Teary-eyed King Charles struggles to maintain composure while leading royal family at emotional funeral service
LONDON, ENGLAND: A grief-stricken royal family led by a tearful King Charles paid their last respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II at her state funeral. In a solemn procession, Her Majesty made her last journey from Westminister Hall to Westminister Abbey where the funeral service was held.
The Westminister Abbey was where she married her husband Prince Philips and was crowned as the Queen of England — two of the most significant events in her long life. In a moving farewell to the longest reigning monarch in modern history, the royal family bade goodbye to their queen and matriarch.
ALSO READ
Queen's 14-yr-old grandson James, Viscount Severn goes viral with footage of him standing vigil
Upon her arrival at this historic church of Britain, Her Majesty’s coffin was placed near the altar. Draped in a Royal Standard flag, the coffin was topped with her crown, orb, and scepter and was surrounded by the flowers that the king had chosen from the royal gardens. The king also paid a tribute to his beloved mother by placing a card on the flowers on the top of the coffin. "In loving and devoted memory. Charles R." the card read.
The Dean of Westminister then pronounced a blessing with the Archbishop of Canterbury hailing the queen for her "abundant life and loving service" as he delivered the sermon at her state funeral. Following the commendation of the Archbishop over the queen’s coffin, the ‘Last Post' was sounded by the state trumpeters from the Household Cavalry. To mourn the demise of the queen, the National Anthem was sung by the congregation.
Accompanied by his siblings, the new King Charles looked tearful during the service. He was even wiping his tear while leading the procession to Westminister Abbey. During the singing of the national anthem, the King was seen fighting his tears and maintaining his silence as his siblings sang along with the congregation. Charles was consoled by his sister Princess Anne who was walking by his side. Prince Andrew also looked downcast, fighting back tears as the family marched behind the Queen's coffin through Parliament Square.
The family then took their seats alongside leaders from all over the globe gathered at the British church to mourn the death of the queen. The leader of the family, King Charles sat in the front row next to Princess Anne, while Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat right behind him in the second row. Prince Williams and his wife Kate Middleton too sat in the front row. The Prince and Princess of Wales were accompanied by their children Prince George and Prince Charlotte, who shared a close bond with their great-grandmother.
The strains of the lament, 'Sleep, dearie, sleep', was heard echoing through the abbey as the piper walked off. Gripping his sword, the king appeared to be very emotional and downcast as he tried to maintain his composure while staring at his ‘beloved’ mother’s coffin.
The UK's most important church, packed with 2,000 VIPs including prime ministers, presidents, and the Queen's family, was serene aside from the sound of hymns and prayers in a funeral service that Her Majesty has curated herself before she died. Outside the Abbey, an estimated 2 million people gathered in central London along the procession routes and watched the service on big screens.
The Queen’s coffin funeral procession from Westminister Hall to Westminister Abbey began at around 10.45 am. The State Gun Carriage carrying the Queen's coffin arrived at the Church just before 11 am. A single toll from Big Ben signaled the start of the service at Westminster Abbey, where kings and queens have been crowned and buried since 1066. Her Majesty will be laid to rest at Windsor next to her beloved husband Prince Philip and her parents, George VI and the Queen Mother.