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The Final Farewell to Her Majesty The Queen – Windsor Service

The Final Farewell to Her Majesty The Queen – Windsor Service

After the State Funeral at Westminster Abbey concluded, the procession began that would take the Queen’s coffin to Windsor for the Service of Committal. Below, members of the Bearer Party prepare to walk behind the coffin as it makes its way through London.

Following the procession in cars: Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, the Countess of Wessex, and the Duchess of Sussex. Behind them were Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

More from this Forces News piece

After the service, Her Majesty’s coffin was borne through the abbey, returning to the state gun carriage for the procession to Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner.

The King and members of the Royal Family again followed the Queen’s coffin in procession.

After leaving Westminster Abbey, the carriage was taken past Parliament Square, where a tri-service guard of honour remained in position, and through Horse Guards Parade where Her Majesty has presided over scores of Trooping the Colour Ceremonies during her reign. 

It was then taken up The Mall, which was lined by thousands of members of the public.

It was a remarkable sight.

From The Daily Mail’s coverage

After the funeral the coffin was borne on a gun carriage in a spectacle not seen for many generations, as hundreds of soldiers, sailors and airmen marched to solemn funeral pieces or lined the route. Behind her coffin were Charles and his siblings – the Princess Royal, Duke of York and Earl of Wessex – who were followed by the monarch’s three grandsons, Peter Phillips, Duke of Sussex and Prince of Wales.

Along the route, there were sad faces.

Below, the procession is shown at the Victoria Memorial near Buckingham Palace.

The Daily Mail reports, “On a day of pomp and poignant symbolism, grief was etched on the faces of Charles, his siblings and children as well as the huge crowds who swamped The Mall, Whitehall, and Parliament Square to bade farewell to the beloved monarch as her coffin was carried from the Abbey on a gun carriage.”

Another view of the gun carriage. 

The procession heads up Constitution Hill.

A video. 

 More from Forces News. 

The coffin was flanked once again by the bearer party and the pallbearers – former equerries to the Queen drawn from the military to organise her diary – as well as The King’s Body Guards of The Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, The Yeomen of the Guard and The Royal Company of Archers.

The procession included dozens of detachments from the UK Armed Forces and the militaries of the Commonwealth.

A street-level view. 

Here you see the procession has reached Wellington Arch.

Where members of the Bearer Party that followed the procession by car connected with those walking behind the coffin.   

The gun carriage came to a stop.

The Royal Family and others watch as the coffin was removed from the gun carriage.

And transferred into the State Hearse. 

Those walking in the procession then got into vehicles to take them the rest of the way to Windsor, a distance of about 22 miles.

More from Forces News

As the hearse drove away, the parade gave a royal salute and the procession bands, massed at the rear, played the national anthem. The parade gave a second royal salute and the national anthem was played again as the King’s car drove off.

The Princess of Wales during the procession.The procession as it passes Royal Albert Hall. 

The drive to Windsor was filled with people eager to see the procession and pay their respects to the Queen. From The Daily Mail’s story

Crowds threw roses in front of the Queen’s coffin and cheered her for the last time today as she was returned to Windsor Castle to be reunited with her beloved Prince Philip and her parents in the medieval splendour of St George’s Chapel. 

In extraordinary and moving scenes, an estimated 2million well-wishers lined the streets to say farewell to Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Elizabeth II, with showers of bouquets greeting her hearse as it drove from West London to Berkshire. 

While the procession was making its way from London to Windsor, guests already in Windsor looked at floral arrangements and wreaths sent in honor of the Queen. In the center of the photo, you can see Michael and Carole Middleton.

We return to Forces News

More than a thousand Armed Forces personnel were involved in ceremonial duties around Windsor, including in the procession and lining the route.

The state hearse was flanked by the pall bearers and an escort party of 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards.

The Band of the Household Cavalry, The Band of the Grenadier Guards and The Massed Pipes and Drums of Scottish and Irish Regiments took turns to play music.

The crowds were large along Windsor’s iconic Long Walk.

There was also a flower border on either side of the walk.

The floral borders were made using flowers left at Windsor Castle by those mourning the Queen.

In the photo above, you can see some of the flowers that were thrown onto the hearse as it passed the crowds eager to say goodbye to Her Majesty. As the procession drew near, marchers saw a horse off to the side. That was Emma, Her Majesty’s Fell Pony.

Also there, her two Corgis, Sandy and Muick.

From The Telegraph’s coverage

Two of Queen Elizabeth’s great passions in life were dogs and horses. It perhaps should not have been a surprise, then, to see the unannounced inclusion of her beloved corgis and Emma, her fell pony, in the funeral procession.

