Queen’s funeral ‘will unite people across the globe’
THE Queen’s state funeral will “unite people across the globe and resonate with people of all faiths” and pay a “fitting tribute to an extraordinary reign”, the man in charge of the historic occasion has said.
The Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, described the task as “both humbling and daunting. An honour and a great responsibility”.
Two thousand people including world leaders and foreign royals will gather inside Westminster Abbey in London on Monday for the final farewell to the nation’s longest reigning monarch.
Some 800 people, including members of the Queen’s Household and Windsor estate staff, will attend the committal service afterwards at 4pm in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Further details of the ceremony were released by Buckingham Palace yesterday. The earl said: “The events of recent days are a reminder of the strength of our Constitution, a system of government, which in so many ways is the envy of the world.
“The Queen held a unique and timeless position in all our lives. This has been felt more keenly over the past few days as the world comes to terms with her demise.
“Her Majesty’s passing has left many people across many continents with a profound sense of loss.
“The respect, admiration and affection in which the Queen was held make our task both humbling and daunting. An honour and a great responsibility.
“It is our aim and belief that the state funeral and events of the next few days will unite people across the globe and resonate with people of all faiths, whilst fulfilling Her Majesty and her family’s wishes to pay a fitting tribute to an extraordinary reign.”
The details came as thousands queued to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II as the late monarch lies in state at Westminster Hall.
The new King meanwhile had a private day of reflection at his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire after the week that saw him become monarch.
It is understood he was working in preparation for his new role and was receiving his red boxes of state papers.
The new monarch led the royal family in a public display of homage to the late Queen by walking behind her coffin with his siblings, sons and other relatives as it was carried on Wednesday into Westminster Hall, where it will lie in state until the state funeral on Monday.
Watched by tens of thousands lining the route from Buckingham Palace, the King delivered his mother to the hands of the nation for a period of four days.
The Prince and Princess of Wales yesterday visited a sea of flowers left for the Queen at the main gates to Sandringham House, as William told well-wishers that walking behind his
grandmother’s coffin brought back memories of his mother Diana’s funeral.
William and Kate, both 40, stepped out of a dark Range Rover near to the Norwich Gates and took time to read messages on the many tributes.
Thousands of well-wishers gathered behind metal barriers to see the couple, who stayed for almost an hour speaking to people.
William told retired dry cleaner Peggy Butcher: “This sea of flowers is unbelievable.”
Ms Butcher, 89, and from March in Cambridgeshire, said afterwards: “He seemed to care about us because we cared about the Queen.”
Caroline Barwick-walters, 66, from Neath, said: “He told us how difficult it was yesterday, how it
brought back memories of walking behind his mother’s coffin.”
Mental health counsellor Julie Young, 51, from March in Cambridgeshire, said: “We asked about the children and how the children are coping with it all.
“He said he thinks George understands but the other two are not really, don’t understand.”
She said this may be due to nineyear-old George being older than Charlotte, seven, and four-year-old Louis.
Karen Anvil, who took a photo of the so-called Fab Four of William and Kate and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Christmas Day in 2017, was in the crowd again.
She said that as she was speaking to William she was “just chatting away and I just said ‘I’m so sorry, I’m such a chatterer’.”
“He said ‘I love chatterers’,” said Ms Anvil, 44 from Watlington in Norfolk.
“So technically the Prince of Wales has told me he loved me today.
“That’s what I’m going to take
from it.”
Gregory Hill, headteacher of Howard Junior School in King’s Lynn, was with a group of children aged seven to nine, and he said that William and Kate noticed a Paddington Bear tribute they had made.
“It’s got our same logo on the badge as our school uniform and they both commented about that,” he said.
Kate then invited eight-year-old Elizabeth Sulkovska to walk with her to place a corgi teddy and a bouquet of flowers among the tributes.
“Elizabeth was overwhelmed, she cried with joy at being chosen,” said Mr Hill. “It’s just a wonderful, amazing opportunity.”
He said that the Queen’s death has “touched a young generation as well”, adding: “The older generation obviously knew the Queen for longer but young children that haven’t experienced the Queen for long on the throne still are greatly moved by her passing, and really want to do their best to celebrate her life and legacy and never forget her.”