Thousands Pay Tribute as Britain Says Final Farewell to Its Queen

THE NEW YORK TIMES: More than 100 world leaders, including President Biden, attended the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II, and Britons lined the streets for a procession that took her to her final resting place at Windsor Castle.


After a state funeral at Westminster Abbey and a procession across central London, Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin was lowered into the royal vault of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. | Andrew Testa for The New York Times
LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest on Monday after a majestic state funeral that drew tens of millions of Britons together in a vast expression of grief and gratitude, as they bade farewell to a sovereign whose seven-decade reign had spanned their lives and defined their times.

It was the culmination of 10 days of mourning since the queen died on Sept. 8 in Scotland — a highly choreographed series of rituals that fell amid a deepening economic crisis and a fraught political transition in Britain — and yet everything about the day seemed destined to be etched into history.

Tens of thousands of people lined the route of the cortege past the landmarks of London. In Hyde Park, people watching the service on large screens joined in “The Lord’s Prayer” when it was recited at Westminster Abbey. Thousands more cheered, many strewing flowers in the path of her glass-topped hearse, as the queen’s coffin was driven to Windsor Castle, where she was buried next to her husband, Prince Philip.

“In this changing world, she was a pillar of the old world,” said Richard Roe, 36, who works in finance in Zurich and flew home for the funeral. “It’s nice to have something that’s stable and stands for good values.”

An unbroken thread of sadness ran through the day, but also an acute sense of uncertainty. The queen, who died at 96, was one of the last living links to World War II and the twilight of Britain’s imperial age. The country she embodied with such dignity has fundamentally changed. » | Mark Landler | Monday, September 19, 2022

Queen Elizabeth II Is Buried at Windsor Alongside Her Husband, Prince Philip: After a state funeral at Westminster Abbey and a procession across central London, the British monarch was interred at the King George VI Memorial Chapel. »

Prince William Moves Into the Spotlight as Heir to the Throne: Many royal watchers and historians are looking to William and his wife, Catherine, who rank high in popularity polls, as the long-term future of the British monarchy. »

The Guardian view on the Queen’s funeral: stirring emotions that transcend logic: Ministers want to reduce workers’ rights and increase bankers’ bonuses. They should be brave enough to reform the crown »

Royal Family Turns Out in Flawless Fashion for the Queen’s Funeral

THE GUARDIAN: From pillbox hats to pearls and sharp tailoring, the dress code was one of resplendent solemnity

The Queen Consort with, left, the Duchess of Sussex and, right, Prince George, the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte. Photograph: Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock
There was not a hair out of place, nor a shoe unpolished. Not one speck of lint on a jacket was to be seen. For the grandest, most gorgeous of occasions the dress code was resplendent solemnity, in pearls and pillbox hats, high heels and sharp tailoring.

For the royal family this was, as the archbishop of Canterbury noted, a portrait of grief under the brightest spotlight. The Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex found a little privacy under wide-brimmed hats, or veils, or both. And while Britain was looking at the royal family, the rest of the world was looking at Britain. » | Jess Cartner-Morley | Monday, September 19, 2022

LIVE: Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral

Watch live coverage of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral held at Westminster Abbey. Heads of state, members of the Royal Family, and others will attend.

The Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II - BBC News

Live coverage of HM Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral at Westminster Abbey in London and the committal service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
Embedding on external websites has been disallowed by the BBC. Therefore, it has to be watched on YouTube itself; so, in order to watch this coverage, please click here

Queen Elizabeth II: Final Preparations Made for First State Funeral since Winston Churchill

Final preparations are underway here at Westminster Abbey ahead of the Queen's state funeral tomorrow morning - the first since Winston Churchill's in 1965.

Crowds have continued to make their way into central London, some queuing for the lying-in-state, while others are camping out alongside the funeral route, ready to witness this historic occasion.

Hundreds of foreign dignitaries are also now here - they'll be inside the Abbey for the service itself.

But there will also be some special invited guests there, who've been rewarded by the Queen in the past for their service to the country.

‘Stain on Queen’s Memory’: Saudi Crown Prince’s Planned Visit Condemned

THE GUARDIAN: Hatice Cengiz, fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and other campaigners condemn plan

Mohammed bin Salman plans to visit London to pay respects to the Queen, a visit that has been condemned by human rights activists Photograph: Bandar al-Jaloud/Saudi Royal Palace/AFP/Getty Images
Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to touch down in London on Sunday to pay his respects to the Queen has been condemned by Hatice Cengiz and other human rights defenders as a “stain” on the monarch’s memory and an attempt by the Saudi crown prince to use mourning to “seek legitimacy and normalisation”.

