The Queen sadly passed away on Thursday 8th September.
On Thursday 8th September, it was announced that Queen Elizabeth II had sadly passed away in Scotland following a short period of ill health.
Queen Elizabeth II's death shocked the nation. At 96, she was the longest-reining British Monarch ever to rule, and her family instantly rushed to her side to be with her for her final hours. It's thought that both Charles and Anne were by her side when she passed away.
Over the last four days, people queued for hours in the pouring rain for a chance to pay their respects, and Royalty, politicians, and well-known figures around the world have shared their own tributes, reflecting on The Queen's incredible life.
Queen Elizabeth II's funeral is taking place today, with guests already starting to arrive. So what do we know about the ceremony so far, where can you watch it, and what time does it start?
Keep scrolling for your need-t0-knows.
Queen Elizabeth II's funeral: what we know so far
When is the Queen's funeral?
It wasn't long after Her Majesty's passing before Buckingham Palace representatives confirmed that the funeral would be today, Monday 19th September. It is a public bank holiday across the UK in order for the public to mourn and pay their respects.
Longstanding plans for when the Queen did pass - named Operation London Bridge if she passed away in England and Operation Unicorn if she passed away in Scotland - always stipulated that the funeral would take place ten days after Her Majesty's passing.
This only changed because the news that she has passed was delivered later than expected, at 6:31 pm in the evening. That meant that Friday, 9th September marked Day One of national mourning, rather than including the few hours on Thursday evening after the news broke as Day One.
It's also thought that they shifted the funeral by a day to allow staff time to plan and arrange the funeral accordingly.
What time does the Queen's funeral start?
On the Royal Family's social media - where many of the announcements have been made since the Queen's passing - representatives shared that the funeral will begin at 11 am today.
The statement, which also appeared on the official Royal Family website, read: "[The funeral] of Her Majesty The Queen will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday 19th September at 1100hrs BST."
Where is the Queen lying-in-state, and what does this mean?
You've likely seen the queues on the news, snaking around Westminster Hall and lasting for as long as eleven hours.
This is because this is where Her Majesty was lying-in-state - aka, resting prior to the funeral today.
This was to allow the public the opportunity to pay their respects to their Queen, who ruled for 70 years.
The statement addressed this period: "During the lying-in-state, members of the public will have the opportunity to visit Westminster Hall to pay their respects to The Queen. On the morning of Monday 19th September, the lying-in-state will end and the Coffin will be taken in Procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey."
What will Queen Elizabeth II's funeral be like?
The Queen has been granted what is called a state funeral, a rare privilege typically reserved for monarchs. That said, non-Monarchs can be granted the privilege if both the Monarch and parliament agree.
A state funeral is different in format - for example, a gun carriage is used to transport the coffin rather than horses. The ceremony will also include a 21-gun salute.
Something you may not know - there have only ever been ten state funerals in British history, and the last was for Winston Churchill in 1965. Prince Philip was offered one before he passed but actually turned the offer down.
Will there be a minute's silence?
Yes. Big Ben chimed at 9am on Monday morning, and is scheduled to chime again at 11am when Her Majesty's coffin arrives at Westminster Abbey, with the country expected to observe a minute's silence.
There will also be a two-minute silence when the funeral ends at 11:55 am.
Where can I watch Queen Elizabeth II's funeral?
The funeral will be live on BBC One and BBC News, with pre-coverage expected to run all morning. As above, the actual funeral will begin at 11 am.
It's thought that other channels, including ITV and Sky News, will be streaming the service live, too.
All channels will also pay their respects after the funeral, the BBC by airing a specially Queen-themed The One Show, and ITV by broadcasting a documentary of the last ten days.
Big screens will be put up across the nation so that, if you don't have a TV, you can watch, too.
Can I watch Queen Elizabeth II's funeral online?
Yes, you can. If you don't have a TV but do have a laptop, head to BBC IPlayer or ITV Hub, both of which will be broadcasting the funeral live for online viewers.
Queen Elizabeth II's funeral: your timeline
Keen to make sure you don't miss anything? Screenshot the below.
- 8 am - The 2,000 or so guests invited will begin to arrive at Westminster Abbey.
- 11 am - The funeral of Queen Elizabeth II will begins and will be streamed worldwide.
- 11:55 am - The funeral ends, and a two-minute silence will be observed.
- 1 pm - The funeral procession will move along The Mall
- 1.15 pm - The Queen's coffin is transported to Windsor via hearse
- 3:10 pm - The coffin arrives at Long Walk so that mourners can bid farewell.
Our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this difficult time.
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