September 19, 2022 GMT https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-funeral-bfe59d9c8f31d339f2cec2f8479cc3ce LONDON (AP) – The United Kingdom and the world said goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday with a state funeral that brought together presidents and kings, princes and prime ministers – and crowds on the streets of London and at Windsor Castle – to honor a monarch whose 70-year reign defined an era. In a country known for pomp and pageantry, the first state funeral since Winston Churchill’s was full of spectacle: Before the service, a bell tolled 96 times — once a minute for each year of Elizabeth’s life. Afterwards, 142 Royal Navy sailors used ropes to pull the carriage carrying her flag-draped coffin to Westminster Abbey, where pallbearers carried it inside and around 2,000 people, from world leaders to health workers, gathered for to mourn The trappings of state and monarchy abounded: The coffin was draped in the Royal Standard and topped by the imperial state crown, glittering with nearly 3,000 diamonds, and the sovereign’s orb and scepter. But the staff were also present: The coffin was followed into the church by generations of Elizabeth’s descendants, including King Charles III, heir to the throne Prince William, and 9-year-old George, who is second in line. On a wreath above the casket, a handwritten note read, “In loving and devoted memory,” and was signed Charles R — for Rex, or the king. “Here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, we gather from all the nation, from the Commonwealth and from the nations of the world, to mourn our loss, to remember a long life of selfless service, and with sure confidence to pledge ourselves to mercy of God our creator and redeemer,” the dean of the medieval abbey, David Hoyle, told mourners. The service concluded with a two-minute silence observed across the UK, after which those present sang the national anthem, entitled ‘God Save the King’. The day began early when the doors of Parliament’s 900-year-old Westminster Hall were closed to mourners after hundreds of thousands had paid their respects in front of her coffin. Monday was declared a bank holiday in honor of Elizabeth, who died on September 8 — and hundreds of thousands of people descended on central London to witness the story. They blocked the pavements to watch the coffin pass through the streets of the capital after the service. As the procession passed Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s official residence in the city, staff stood outside, some bowing and retreating. Mark Elliott, 53, who traveled from the Lake District in northern England with his wife and two children to watch the procession, got up at 1.30am. to see a good site near the palace. “I know we don’t know the Queen, but she’s been our head of state for 70 years, you feel like you know her, you feel like she’s part of the family. It’s something touching,” he said. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said in his homily at Westminster Abbey that “few leaders embrace the outpouring of love we’ve seen” for the Queen. More people followed the hearse’s route from the capital to Windsor Castle and many threw flowers at the cortege as it passed. Millions more tuned in live to the funeral and crowds flocked to parks and public spaces across the UK to watch it on screens. Even Google’s doodle went respectfully black for the day. As the coffin arrived at the castle, poignant reminders of her love of animals were brought up: A groom stood by the side of the road with one of her ponies, Emma, and another staff member held the leashes of two of her beloved corgis, of Sandy and Mewick. . During the commitment ceremony at St George’s Chapel in the castle grounds, the Dean of Windsor David Conner praised Elizabeth for her “life of unceasing service” to the nation but also for her “kindness, concern and reassuring care for her family and friends and neighbors. “ The crown, orb and scepter were then removed from the top of the coffin and placed on the altar – separating them from the Queen for the last time. Her coffin was lowered into the royal vault through an opening in the chapel floor. Charles looked tired and emotional as mourners sang the national anthem. In a private family service, the Queen was later buried with her husband, Prince Philip. Mourners at Westminster Abbey included US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, all living former British prime ministers and European royalty. In Japan, which was also attended by Emperor Naruhito, scores of people drank beer and watched the service at British pub The Aldgate in Tokyo’s trendy Shibuya district. “The queen has had a particularly long history in a country that prides itself on a long history, and for that she deserves deep respect,” said one of them, Tomotaka Hosokawa. The global outpouring of sympathy touched the king, who on the eve of the funeral issued a message of thanks to people in the UK and around the world, saying he and his wife Camilla, the Queen consort, had “moved on by any measure from the large number of people who came to pay their respects. Jilly Fitzgerald, who was in Windsor, said there was a sense of community among mourners as they prepared to wait hours to see the procession carrying the Queen’s coffin. “It’s good to be with all the people who all feel the same way. It’s like a big family because everyone feels that … the Queen was part of their family,” he said.
Kullab reported from Windsor, England. Associated Press reporters Sylvia Hui and Jill Lawless in London and David Keyton in Windsor contributed.
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