It is a day of great emotions as the world counts down, in hours, to laying the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II to rest at Westminster Abbey, following her death at 96 years on the 8th September, 2022.
A funeral church service in honour of the Queen started at 7:30am today, 19th September 2022, in in the chapel at the King George VI Memorial Chapel at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
The Majesty was escorted to church in a convoy and a military procession through London
The Queen’s close family members and friends were in attendance during the church service, mostly wearing black and in a somber mood.
To mark her 90th birthday, Queen Elizabeth made a list of her favorite songs, which included ”The Lord is my Shepherd”, featured in her Funeral Service today.
Soon after the church service was over, the Queen was escorted in a procession by the Royal Airforce, Navy and Army, from the church. Common Wealth flags were flown in half mast, a sign of mourning. A massive crowd of mourners watching in a sad mood.
While the Queen’s funeral is broadcast live on TV to audiences around the world for most of the day, the burial will be an entirely private affair, away from public gaze. It will be attended by the King and key members of the Royal Family.
A senior palace official said: “The service and burial will be entirely private, given it is a deeply personal family occasion.”
The tiny King George VI Memorial Chapel currently houses the remains of the Queen’s father, George VI, the Queen Mother and Elizabeth’s sister, Princess Margaret, who was cremated in a break from Royal Tradition.
Prince Philip’s coffin was lowered into the vault beneath St George’s Chapel at the end of his funeral in 2022, and he remains there to this day.
The Queen will briefly join her husband in the vault at the culmination of her committal service today, Monday 19th September 2022, before she is moved to the King George VI Memorial Chapel for her burial.
Story: Ene Ken-Yawe
