Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin was lowered into the royal vault during a final service in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Monday, ending the public events for her funeral. The ceremony will be followed by a private burial service attended by the Royal family. Earlier, hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets stretching from London to Windsor Castle to witness the Queen's coffin make its last ceremonial journey after a grand state funeral attended by leaders from around the world. Read our liveblog below to see how the day's events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
- Elizabeth II's body had been lying in state at Westminster Hall since Wednesday as hundreds of thousands of people from around the country and overseas queued for hours to file past her coffin in a constant stream of those paying their last respects.
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that the funeral would be an “unprecedented" security challenge, with crowds packing central London and a guest list of 500 kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers.
- After the funeral huge crowds lined the route taken by the Queen's hearse, clapping and throwing bouquets of flowers as the procession passed.
- The flag-draped coffin of the queen, topped with the Imperial State Crown, was taken west to Windsor Castle for a service at St George's Chapel.
- Elizabeth II is to be buried alongside her father King George VI, the Queen mother, and sister Princess Margaret, reuniting the family who once referred to themselves as "us four". The coffin of her husband, Prince Philip, who died last year at age 99, will also be transferred to lie with her at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle during a private ceremony.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, Reuters & AP)
