Queen's funeral from space: Stunning satellite images capture the huge scale of procession through the streets of London with hundreds of thousands lining the streets to say their final farewells
- 2million people flocked to London to say farewell to Britain's longest serving monarch who died 11 days ago
- 4billion people watched on TV as the Queen was carried on a gun carriage from Westminster Hall to the abbey
- She was then moved through London to Wellington Arch and Windsor for burial after the solemn procession
- The Queen's funeral: All the latest Royal Family news and coverage
By CHARLOTTE MCLAUGHLIN FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 05:20 AEST, 20 September 2022 | UPDATED: 06:03 AEST, 20 September 2022
Stunning satellite images have captured the huge scale of the Queen's funeral procession through the streets of London with hundreds of thousands lining the roads to say their final farewells after spots filled up to see the solemn procession at 9am this morning.
Up to 2million people crowded into central London to see the coffin after the state funeral at Westminster Abbey attended by 2,000 royals, heads of state and 200 members of the public.
And these stunning moments from Westminster Abbey to the Mall, and through the Albert Memorial have been captured from above showing the sheer scale of the crowds who lined central London's streets to catch a glimpse of the casket and tens of thousands were squeezed into Hyde Park to watch the momentous event on screens along with 4billion people who watched the funeral on TV.
Mourners covered the royal hearse in flowers as it travelled to Windsor from Wellington Arch this afternoon after the Queen was carried past Buckingham Palace for a final time.
The crowd was so dense that those at the back could only view the procession through their phones held high on selfie sticks while children sat on their parents' shoulders and some clapped as the procession passed by.
Thousands of people also fell silent, held their phones aloft and waved flags as the Queen's coffin passed along the Long Walk towards St George's Chapel.
This morning the last of the 400,000 people to see the Queen lying in state paid their respects before she was carried on a gun carriage from Westminster Hall to the church where she married and was crowned as an estimated 4billion people watched on TV worldwide.
The Queen is tonight going to be laid to rest to be with her beloved Prince Philip after her crown, orb and sceptre were removed from her coffin so she could descend into her grave 'as a simple Christian soul'.
A satellite image shows the procession for late Queen Elizabeth and crowds at horse guards parade, in London earlier today as thousands of people fell silent, held their phones aloft and waved flags as the Queen's coffin passed by
Huge crowds are pictured gathering at Hyde Park, in London on Monday as they watched the Monarch's funeral from big screens in the park. It is also one of the other official areas to lay flowers for the Queen
A satellite image shows a closer view of the funeral procession for late Queen Elizabeth leaving Westminster Abbey
After being taken by gun carriage from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, the State Hearse carried the Queen's coffin west along the south edge of Hyde Park in central London, before passing through Queens Gate and heading down Cromwell Road
Her Majesty returned home to Windsor to be reunited for eternity with her husband, father, mother and sister in the royal crypt at St George's Chapel as her 70-year reign came to an end this evening.
The Royal Family stood at the end of the short committal service as the Queen was slowly lowered while the Dean of Windsor said: 'Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul.' He also offered the commendation - a prayer in which the deceased is entrusted to God's mercy.
Moments earlier the Dean had placed her crown and other crown jewels on the altar before the Lord Chamberlain snapped his staff of office - signifying the severing of the Queen from her public service in death.
The Garter King of Arms then pronounced the styles and titles of the Queen as all power moved to her son, the King, before the coffin was lowered to the lament of a lone piper and Britain and the world said a tender farewell to the late monarch following 70 years of service to the nation.
Charles looked deeply moved as the Queen's oak coffin descended to the crypt on a day where he appeared tearful on a number of occasions as he said goodbye to his 'Mama', the 12th British monarch to be buried at Windsor.
Her Majesty's long journey to her final resting place - and to be reunited with the Duke of Edinburgh - began in Balmoral on the day of her death 11 days ago and will end with her private interment next to her 'strength and stay' Philip this evening where the King will scatter earth on his mother's coffin at a private family service.
A satellite image shows an overview of the funeral procession for late Queen Elizabeth leaving Westminster Abbey
The crowds at the Mall to catch a glimpse of the Horse Guards Parade and Buckingham Palace as the coffin and royals make their journey from Westminster to Windsor for the Queen's final rest
The Victoria Memorial can be seen in the middle of this image as the crowds surround line up on the sides near Buckingham Palace
It is estimated that over a million people flocked to royal sites as thousands, pictured here, could be seen watching the funeral procession route, near Hyde Park
The funeral procession route then passes the Albert Memorial, in London as those lucky to get a spot, which was full by 9am, arrived to see the Queen make her last journey to Windsor
A satellite image shows a closer view of the funeral procession for late Queen Elizabeth leaving Westminster Abbey
That private service, which is due to start at 7.30pm, is believed to be taking place at the moment.
Britain's longest reigning monarch had been carried into the historic church followed by Charles III, her children and grandchildren including Prince Harry and Prince William. St George's was where the Queen had sat alone during the funeral of Prince Philip last year - in one of the most poignant images of the pandemic - and it was where she had loved to worship for so many years when at Windsor.
