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Rest in peace. Queen Elizabeth’s funeral laid to rest the late Queen after a series of ceremonial events to honor her legacy.
Queen Elizabeth’s funeral was held at Westminster Abbey in London on September 19, 2022. The funeral came after a series of traditional events to remember the late monarch and honor her service. On Wednesday, September 14, 2022, the Queen left Buckingham Palace for the last time. Her casket made its five-mile journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where she will lie in state for four days. A solemn King Charles III, Prince William, and Prince Harry followed the casket on foot as it made its way down The Mall, a tradition that dates back to the death of Elizabeth’s great-grandmother Queen Victoria in 1901. The coffin was draped in the imperial standard flag and bore the imperial state crown on a purple velvet pillow, a color commonly used to indicate royalty. It’s estimated one million people have lined the route to pay their respects.
Queen Elizabeth II died “peacefully” at her home in Balmoral, Scotland, on September 8, 2022, Buckingham Palace announced in a statement. She was 96. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the official statement read. The statement continued, “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
Queen Elizabeth. Getty Images
Buckingham Palace announced the Queen was put “under medical supervision” due to “concern” from her doctors hours before her death. “Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” the statement read at the time. “The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.” The palace also confirmed that Prince Charles, Camila Parker Bowles and Prince William were immediately informed of the Queen’s health and were by her side when she died. “Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have traveled to Balmoral,” the palace said.
Earlier on the day of the Queen’s funeral announcement, King Charles III was officially proclaimed sovereign. In his speech to the privy council, he said of his mother, “I know how deeply you and the entire nation, and I think I may say the whole world sympathizes with me in the irreparable loss we have all suffered. It is the greatest consolation to me to know of the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and my brothers and as such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family in our loss. To all of us as a family.” He continued, “My mother’s reign was unequaled in its duration, its dedication and its devotion. Even as we grieve we give thanks for this most faithful life. I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty which have now passed to me.”
He then talked about his responsibilities as King and the future of the United Kingdom. “In taking up these responsibilities I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these islands, and of the commonwealth realms and territories across the world. In this purpose, I know that I shall be upheld by the affection and loyalty of the peoples whose sovereign I have been called upon to be, and in the discharge of these duties, I will be guided by the council of their elected parliaments. In all this, I am profoundly encouraged by the constant support of my beloved wife. I take this opportunity to confirm my willingness and intention to continue the tradition of surrendering the hereditary revenues, including the crown estate to the government for the benefit of all in return for the sovereign grant which supports my official duties as head of state and head of nation. In carrying out the heavy task that has been laid upon me, to which I dedicate what remains to me of my life. I pray for the guidance and help of almighty God.”
Read down for what to know about Queen Elizabeth’s funeral including where it was and where she will be buried.
Where is Queen Elizabeth’s funeral?
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Queen Elizabeth’s Funeral was held at at Westminster Abbey in Central London. The event was the first time a monarch’s funeral has been held at Westminster Abbey since the 18th century. Westminster Abbey was also where Queen Elizabeth was married to Prince Philip and crowned. It will be followed by a committal at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor—where the Queen’s parents, sister Princess Margaret and her husband Prince Philip are laid to rest in the Royal Vault.
When is Queen Elizabeth’s funeral?
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Queen Elizabeth’s funeral took place on September 19, 2022. The funeral comes at the end of an official 10-day period of mourning. The coffin will begin its journey to Westminster Abbey in a procession from the Palace of Westminster beginning at 10:44 a.m. local time. The official funeral started at 11 a.m. according to Westminster Abbey. The Queen laid in state in Westminster Hall for several days before her funeral. The moment allowed members of the public to file past and pay their respects. The last member of the Royal Family to lie in state in the hall was Queen Elizabeth’s mother, the Queen Mother in 2002, when more than 200,000 people viewed her coffin.
How was Queen Elizabeth’s body and coffin transported to London?
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After the announcement of her death, the Queen’s body was lying in rest at Balmoral Castle, Scotland where she died. People close to the Queen paid their respects to her until Sunday, September 11, when she started her journey back to London. Loyal Gamemakers who are “people who have known Her Majesty, it’s a personal connection,” carried her coffin from the Ballroom out of the castle, to start its journey south to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. Once there, the Queen’s coffin was taken to Holyroodhouse at about 4:00 p.m. local time.
On Monday, September 12, 2022, the Queen’s coffin was taken from the Palace of Holyroodhouse at 2:35 p.m. in procession to St Giles’s Cathedral. The Queen’s coffin laid at rest at St. Giles’s Cathedral where a procession including the King and members of the royal family will be taking place beforehand. The coffin stayed there until Tuesday, September 13, 2022, so people in Scotland could pay their respects. The coffin was then flown to Edinburgh airport to RAF Northolt, London, arriving at 8:00 p.m. before it headed to Buckingham Palace accompanied by Princess Anne. The coffin was then transported to Westminster Abbey for a four-day public viewing.
How did Queen Elizabeth die?
