The Queen's piper who woke the late monarch every morning with the sound of his bagpipes has carried out his final duty - by playing her beautiful goodbye.
Pipe Major Paul Burns of The Royal Regiment of Scotland played a moving lament in St George's Chapel in Windsor as the Queen's coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault as her funeral drew to a close today.
He was the lone musician at the committal service this afternoon and as he played the pipes, he walked between the chapel and the Dean's Cloister so that the music during the ceremony slowly faded away.
The piper also brought the ceremony at Westminster Abbey earlier today to a close with a lament before the Queen's coffin was brought to Windsor.
Follow the Queen's funeral on our live blog here
Pipe Major Burns has held the position of the Sovereign's Piper since last year and is the 17th piper to hold the role.
The coveted position dates back to the time of Queen Victoria and their main duty is to play every morning at 9am under the monarch's window as well as on state occasions.
The piper's goodbye came in the same service where several poignant moments signalled the end of the Queen's incredible 70-year reign - leaving viewers in tears.
This afternoon, a congregation of 800 people including the King, the Royal Family, realm prime ministers, governors-generals and mourners from the Queen’s household past and present, including personal staff from across her private estates, gathered in the gothic church following the service in Westminster Abbey.
Near the end of the service, the Imperial State Crown, the orb and the sceptre were lifted from the Queen’s coffin by the Crown Jeweller, separating the Queen from her crown for the final time.
With the help of the Bargemaster and Serjeants-at-Arms, the priceless Crown Jewels were passed to the Dean who will place them on the High Altar.
Shortly after, former MI5 spy chief Baron Parker – the Lord Chamberlain and the most senior official in the late Queen’s royal household – broke his "Wand of Office" and placed it on the coffin.
The ceremonial breaking of the white staff signified the end of his service to the Queen as sovereign.
The emotional moments came just before the Queen's coffin was lowered into the royal vault as the Dean of Windsor said a psalm and the Garter King of Arms pronounced the many styles and titles of the Queen.
Today's historic state funeral for the Queen started just after 10.30am this morning when her coffin was carried on a State Gun Carriage from New Palace Yard to Westminster Abbey.
Joining the King and members of the Royal Family in the Abbey were more than 2,000 guests made up of world leaders, royalty and ordinary members of the public.
After the service, the coffin was taken in another procession to Wellington Arch before it was transferred into the state hearse for the trip to Windsor.
People lined the streets to see the coffin pass on its final journey before the service at St George's Chapel took place in front of around 800 guests, many of them current and former staff of the Royal Household.
Later this evening, a private burial service will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor, attended by the King and members of the royal family.
The Queen is to be buried together with the Duke of Edinburgh at the King George VI Memorial Chapel with her mother and father, George VI.
You can now buy Friday's historic Daily Mirror commemorating the death of the Queen here: mirror.co.uk/commemorative.
