A kingdom united in grief
mentary. Scottish viewers were also linked to London for the first time.
Traffic stopped and silence fell across the country as family, friends and neighbours gathered to watch the coverage of the royal funeral.
Those without televisions stood outside shop windows to watch the coverage while others spent the night sleeping on the capital’s streets to be able to pay their respects to the funeral procession as it passed by.
It is estimated that across the UK 5 million people watched the scenes on television and 70 million listened to the main radio broadcast.
Footage was also flown to America overnight to be shown on US television and the coverage was also translated into 21 languages for countries across the world.
More than 300,000 people filed by the coffin as it laid in state at Westminster Hall for three days before being pulled on a gun carriage through London by sailors of the Royal Navy flanked by soldiers of the Guards. Members of the Royal Artillery also fired a gun salute across the River Thames from The Tower of London.
The cortege started out as the first of Big Ben’s 56 chimes began and the coffin was draped in the red, blue and gold of the Royal Standard.
A white wreath from the Queen Mother was placed on top along with the Imperial State Crown, the Gold Orb and Sceptre and the insignia of the Order of the Garter.
Thousands gathered at Piccadilly Circus and outside Buckingham Palace to watch the mile-long funeral procession as it made its sad journey to Paddington Station and on to Windsor.
The blind of one window was raised when the coffin moved along The Mall and drew level with Marlborough House and Queen Mary was seen to be standing there.
She stood silent and motionless watching the gun carriage. It was her own last farewell to her son.
The funeral party arrived at Paddington to the refrain of Chopin’s Funeral March as the royal train left for Windsor. A total of 1,300 mourners including Winston Churchill filled St George’s Chapel for a simple service as crowds also stood outside in homage to the late king.
Wreaths at the chapel varied from tiny bundles of flowers sent by children to a large display of white lilacs and carnations in the form of a St George’s Cross bearing the words “For Gallantry” in purple lettering. The wreath came from the British Government and was signed Winston S Churchill.
The country observed two minutes of silence following the funeral service to mark the final passing of their war-time monarch who once said: “The highest of distinctions is service to others.”