Sandy and Muick, now in the care of Prince Andrew, awaited her arrival at Windsor Castle alongside their new master, as their late owner’s coffin slowly headed up the Long Walk.

Also at Windsor was Emma, the late Queen’s trusty steed. Queen Elizabeth was a patron of the Fell Pony Society and rode them well into her 90s. 

More in this video. 

 Members of the royal household were also out for the procession. 

Here you see more household staff out to greet the procession.

Princess Charlotte as the family exits their cars.

Below, the Prince of Wales, Princess Royal, Earl Snowdon, and Duke of Sussex chatting in the late afternoon sun. 

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi as they entered the Chapel. 

Several of the visiting royal families attended both services. Below, Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands.King Felipe and Sofía of Spain. 

King Charles. 

And the rest of the Bearer Party regrouped to follow the coffin into St. George’s Chapel. 

 The coffin is carried into the Chapel. 

The procession entered the Chapel as the choir sang Psalm 121.

The Right Reverend David Conner, KCVO, Dean of Windsor, led the service. The Blessing was pronounced by The Most Reverend and The Right Honourable Justin Welby, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. 

Below (from top to bottom): King Carl XVI Gustaf (standing) and Queen Silvia of Sweden, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, King Felipe VI, and Sofía of Spain.

The Reading was given by the Dean of Windsor, Revelation 21, verses 1-7; this was also read at the funerals of The Queen’s grandparents, King George V in 1936 and Queen Mary in 1953, and Her Majesty’s father King George VI in 1952.

Prayers were read by the Rector of Sandringham, the Minister of Crathie Kirk, and the Chaplain of the Royal Chapel, Windsor Great Park. The congregation said The Lord’s Prayer. 

Next a video showing some key elements of the service.  

More from the BBC’s coverage. 

At the end of the last hymn, the King then placed the Queen’s Company camp colour, or flag, of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin. The Grenadier Guards are the most senior of the Foot Guards carrying out ceremonial duties for the monarch.

At the same time, the Lord Chamberlain, former MI5 chief Baron Parker, “broke” his wand of office and placed it on the coffin. The snapping of the white staff signals the end of his service to the sovereign as her most senior official in the Royal Household.

Here you see the King placing that flag of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin. 

As the Queen’s Coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault, the Dean of Windsor will say a Psalm and the Commendation before the Garter King of Arms pronounces Her Majesty’s styles and titles.

The Sovereign’s Piper played a Lament, and The Archbishop of Canterbury pronounced the Blessing.

This was followed by a blessing and the singing of the national anthem.

Later this evening there was a private family service at the Chapel and Her Majesty was buried with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, at the King George VI Memorial Chapel that is located inside St George’s Chapel.

Tonight the Royal Family released a new photo of the late Queen.  

The Prince and Princess of Wales also released a message on social media. 

I need a day or two off but will be back later in the week with our first fashion post. 

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Janice

Thursday 22nd of September 2022

Majesty knows modesty is truth

Neither the Queen Mother or Queen Elizabeth II chose their positions, fate chose

When Her Majesty was buried with no crown or sceptre, clearly for all to see,

One witnesses and finally understands she was human and gracious and humble...........

how grateful , I am.

love to all she respected and loved and did not take for granted.............

not one single day

respectfully

Jan

100roseshouse

Friday 23rd of September 2022

@Janice, beautifully said

Amy

Wednesday 21st of September 2022

Your beautiful, dignified coverage is always so appreciated…and even more so with this momentous passing and the ensuing events. Thanks so very much, Susan. 💜

DuchFan

Wednesday 21st of September 2022

(last post, cont'd) ...wondering if the Duchess of Sussex would have needed to procure outfit elements, jewelry, and hair and makeup assistance very quickly? This must have been stressful under unexpected circumstances. I thought the women of the royal family looked beautiful and respectful.

hrhdhd

Thursday 22nd of September 2022

@DuchFan, it's said that members of the Royal Family travel with black outfits in case of a death (think then-Princess Elizabeth, who returned from Africa wearing black after the death of her father).

This isn't a dig, but I am not sure if the DoS would have followed that rule/advice. But it would have seemed sensible, given that The Queen was having health issues.

Laura

Wednesday 21st of September 2022

Adding my own salute to Susan for your meticulous and grace-filled coverage.

A Martini

Wednesday 21st of September 2022

Joining others in wishing you a well-earned, restful time off. Thanks for all you've done.

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