Queen Elizabeth II will be laid to rest on Monday (September 19) during what government sources believe will be the 'largest international event' the UK has held in decades.
Her Majesty's state funeral at Westminster Abbey will be attended by some 2,000 people and is expected to be watched by billions worldwide. The occasion has been declared a bank holiday and many UK shops have announced that they will be closing their doors for the day.
Others will be operating at reduced hours, or opening later than usual. The government said businesses can opt to shut on the day of the state funeral in respect of the late monarch.
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The official guidance states: “Some businesses may wish to consider closing or postponing events, especially on the day of the state funeral, however, this is at the discretion of individual businesses.”
Here is what major supermarkets Asda, Tesco, Aldi and Marks and Spencer have planned for Monday.
Asda
Asda will close all its stores from midnight on Sunday (September 18) but will reopen on Monday at 5pm following the Queen's funeral service. Deliveries from the supermarket will also be halted.
A spokesperson said: "As a mark of respect for Her Majesty The Queen, all Asda stores will be closed on Monday, September 19, until 5pm to allow our customers and colleagues to recognise the passing of our late Monarch and commemorate her steadfast service to our nation."
Tesco
Tesco announced that all of its larger stores will be closed on Monday so staff will have the chance to pay their respects to the late monarch. However, a spokesman confirmed that its Express stores will remain open but will operate via limited hours.
For the smaller stores, operating times will be until 5pm on Monday. A spokesman said: "We want to express our deepest condolences to the Royal Family, as well as our gratitude to Her Majesty The Queen for her unwavering service."
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Aldi
Aldi announced all of its UK locations will close on the day of the Queen's funeral. The supermarket confirmed on Twitter: "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - As a mark of respect, all Aldi stores across the UK will close on Monday, September 19 to allow our store colleagues to pay tribute to Her Majesty The Queen."
M&S
M&S said it will close stores and also halt deliveries to customers as it allows employees to pay their respects.
Stuart Machin, chief executive at M&S, said: “All of us at M&S – and indeed across the country and beyond – feel a real and deep sense of loss and sadness at the passing of Her Majesty, as well as huge respect for the grace with which His Majesty King Charles III and the wider royal family have led the nation in our mourning.
“It is right that we make changes to our operational arrangements on the day of the funeral to ensure our colleagues across our stores and distribution network can participate, whilst supporting customers as they show their respects too.”
Lidl
A Lidle spokesperson confirmed: "We are grateful to all Lidl customers for their understanding and will be keeping all who mourn Her Majesty in our thoughts during this time."
Morrisons
A Morrisons spokesperson said: "All our supermarkets will be closed on Monday September 19 as a mark of respect and so colleagues can pay tribute to Her Majesty," a spokeswoman for the supermarket said.
"At 5pm our petrol filling stations will reopen."
Co-op
The Co-op confirmed that its stores will close until 5pm on Monday and will reopen following the funeral. However, a number of stores in central London will remain open during the day to serve customers in the area attending the funeral.
Waitrose
Te John Lewis Partnership which runs stores confirmed they will be closed on Monday.
Andrew Murphy, chief operating officer of The John Lewis Partnership, said: “We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
“We will be closing our stores on the day of her funeral as a mark of respect, and because we believe this is the right thing to do for our partners and customers.”
It added there may be “a very limited number of Waitrose stores” near to the route of the funeral procession which remain open to serve members of the public nearby.
It stressed these shops would close during the funeral itself.
Sainsbury's
A spokesman said: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In honour of Her Majesty and so our colleagues can pay their respects, all Sainsbury’s supermarkets and Argos stores will be closed on Monday, 19th September."
Argos' fast-track delivery will also be delayed on the day of the Queen's funeral. Meanwhile, Sainsbury's announced that its convenience stores and petrol filling stations will be open from 5pm to 10pm.
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