Members of the congregation include the late monarch's nearest and dearest, her household staff past and present, and foreign royal families.
A wreath from Number 10, signed by Prime Minister Liz Truss, sits close to the door of the chapel, and says: 'For a lifetime of devotion and duty we offer our deep and sincere gratitude.'
Flowers of all kinds cover the area around the chapel, from bouquets of red roses to pink lilies to potted plants to wreaths from foreign royals.
Inside one of the main entrances to the chapel, a floral arrangement of white blossoms sits in full bloom.
Among the flowers in the chapel were lilies, dahlias, roses, and greenery including Eucalyptus and other greenery picked from Home Park.
People take selfies as they wait for the State Funeral Procession of Queen Elizabeth II on Whitehall
Mourners wrapped in blankets wait with others at Horse Guards ahead of the State Funeral Of Queen Elizabeth II after camped
People slept on the floor and on chairs wrapped in blankets ahead of the first state funeral for almost 60 years
US President Joe Biden is seen standing next to his seat as French President Emmanuel Macron looks pensive in a nearby aisle
King Charles III, Camilla, the Queen Consort, Princess Anne, and her husband Vice Admiral Tim Laurence, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince William, and Kate, Princess of Wales with their children Princess Charlotte of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, David Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowden, Peter Phillips, The Duke of Gloucester, Prince Michael of Kent and the Duke of Kent follow the coffin
The service, with a strong thread of tradition running throughout, was discussed with the Queen over a number of years and all the prayers and hymns were chosen by her - apart from one.
The Queen left one hymn to be chosen at the time, and after a discussion between the King and the Dean of Windsor David Conner, the hymn chosen was Westminster Abbey adapted from the Alleluyas in Purcell's O God, Thou art my God.
The Mall was a frenzy of activity yesterday, as people arrived to lay flowers nearby, get a glimpse of Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Parade, and bag their vantage points for the funeral procession as it makes its way from Westminster to Windsor.
Tim Thompson, 35, from New Brunswick in Canada, and Charlie Shirley, 36, from north London, also slept in a tent on the Mall.
The pair became friends after being sat next to each other for William and Kate's wedding in 2011, and resumed their same spot together on Saturday.
Miss Shirley said: 'We do all the royal events together, it's like we're a family.
'I saw Tim at the Queen's Jubilee and we said that the next time we see each other would probably be at the Queen's funeral – we didn't expect it to be three months later.'
Mr Thompson said: 'I keep four days' holiday a year for royal events, so I had to be here.'
American businesswoman Nicole Alford, 40, paid around £1,300 for a last-minute flight to London on Thursday, and said she would camp out until after the funeral.
The Abbey, where the Queen was crowned in 1953, was the church where her state funeral was held in an extraordinary event attended by 2,000 VIPs, royals and heads of state
The Queen's coffin crosses Horse Guards Parade this afternoon
The funeral procession marches down The Mall following the service at Westminster Abbey, on the day of the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth. Her children and grandchildren followed with other royals in their cars
In extraordinary and moving scenes, the Queen left London as flowers were thrown at the hearse as she made her way to Windsor
In extraordinary and moving scenes, an estimated 2million well-wishers lined the streets to say farewell to Britain's longest reigning monarch, Elizabeth II, with showers of bouquets greeting her hearse as it drove from West London to Berkshire
The Queen heads towards Windsor Castle where she will be reunited with Prince Philip
Huge crowds cheer the Queen and throw flowers in her path
The Queen's coffin head along The Long Walk to Windsor Castle ahead of her burial
Mourners watch the State Hearse of Queen Elizabeth II as it drives along the Long Walk ahead of the Committal Service for Queen Elizabeth II
The King looks moved as her mother is finally laid to rest during the service of committal
The Queen is laid to rest for eternity in St George's Chapel in Windsor as her coffin is lowered into the royal vault following her state funeral at Westminster Abbey this morning
She said: 'You don't come all this way and then watch it on the TV. I want a front-seat of history.
'My mom said: 'I can't believe you're doing that.'
'I said: 'I can't believe you didn't think I would do that.'
'Everybody thinks I'm crazy, but I managed five-and-a-half hours' uninterrupted sleep on my first night camping out here, so I'm fine.'
Semi-retired teacher Ian Rhodes, 66, and his wife Sue, 58, from Alton in Staffordshire, arrived at the Mall at 11am yesterday to claim their spot – although they said they would sleep in deckchairs rather than pitch a tent.
Mr Rhodes said: 'The only other time I've queued overnight for anything was when Stoke City got to Wembley for the cup final in 1972, and I waited overnight at the club shop with my friends to get tickets.
'People have said we're mad, but sanity is relative.'
Mrs Rhodes said the couple's two adult sons were a bit concerned about their parents 'roughing it' overnight in London, but said: 'I told them we were going to do it anyway – when has their mother ever done what she was told?'
Paulette Galley, from Boston in Lincolnshire, said she was determined to stay on The Mall overnight.
The 54-year-old kitchen assistant, originally from south London, said: 'I might not get any sleep but I don't care. She was my Queen, and I want to pay my respects to her.
'There is no way I wouldn't be here.'