LONDON — Britain bade its final farewell to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday, honoring its longest-reigning monarch with a state funeral that provided pomp in solemn circumstances, drew dignitaries from around the world and captivated a global television audience.
The hourlong event inside Westminster Abbey, which reflected the Old World grandeur of Britain’s monarchy and was attended by 2,000 people, followed 11 days of national mourning and highly choreographed public ceremonies.
Afterward, the queen’s coffin, topped by symbols of state, made its slow procession through the streets of London on its way to St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, where it was lowered into the royal vault ahead of a more intimate internment ceremony involving King Charles III and other royal family members, which officials described as a “deeply personal family occasion” that would be held without media coverage.
