Solemn grandeur of final farewell: soldiers take queen to lie in state

A gun carriage that had borne the coffins of her mother and father carried the late monarch to Westminster Hall – a procession of pomp and pageantry through the heart of the capital watched by tens of thousands who lined the route.

In bright summer sunshine, funeral marches played by military bands added to the solemn mood that left some mourners weeping, while others held up their camera phones to record the historic moment of the procession.

King Charles III led the royal family as they walked behind the coffin, draped with a Royal Standard, adorned with the Imperial State Crown and pulled on a gun carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

The new monarch walked in line with the Princess Royal, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex.

Behind the King were the Queen’s grandsons in a line – Peter Phillips, the Duke of Sussex and the Prince of Wales – who were followed by the late monarch’s son-in-law Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of Gloucester, the Queen’s cousin, and her nephew the Earl of Snowdown.

The Queen’s coffin was transported on the George Gun Carriage, which carried King George VI’s coffin from Sandringham Church to Wolferton Station in February 1952 and was used during the funeral of the Queen Mother in 2002.

The crowds were treated to the spectacle of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment processing past along with soldiers from the Life Guards and Blues and Royals on foot.

Charles, in his Field Marshal uniform, held onto the end of his Field Marshal Baton, as he walked in step without showing any emotion.

Anne and Edward, also in military dress, and Andrew, did not betray their emotions.

At Horse Guards Parade, crowds of mourners, many in tears, applauded as the Queen’s coffin and procession entered the vast ceremonial parade ground, with the bells of Big Ben continuing to sound every minute.

Harry and his uncle Andrew were denied the chance to wear their military uniforms, and a few minutes later when they passed the Cenotaph the royals in uniform saluted, while Harry bowed, and Andrew performed “eyes right” and looked at the memorial.

The bearer party which carried the Queen’s coffin into Westminster Hall, and provided an escort, were soldiers flown back from Iraq to take part in the ceremony, because of their unique association with the monarch.

The Guardsmen were from the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, whose Company Commander was the Queen.

Entrusted with the Queen’s coffin, the eight Guardsmen lifted it into place onto the catafalque – a raised platform – while Major Johnny Hathaway-White, Captain of the Queen’s Company, helped to lay out the Queen’s Company Colours at its base.

Before the lying in state began a brief service for the reception of the coffin was held, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, giving the opening prayer.

The service was conducted with the congregation standing and lining the ancient hall was the wider royal family as the King, with the Queen Consort, stood at the head of their family, with the monarch’s siblings behind, and his sons and their partners William and Kate and Harry and Meghan.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said: “God, the maker and redeemer of all mankind: grant us, with thy servant Queen Elizabeth, and all the faithful departed, the sure benefits of thy Son’s saving passion and glorious resurrection; that in the last day, when all things are gathered up in Christ, we may with them enjoy the fullness of thy promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

The first vigil was mounted by four officers from the Household Division, and at some point the Queen’s children will take part in the ancient ceremony over the four days the Queen lies in state.