Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Alice Peacock

Queen's funeral hour by hour guide with all the key times you need to know

A full timeline for the Queen 's state funeral has been established, with proceedings expected to begin not long after the late monarch's lying-in-state ends.

A team of nearly 100 Royal Navy sailors is set to carry her majesty's coffin to Westminster Abbey on Monday, before she is finally laid to rest with her beloved Prince Philip.

Shortly before 11am, King Charles and senior royals including his sons Prince Harry and Prince William, as well as his siblings Princess Anne and Prince Andrew, will again march behind his mother as she is moved from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey.

Around 2,000 world leaders will attend the service after which a two minute silence will be held. The national anthem will then be played to signal the closing of the service.

Queen Elizabeth's funeral will be on September 19 (AFP via Getty Images)

Here are the key times you need to know in order to follow the proceedings of the day:

6.30am The Queen's lying-in-state ends and Westminster Hall shuts

Visitors will be able to view the Queen's casket until 6.30am on Monday, when the late monarch will be borne to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to file past the late monarch's coffin to pay their respects prior to this, as she lies in state in Parliament's ancient Westminster Hall.

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is currently lying in state on the catafalque in Westminster Hall (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

8am The doors of Westminster Abbey will be opened for the congregation to begin taking their seats

Heads of State and Overseas Government Representatives, including Foreign Royal Families, Governors-General and Realm Prime Ministers will gather initially at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea before travelling under collective arrangements to Westminster Abbey.

Members of the Royal Family who are not taking part in the procession will take their seats in the South Lantern.

More than 1,000 sailors and Royal Marines are on Thursday undergoing final preparations for their pivotal role in the Queen’s funeral after days of intensive training (MoD/Crown Copyright/SWNS)

10.35am The Coffin will be moved to the State Gun Carriage

Shortly after 10.30am on Monday, the Queen's coffin will be moved from Westminster Hall to the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy.

10.44am The gun carriage will set off and will be drawn by Royal Naval Ratings

The King, members of the Royal Family, members of the King’s Household and Household of the Prince of Wales will follow the coffin to Westminster Abbey.

An early morning rehearsal on Thursday for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London (PA)

11am The State Funeral will begin

The Queen's State Funeral will begin at 11am, conducted by Dean of Westminster.

The Prime Minister and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth will read Lessons, while the Archbishop of York, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Free Churches Moderator will say Prayers.

A sermon will be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury who will also give the Commendation.

The Dean will pronounce the Blessing during the proceedings of the ceremony.

Funeral rehearsals were underway early on Thursday morning (PA)

11.55am The Last Post will sound

The Last Post - a short bugle call - will be played near the end of the funeral.

The will be followed by a two-minutes silence in the Abbey and throughout the United Kingdom.

12pm The Queen's State Funeral Service will draw to a close

Around midday, the national anthem and a lament played by the Queen's piper will bring the service to an end.

The Bearer Party will then lift the Coffin from the Catafalque and will move in Procession through the Great West Door, returning to the State Gun Carriage positioned outside the West Gate.

The Coffin will be followed by The King and The Queen Consort, The Prince and Princess of Wales and Members of the Royal Family who are to walk in the Procession to Wellington Arch.

At the end of the service visiting heads of state and overseas government representatives will be conducted from Westminster Abbey to Church House, where the Foreign Secretary will host a reception.

Royal Navy sailors have the honour of pulling the State Ceremonial Gun Carriage bearing the Queen’s coffin for two miles through the streets of London (MoD/Crown Copyright/SWNS)

12.15pm The Procession will set off for Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner

It will then take a route along:

▪ Broad Sanctuary
▪ Parliament Square (South and East sides)
▪ Parliament Street
▪ Whitehall
▪ Horse Guards including Horse Guards Arch
▪ Horse Guards Road
▪ The Mall
▪ Queen's Gardens (South and West sides)
▪ Constitution Hill
▪ Apsley Way

The route will be lined by the Armed Forces from Westminster Abbey to the top of Constitution Hill at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates.

The Procession is formed in seven groups, each supported by a Service Band.

His Majesty The King will lead Members of the Royal Family walking in the procession. The Queen Consort with The Princess of Wales, and The Duchess of Sussex with The Countess of Wessex will follow by car.

