Stunning satellite images taken from space show the enormity of the crowds that gathered in London for the Queen’s state funeral.
It is estimated more than a million people gathered to watch the procession of the Queen’s coffin as it travelled from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey, and then on to Wellington Arch before being driven to Windsor for burial.
More than 2,000 guests attended the funeral service inside Westminster Abbey, including an array of world leaders, prime ministers and presidents such as US President Joe Biden.
A number of satellite images shared by Maxar Technologies reveal the size of the crowds outside Buckingham Palace and lining the streets of central London amid a foggy Monday morning.
Maxar Technologies is a space technology company headquartered in the United States, specialising in orbit servicing satellites and satellite products.
Mourners were eager to witness the short procession from Westminster Abbey to the Mall, and through the Albert Memorial which began at 9am.
King Charles III, Prince William and the Duke of Sussex were among Royal members who participated in the spectacle involving army troops from across the Commonwealth.
Crowds cheered and waved as the hearse drove past, many wanting to say their final goodbyes.
Meanwhile, around 4.2 billion people watched the state funeral on television and around 250,000 filed past the Queen’s coffin while it was lying in state.
The Queen’s funeral was regarded as the biggest security operation the UK has ever seen.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said “nothing can compare” to the “hugely complex” task, described it as the “largest policing operation” in the Met’s history.
The scale surpassed the operation for the Platinum Jubilee weekend and the London 2012 Olympics, which saw up to 10,000 police officers on duty per day.
It is also the largest global protection operation dealt with by the force, with world leaders, dignitaries and other VIPs attending the state funeral.
