The funeral of Queen Elizabeth II will take place on September 19 at Westminster Abbey in London at 11 a.m. (12 p.m. in Paris), Buckingham Palace announced on Saturday September 10. Dignitaries from around the world are expected to pay tribute to the one who reigned for 70 years and 7 months, died Thursday at the age of 96 in her castle of Balmoral in the north of Scotland. Here is the sequence of events announced on Saturday by Buckingham Palace
Sunday September 11
The Queen’s coffin leaves Balmoral Castle by road at 10 a.m. (11 a.m. Paris time) on its way to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, via Aberdeen and Dundee. The royal hearse is due to arrive in Edinburgh around 4 p.m. (5 p.m. in Paris). The royal remains will then spend the night in the throne room.
Waypoints were provided for the convoy and those along the route were asked not to throw flowers as the convoy passed. The queen’s oak coffin was covered with the Scottish royal standard on which had been laid a bouquet of flowers.
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Monday September 12
King Charles III and the Queen consort will go to Parliament on Monday at 10 a.m. (11 a.m. in Paris) to receive the condolences of the presidents of the two chambers. They then fly to Edinburgh and will go first to Holyroodhouse.
A procession is planned to Saint Gilles cathedral, which will be joined by the king and the queen consort. The coffin will arrive there in the early afternoon for a religious ceremony scheduled for 3 p.m. (4 p.m. in Paris). The public will then be able to come and pray in front of the coffin which will rest in the cathedral until September 13.
For the royal family, a funeral wake is scheduled for the evening. Previously the king must go to the Scottish parliament for a session of condolences.
Tuesday, September 13
The king and queen consort are due to leave Edinburgh for Belfast on Tuesday, again to meet politicians there and receive condolences led by the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The Queen’s coffin will leave St. Giles Cathedral for Edinburgh Airport in the late afternoon. At 6 p.m. (7 p.m. in Paris), he will fly to London accompanied by Princess Anne, and will spend the night at Buckingham Palace, in the BowRoom (link in English). He will be greeted on his arrival by King Charles and members of the Royal Family.
Wednesday September 14
After prayers at the palace in the presence of the king, queen consort and members of the royal family, a procession will take place early Wednesday afternoon to bring the queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster. The King, Queen and Royal Family will join. The procession will notably pass through The Mall, Horse Guards, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard.
Big Ben’s famous bell will ring and cannons will be fired from Hyde Park. The Archbishop of Canterbury will lead a ceremony attended by the Royal Family. The Queen will then rest in Westminster Hall until the morning of the 19th on a catafalque draped in purple. The public will be able to come and gather there 23 hours a day. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected.
Friday September 16
The King and Queen consort are scheduled to travel to Wales on Friday, completing their four-nation tour of the UK.
Monday, September 19
The Queen will be treated to a state funeral with expected dignitaries from around the world, including US President Joe Biden, and a television audience of millions around the world. A procession is also planned to bring the coffin to Westminster Abbey before the ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. (12 p.m. in Paris).
The Queen will be buried privately in King George VI’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, an annex to the Main Chapel. The coffin of her husband Prince Philip who died last year will be moved there to be by his side.