The King and Queen Consort as they leave the hall after the service. 

A curtsey from the Countess of Wessex as she was leaving the service. 

The Wessex children as they were leaving. 

Prince William, the Countess of Wessex, the Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Peter Phillips exit Westminster Hall.

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Prince Michael of Kent. All are cousins of the Queen.

Lady Helen Taylor and her husband, Timothy, as they were exiting the hall. 

Princess Anne, Sir Tim Laurence, the King, and Queen Consort as they left the building.

The Prince and Princes of Wales. 

Those watching the procession and service on big screens in Hyde Park broke into applause. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales as they left Westminster Hall. 

After today’s service, the King traveled to Highgrove, his home in Gloucestershire, with the Queen Consort. He is going to take a day off from duties. On social media, a post from the Prince and Princes of Wales.

Members of the public pay their respects.

Mourners lined up to view the coffin. 

The Queen was remembered at sporting events today. Below, the scene at Etihad Stadium in Manchester before a match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund.    

And in Glasgow, a moment of silence was observed before Scotland’s Rangers match against Italy’s Napoli. 

The Duchess appeared to be wearing a Catherine Walker design, a black version of the cream coat worn in October 2016 when the Cambridge family was leaving Victoria, British Columbia at the end of their tour. The Duchess also wore the coat for 2017 Easter services at Windsor and for a Beating Retreat concert in June 2019.  Additionally, she had on the Queen’s diamond and pearl leaf brooch previously worn in Belgium in 2017 (more at The Court Jeweller), the Collingwood earrings that belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales, and what appeared to be the Nigel Milne 3-Strand Pearl Bracelet. 

NOTE: Tomorrow the Prince and Princess of Wales will visit Sandringham to view the floral tributes honoring HM. 

VIDEOS

I’ll have a fairly lengthy post tomorrow or Friday on those visiting Westminster Hall, but thought some might like this video as police pay their respects after their shifts ended. 


 ITV has a live stream as people pay their respects at Westminster Hall. 

 ITN’s Royal Family Channel offers 8 hours+ coverage. 

The bells at Westminster Abbey. 


 

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Susan B.

Friday 16th of September 2022

One of the things that I love about this blog is that Susan puts links to previous posts of what Kate wore. It is nice to be able to click and go back to earlier, and maybe happier, times and see the Queen and Prince Philip and the children when they were younger. It's a nice time capsule. And Catherine looked lovely and appropriate as always. Thank you and God Bless the Queen and her family.

Louise Aird

Friday 16th of September 2022

Very nicely done but there's one small error. The young man identified here as Viscount Linley is actually Charles Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley's son. Viscount Linley, the Queen's nephew, was in the procession. He was the short grey-haired man at the back, walking beside the Duke of Gloucester.

Laura Spoelstra

Tuesday 27th of September 2022

The heirs of peers "borrow" their father's second-highest title "by courtesy." The Duke of Kent's heir "borrows" Earl of St. Andrews, and HIS heir borrows the third title, Baron Downpatrick. Same for the Gloucesters: heir is Earl of Ulster, grandson is Baron Culloden. Princess Margaret's son is the 2nd Earl of Snowdon, and his heir is now Viscount Linley - by courtesy. Prince Edward's son is Viscount Severn.

Louise Aird

Friday 16th of September 2022

@admin, Oh you're right! I just checked that too. 'Kind of odd, though, that they'd have the same title. Although I notice that Prince Harry's title of Earl of Dumbarton also applies to Archie. How confusing.

hrhdhd

Friday 16th of September 2022

@Louise Aird, David Armstrong-Jones, the Queen's nephew, is now the Earl of Snowden.

admin

Friday 16th of September 2022

Hi, Louise, and thank you for the input. I checked when writing the post and was surprised to learn the Earl’s son has been styled as Viscount Linley since 2017, a ‘courtesy title’ is how it is described.

LEWIS MARILYN

Thursday 15th of September 2022

I’m wondering during the procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster how the “loud” beat of the bass drum was sounded given there wasn’t a bass drum in the marching band?

Zell

Thursday 15th of September 2022

The Prince and Princess of Wales look so overwhelmed with sorrow, yet, clearly, they are also showing their dignity, as well. I think grieving in the glare of cameras must take immense inner strength. I also hope, as King Charles said, that the grief of all the people will be of some real consolation to the family of Queen Elizabeth. The Princess of Wales looks so beautiful. Her large and dramatic three pearl brooch of pave diamonds is absolutely stunning against the somber black coat she wears. The stark elegance of her look is breathtaking, and it is so moving that she wears a brooch that belonged to Queen Elizabeth, as well as the pearl earrings that once were Diana's. From One Princess of Wales to Another: the jewels of Diana on Kate are just wonderful to see!

Emily

Thursday 15th of September 2022

I loved Kate's look here, especially wearing the brooch the queen had leant to her (Is it her's now? Or does it technically belong to Queen Camilla? Anyone know?). She looks so good in what must be such a difficult time for her and the entire family.

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