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How did the Queen die? Queen Elizabeth II died “peacefully” at her home at Balmoral Castle in Scotland in the afternoon of September 8, 2022. She was 96. Buckingham Palace confirmed her death in a statement. She will be succeeded by her son, Charles, Prince of Wales, who will now become King Charles III. Charles’ wife, Camila, Duchess of Cornwall, will now become The Queen Consort. “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace’s statement read. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.” The Queen’s death came hours after after Buckingham Palace announced that she had been placed under “medical supervision” due to “concerns” from her doctors. “Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” the Buckingham Palace said at the time. “The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.” The statement continued, “Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have traveled to Balmoral.”
After the Queen passed away, Charles—the heir apparent to the British royal throne and the Queen’s eldest son with her late husband, Prince Philip—honored his mother in a statement on the official Royal Family Twitter. “The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” the statement read. “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign, and much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world. During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection on which The Queen was so widely held.”
The Queen was surrounded by British royal family members at the time of her death. Along with Charles and Camila, the Queen’s second and third sons with Philip—Prince Andrew and Prince Edward—were seen arriving at Aberdeen Airport in Scotland shortly before her death. Prince Edward’s wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, was also seen arriving at the airport, as well as the Queen’s eldest grandson, Prince William. The Queen’s second eldest grandson, Prince Harry, wasn’t seen at Balmoral Castle until hours after her death. He traveled from Germany, where he and his wife, Meghan Markle, were promoting the Invictus Games, to Scotland. Meghan, for her part, didn’t join Harry at Balmoral Castle and remained in Germany at the time of the Queen’s death. William’s wife, Kate Middleton, also wasn’t present at Balmoral Castle and stayed in Windsor, England, as September 8 was the first day of school for her and William’s children: Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4.
What was Queen Elizabeth’s cause of death?
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What was the Queen’s cause of death? Queen Elizabeth II’s cause of death wasn’t announced at the time of her passing. However, her death came hours after after Buckingham Palace announced that she had been placed under “medical supervision” due to “concerns” from her doctors. “Following further evaluation this morning, The Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision,” the Buckingham Palace said at the time. “The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.” The statement continued, “Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have traveled to Balmoral.” The statement also came a day after the Queen cancelled a scheduled Privy Council meeting so he could rest. “After a full day yesterday, Her Majesty has this afternoon accepted doctors’ advice to rest,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement on September 7, 2022. “This means that the Privy Council meeting that had been due to take place this evening will be rearranged.”
Before her death, the Queen had been seen regularly using a cane since October 2021. That month, she cancelled a scheduled trip to Northern Ireland under the advice of her doctors and spent a night in the hospital. “The Queen has reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for the next few days,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement at the time. “Her Majesty is in good spirits and is disappointed that she will no longer be able to visit Northern Ireland, where she had been due to undertake a series of engagements today and tomorrow.”
After her hospitalization, Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement at the time that the Queen “remains in good spirits” following her overnight stay, where she underwent “preliminary investigations.” “Following medical advice to rest for a few days, the Queen attended hospital on Wednesday afternoon for some preliminary investigations, returning to Windsor Castle at lunchtime today and remains in good spirits,” the statement read.
The Queen’s death also came a year after she tested positive for COVID-19 following close contact with Charles, who contracted the virus earlier that month. At the time, celebrity gossip website Hollywood Unlocked, falsely reported that the Queen had died at the age of 95 from COVID-19. The site falsely reported at the time that the Queen was “found dead” after she was set to attend a wedding. “It is with our deepest regret to inform you that Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has died,” Hollywood Unlocked’s report read at the time. “Sources close to the Royal Kingdom notified us exclusively that Queen Elizabeth has passed away. She was scheduled to attend the wedding of British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, but was found dead.”
While the site didn’t credit any official royal sources, Hollywood Unlocked CEO and founder Jason Lee took to his Twitter at the time to back up the outlet’s report. “We don’t post lies and I always stand by my sources,” he wrote at the time. “Waiting for an official statement from the palace.” Lee later reiterated his stance on Instagram, writing, “I’ve never lied;” “I’ve never been wrong;” “I trust my sources;” and “I have yet to see an official statement from the palace saying otherwise,” in a numbered list. Despite Lee’s statement, however, the news of the Queen’s death at the time was false.
After the Queen tested positive for COVID-19 in February 2022, a source told Us Weekly at the time the monarch had been recovering “without any fuss” despite Hollywood Unlocked’s report of her death. “Of course, she has a team of doctors to lean on whenever needed and a support staff that’s second to none,” the insider told the magazine. “But thus far Her Majesty has been handling this without any fuss or need to involve too many others in her recovery.” After reports the Queen was still alive, Hollywood Unlocked issued a statement on social media apologizing for the incorrect story and blaming the report on an “intern journalist” who “published the draft post by mistake.” The site added, “Our deepest apologies goes out to the #RoyalFamily and all involved in this embarrassing situation. It was an accident and we’re working hard to make sure that this mistake never happens again.”
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For more about the British royal family, check out Sally Bedell Smith’s 2012 biography, Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch
. The New York Times bestseller, which includes the “real story” behind several storylines featured in Netflix’s The Crown, follows Queen Elizabeth II’s life from her childhood as the “heiress presumptive” to her father, King George VI; to the moment he et her husband, Prince Philip, when she was 13 years old; to her ascension to the throne at 25 years old in 1952. Elizabeth the Queen, which also includes interviews with Buckingham Palace sources and never-before-revealed documents, provides a deep dive into the Queen’s legacy as one of the most famous monarchs in recent history.
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