Prior to her funeral on Monday, September 19, the Queen will lay in state as is customary, allowing members of the public to pay their respects.
The Queen will be laid to rest in St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh before traveling to Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where she passed away.
At Westminster Hall in the heart of London, she will then lie in state.
It’s anticipated that thousands of people would attend the historic events.
When a sovereign is laid to rest, their closed coffin is displayed so that people can pay their respects before the funeral service. This is known as “lying in state.”
The coffin is guarded round-the-clock during this time while resting atop a catafalque, a high platform.
A royal flag is draped over the coffin, and customarily, a crown is placed on top.
Queen Elizabeth, the Queen’s mother, was the last person to lie in state in the UK.
Before her funeral on April 9, 2002, an estimated 200,000 people paid their respects at Westminster Hall.
According to officials, the decision to not have Prince Philip lie in state until his funeral on April 17, 2021 was made in accordance with his desires.
Mass public gatherings were prohibited at the time due to coronavirus limitations.
As former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill did prior to his state funeral in 1965, other noteworthy individuals may likewise lie in state.
After passing away in Scotland last Thursday, the Queen will be laid to rest for the first time in Edinburgh on September 12.
In order to participate in a parade from Holyroodhouse to St. Giles’ Cathedral, the King and Queen Consort will go to Edinburgh.
The coffin will then be carried into the cathedral at 2:55 p.m. with the Crown of Scotland perched atop it.
Beginning at 5 o’clock, mourners can view the casket at the cathedral.
Mobile phone usage is restricted, and there is a queueing system in place. Recording and taking pictures are absolutely forbidden.
The general public has been informed that significant queues are likely due to the anticipated demand for those who desire to pay their respects.
According to officials, the weather could be difficult, and standing for several hours should be expected.
On Monday morning, the Met Office predicted clouds and light rain showers, but added that the afternoon might be brighter and clearer, and Tuesday should be fine and dry.
The Queen is anticipated to be visible to Scots for about 24 hours while she is at rest.
A hearse will transport the coffin to Edinburgh airport on Tuesday, September 13 at 5 p.m. It will arrive there at 6 p.m.
As the Queen makes her way back to London, the Princess Royal will travel with the casket on the 55-minute journey to RAF Northolt.
Beginning on September 14th, the Queen will lay in state at Westminster Hall in the heart of London.
In accordance with custom, the period of honor begins five days following the deceased person’s passing, or D+5.
However, as the Queen’s passing was announced after 6 o’clock on Thursday night, the plans have been postponed one day to give additional time for preparations.
The casket will be covered with a floral wreath and the Imperial State Crown.
A ceremonial procession through London’s landmarks, including The Mall, Horse Guards, Whitehall, Parliament Square, and New Palace Yard, will take place first.
At 3 p.m., the casket will be delivered to the Palace of Westminster, where the Archbishop of Canterbury will lead a brief service.
Then, Operation Marquee, the Queen’s lying in state, will start in Westminster Hall. It will go on for four whole days.
As they did for the Queen Mother’s lying in state in 2002, hundreds of thousands of people are anticipated to file past the casket on its catafalque and pay their respects.
The weather is predicted to be dry but fresh, with a decent amount of cloud cover, chilly winds, and a probability of rain of less than 10%, from Wednesday until the funeral on Monday, September 19.
Senior royals are also anticipated to provide their own heartfelt remembrance by standing guard around the coffin at some point, a custom known as the Vigil of the Princes.
On September 18, the Queen will no longer lie in state.
The Scottish and British governments will soon provide more information on how the general public can examine the casket at St. Giles’ Cathedral and Westminster Hall.
On each of the four days the Queen is in London, it is anticipated that the public will have the opportunity to view her laying in state for 23 hours.
A massive, well-coordinated security operation will be in place, and thousands of people will line up in the streets to watch the Queen’s coffin.
Hundreds of additional officers have already been requested, said to Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy, to help control the throng.
As mourners are anticipated to line up for several hours, possibly even overnight, to pay their respects to the Queen, police are anticipating a “hugely complex” operation.
The introduction of ticketing or time slots for the process of lying in state was one backup plan that was taken into consideration in the event that the Queen had perished during the pandemic.
This is a choice that is still open for consideration.
The state funeral for the Queen will begin at Westminster Abbey at 11 a.m. on Monday, September 19, which is now a holiday.
