This Wednesday, the coffin containing the body of Queen Elizabeth II is to be transferred from Buckingham Palace to Parliament in London. Thousands are expected – and millions of TV viewers.
London – With King Charles III. a funeral procession is leading the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II into the British Parliament this Wednesday in London.
The procession is scheduled to leave Buckingham Palace at 3:22 p.m. CEST (2:22 p.m. local time). Many members of the royal family are expected to attend.
The Queen’s other children – Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward – will also follow the coffin on foot, along with Charles’ sons Prince William and Prince Harry. Also joining the funeral procession are Anne’s son Peter Philips and her husband Admiral Tim Laurence, as well as the Duke of Gloucester, a cousin of the Queen, and the Earl of Snowdon, her nephew. Charles’ wife Queen Camilla, William’s wife Princess Kate and Harry’s wife Duchess Meghan are driven behind the coffin in cars.
Funeral procession broadcast live on television
The train goes to Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the British Parliament. The events will also be televised.
Upon arrival at Parliament at 4pm CEST (3pm local time), the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dean of Westminster Abbey will hold a short service. The closed coffin of the Queen is then laid out.
From Wednesday afternoon until early Monday morning, the day of the state funeral, the public will have the opportunity to walk past the coffin and say goodbye to the Queen.
Hundreds of thousands are expected, some estimates speak of up to two million mourners. Waiting times of more than a day are expected.
Queen’s children take part in funeral march
Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday at the age of 96 at her Scottish country estate, Balmoral Castle. On Sunday, her coffin was taken to the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, and on Monday, a funeral march attended by King Charles III. and his siblings participated on foot, brought to a cathedral.
The coffin containing the Queen’s remains was then flown from Edinburgh to London on a British Air Force transport on Tuesday evening. It was initially installed in the so-called Bow Room of Buckingham Palace.
King Charles III returned to London with Queen Camilla of Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening. He had been cheered in Belfast and had attended a service, among other things.
Northern Ireland Regional Parliament Speaker Alex Maskey praised the late monarch for breaking down barriers and reconciling in the former civil war region.
Hundreds of heads of state and government, members of royal families and other dignitaries are expected to attend the state funeral next Monday in London. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also wants to travel. Representatives of Russia, on the other hand, are undesirable. According to a media report, representatives of Russia and its ally Belarus, against whom Great Britain has issued numerous sanctions because of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, have not received any invitations. The same applies to the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar. dpa