Members of Households of The Queen, The King and The Prince of Wales will follow.

Prince William and Prince Harry walked behind the coffin during the procession for the Lying-in State of the Queen on Wednesday (Getty Images)

1pm The Procession will arrive at Wellington Arch

At this point, the front and rear elements of the Procession will take up position on the North side to witness the departure of the Coffin to Windsor.

The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery will move to the north side of Apsley Arch from where they too will witness the departure of the Coffin to Windsor.

The Bearer Party will lift the Coffin from the State Gun Carriage and place it in the State Hearse. When secured, the State Hearse will begin its journey to Windsor.

As the Hearse departs Wellington Arch, the parade will give a Royal Salute and the National Anthem will be played. The King and The Queen Consort, The Prince and Princess of Wales and Members of the Royal Family will depart for Windsor by car.

3.06pm The State Hearse will approach Shaw Farm Gate

The hearse will reach Shaw Farm Gate on Albert Road, Windsor, and join the Procession which will have been formed up and in position.

The royal procession followed the bearer party carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into Westminster Hall on Wednesday afternoon (PA)

3.10pm The Procession will step off

3.20pm Non-royal attendees will arrive at St. George's Chapel for the Committal Service

At 3.20pm the Governors General and Realm Prime Ministers will arrive at the West Door of St. George’s Chapel and will be escorted to their seats in the Nave.

Members of the Royal Family not walking in the outdoor procession will arrive at the West Door of the Chapel shortly afterwards and will be escorted to their seats in the Quire and the Nave.

Sailors and Royal Marines underwent final preparations on Thursday for the Queen's funeral (MoD/Crown Copyright/SWNS)
Some 98 sailors will haul the two-and-a-half-ton ceremonial carriage during the funeral procession, with a further 40 sailors marching behind the vehicle acting as brakes (MoD/Crown Copyright/SWNS)

3.40pm The King and other Members of the Royal Family arrive at St. George's Chapel

Members of the Royal Family who are walking in the Procession join it at the Quadrangle on the North side as it passes into Engine Court. The Queen Consort with the Princess of Wales, and the Duchess of Sussex with the Countess of Wessex will once again follow by car.

An early morning rehearsal for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London (PA)

3:53 pm The Queen's coffin will be moved from the State Hearse into St. George's chapel

The Procession will halt at the bottom of the West Steps of St. George's Chapel in Horseshoe Cloister. The Bearer Party will lift the Coffin from the State Hearse, from where it will be carried in Procession up the West Steps.

Members of the public file past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II lying in state on the catafalque in Westminster Hall on Thursday (PA)

4pm The Committal Service will begin

The Coffin Procession will enter the Chapelat 4pm and proceed down the Centre Aisle of the Centre Nave to the Catafalque in the Quire.

The Service will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor. Prayers will be said by the Rector of Sandringham, the Minister of Crathie Kirk and the Chaplain of Windsor Great Park, and by the Dean of Windsor. The Choir of St George’s Chapel will sing during the Service.

Prior to the final Hymn, the Imperial State Crown, the Orb and the Sceptre will be removed from the Coffin by the Crown Jeweller and, with the Bargemaster and Serjeants-at-Arms, will be passed to the Dean who will place them on the Altar.

At the end of the final Hymn, The King will place The Queen's Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards - the most senior of the Foot Guards regiments - on the Coffin.

Royal Navy personnel take part in rehearsals for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in Hampshire on Thursday (PA)

At the same time, The Lord Chamberlain will "break" his Wand of Office and place it on the Coffin.

As the Coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault, the Dean of Windsor will say a Psalm and the Commendation before Garter King of Arms will pronounce the styles and titles of The Queen.

The Sovereign's Piper will play a Lament from the doorway between the Chapel and the Dean’s Cloister during which he will walk slowly towards the Deanery in the Cloister so that the music inside the Chapel gradually fades.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will pronounce the Blessing which will be followed by the singing of God Save The King.

At the conclusion of the Service, The King and Members of the Royal Family will depart from the Galilee Porch for Windsor Castle.

7.30pm A private burial service will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor

The burial service will be attended by The King and Members of the Royal Family.

Her Majesty is to be buried together with her late husband, The Duke of Edinburgh, at the King George VI Memorial Chapel.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.