It has been confirmed that the Queen 's funeral will take place at Westminster Abbey. The nation will gather to remember its longest-reigning monarch following her death at the age of 96.
It is widely expected that the Queen's coffin will be carried on a gun carriage pulled through the streets of London by naval ratings using ropes rather than horses. There will be full coverage on the BBC.
The most recent state funeral was on January 30, 1965. That was also televised and introduced by Richard Dimbleby.
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Who was the last state funeral for?
On January 30, 1965 a state funeral was held for Sir Winston Churchill. There have been no other state funerals since then.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April 2021, was given a royal ceremonial funeral, rather than a state funeral. He had indicated a wish for minimal "fuss" and did not lie in state.
Diana, Princess of Wales, was also given a form of ceremonial royal funeral in 1997, despite no longer being an HRH. Baroness Thatcher’s funeral in April 2013 was a ceremonial funeral with full military honours.
A state funeral was given to the Queen’s father, King George VI, on February 15, 1952. The procession was the first of a British monarch to be broadcast on television.
What was Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral like?
The wartime prime minister’s official funeral lasted for four days. Planning for the funeral, known as Operation Hope Not, began 12 years before Churchill's death.
It was initiated after Churchill's stroke in 1953 while in his second term as PM. After several revisions, the plan was issued on January 26, 1965, two days after his death.
His body lay in state at Westminster Hall for three days from January 26. On January 30, the order of funeral was held at St Paul's Cathedral.
From there, the body was transported by water along the River Thames to Waterloo station. A train hauled by the engine Winston Churchill took his coffin to Bladon, the resting place of his ancestors and his brother.
The funeral was witnessed by more than 350 million people. At the time was the largest state funeral in history.
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