Cengiz, who was engaged to Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist who was killed and dismembered by Saudi agents in the Istanbul consulate in 2018, said she wished that Prince Mohammed would be arrested for murder when he lands in London, but said she feared that UK authorities would turn a blind eye to serious and credible allegations against the future king.

A source has told the Guardian that Prince Mohammed will travel to the UK to deliver his kingdom’s condolences to the royal family, though there was no confirmation or information about whether he would attend the funeral service at Westminster Abbey. CNN Arabic first reported the news on Thursday night. » | Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington | Friday, September 16, 2022

Queen's Funeral Guests: Who Will - and Who Won't - Attend

GETTY IMAGES
BBC: The Queen's funeral on Monday is set to be one of the biggest gatherings of royalty and politicians hosted in the UK for decades.

Invitations went out over the weekend, with some 500 heads of state and foreign dignitaries expected to attend.

The majority of leaders have been asked to arrive on commercial flights and told they will be bussed en masse from a site in west London.

The ceremony at Westminster Abbey has a capacity for around 2,200 people.

Here's what we know so far about who will and won't be in attendance.

Members of royal families from across Europe, many of whom were blood relatives of the Queen, are expected.

Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde have confirmed they will be there, as have King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his wife, Queen Maxima, along with his mother, former Dutch queen Princess Beatrix.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain have also accepted an invitation, as have the royal families of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Monaco.

The White House has confirmed that President Joe Biden will attend along with First Lady Jill Biden, although they are understood not to be travelling to the service by bus. » | BBC | Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Foreign Dignitaries Must Share Buses to Travel to the Queen’s Funeral

THE GUARDIAN: Government guidance sets out strict rules urging international royalty and presidents to travel by commercial flights

A floral tribute to Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace in London. Photograph: Stéphane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images
Foreign heads of state arriving for the Queen’s funeral must travel by bus en masse to Westminster Abbey, rather than using private cars, according to newly issued government guidance.

The documents, seen by the Guardian, set out strict rules for the dozens of international presidents, kings, queens and prime ministers expected to attend the funeral, urging them to travel by commercial flights to avoid swamping London’s airports.

The instructions lay bare the logistical challenge of accommodating the sheer number of overseas dignitaries who will be arriving in London over next weekend – and will pose a dilemma for Joe Biden, who is likely to require a significant amount of additional security. The US president has confirmed he will attend the funeral in person. » | Jessica Elgot and Pippa Crerar | Sunday, September 11, 2022

‘Biden would never ride a bus’: UK and US play down strict rules for Queen’s funeral: Liz Truss’s spokesperson says ‘arrangements will vary’ as more foreign dignitaries confirm attendance »

Germany: Merkel and Kissinger Bid Farewell to Former-Chancellor Helmut Schmidt

The state funeral for the former chancellor, Helmut Schmidt, took place at the Saint Michael's church in his hometown Hamburg, Monday. Schmidt died on November 10 at the age of 96-years-old.

Italy to Hold State Funeral for Shipwreck Migrants

José Manuel Barroso, European Commission President

BBC: Italy is to hold a state funeral for the hundreds of migrants who died after their boat capsized close to the island of Lampedusa last Thursday.

Prime Minister Enrico Letta made the announcement during a visit to the island with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

Mr Barroso pledged 30m euros ($40m; £25m) of EU funds to help refugees in Italy.

At least 274 people, mostly from Eritrea and Somalia, died in the wreck.

Of more than 500 people on board, only 155 have survived. Divers are recovering bodies.

It is one of Italy's worst disasters involving a boat carrying Europe-bound migrants from Africa.

Lampedusa is a key destination for such boats and many residents have long complained that the authorities in Italy and the European Union are not doing enough to deal with the thousands of migrants who come ashore each year. » | Wednesday, October 09, 2013

Hugo Chávez Funeral
Venezuela mourns Hugo Chávez, who died after a two-year battle with cancer on Tuesday, at his state funeral in Caracas. Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Cuba's Raul Castro joined about 30 other heads of state to pay respect to the charismatic and controversial leader. Thousands gathered in silence outside the ceremony watching the service on big screens