Queen Elizabeth II: Walking behind coffin brought back memories of Diana's funeral, says William

Summary

The Prince and Princess of Wales have today greeted crowds in Sandringham and looked at the floral tributes left there
Prince William told well-wishers that walking behind the Queen's coffin brought back memories of his mother's funeral
New details of the Queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday 19 September have been set out
There will be a national two-minute silence at the end of the service, and a procession through London will follow
Along the Thames, people are waiting to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II - the queue is nearly 5 miles (7.9km) long
King Charles III spent the day at his country home, Highgrove

Live Reporting

Edited by Marianna Brady

Queen Consort and Princess of Wales leave Buckingham Palacepublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Fergal Keane
Commentating on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
Image source, Reuters
As the procession continues, the Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Duchess of Sussex and Countess of Wessex have all departed Buckingham Palace by car.
They are leaving from the Grand Entrance and are travelling to the Palace of Westminster.
There they will be ready to meet the cortege when it arrives shortly.
Imperial State Crown rests on Queen's coffinpublished at 14:54 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
The coffin is draped in the Royal Standard, on which sits the Imperial State Crown on a velvet cushion.
The wreath of flowers has white roses, spray white roses, white dahlias and a selection of foliage from Balmoral and Windsor.
Image source, AFP
Image source, Reuters
Crowd applauds as coffin passespublished at 14:53 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
A moment of appreciation there from the crowd - applause broke out as the cortege crossed Horse Guards Parade.
Queen's carriage heads down Whitehallpublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
A right turn onto Whitehall now, as the Queen’s gun carriage heads down one of London’s most iconic streets which houses many key government buildings.
It’s also home to the UK’s primary war memorial, the Cenotaph - used in annual remembrance events, which the Queen seldom missed during her long life of service.
The Queen's relationship with the armed forcespublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Image source, PA Media
Image caption,
Then-Princess Elizabeth learned to drive military vehicles during World War Two
Hundreds of members of the armed forces are involved in this afternoon’s procession.
The Queen herself was a World War Two veteran.
In 1945, as then Princess Elizabeth, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), and later learned to drive and maintain vehicles.
She remained a champion of the Army, Navy and RAF throughout her life, and held over 50 ranks and appointments in the UK and Commonwealth Armed Forces.
The Queen supported veterans of the armed forces through her many patronages, including the Royal British Legion.
Watch: King Charles, his siblings and sons walk behind Queen coffinpublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
King Charles III walks behind his mother's coffin.
By his side are other members of the Royal Family including Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Prince Harry and Prince William.
Procession crosses Horse Guards Paradepublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Now the Queen’s gun carriage moves across Horse Guards Parade: a ceremonial parade ground in St James’s Park which dates back to the 18th Century.
It features each year in Trooping the Colour: a key part of the Queen’s official birthday celebrations, during which the monarch inspects her troops.
Members of the King’s Life Guard - a senior Army regiment - are expected to give a salute as the Queen’s coffin passes through Horse Guards Arch.
Drums keep time as procession travels at funereal pacepublished at 14:47 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
The procession stepped off at a pace of 75 steps per minute - a tempo typically reserved for funerals.
As you’d expect, everything has been planned with solemnity in mind.
A drum is being hit at the same tempo.
Keeping to that pace is supposed to ensure that the procession reaches Westminster Hall at precisely 15:00.
In pictures: Procession heads to Westminsterpublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Drumbeat and tolling of Big Ben punctuate this processionpublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Fergal Keane
Commentating on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
Image source, PA Media
The steady beating of the drums and the ringing of Big Ben every minute - these are the sounds echoing across the capital.
It is poignant to reflect that The Mall was recently the backdrop for the Queen's Jubilee celebrations in June.
The celebrations also marked the last time the Queen last appeared on Buckingham Palace's balcony, with crowds flocking to see her.
Watch: Queen Elizabeth II leaves Buckingham Palace for final timepublished at 14:41 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Queen’s coffin travels along The Mallpublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin is now travelling along The Mall.
The long, straight, tree-lined boulevard has witnessed countless royal processions over the centuries, including this year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations which marked the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.
Streets of Westminster fall quietpublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
An unusual quietude has descended over what are normally some of the capital’s busiest streets.
But guns are being fired once a minute by the King’s Troop Royal Artillery.
This is a ceremonial mounted unit of the British Army which fires salutes on major royal and state occasions.
It has six 13-pounder quickfire guns, all of which saw active service in World War I and World War II.
Nearby, Big Ben is also tolling at 60-second intervals throughout the Queen’s 38-minute journey to the Palace of Westminster.
Some of the uniforms of regiments in the processionpublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Dominic Bailey
BBC News Visual Journalism Team
Different military regiments are taking part in the procession.
The coffin is travelling on a gun carriage of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, pulled by a team of horses with riders wearing ceremonial dress.
Image source, .
The Household Cavalry is represented by the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals.
The Life Guards wear a red tunic and Albert helmet with white plume - made from yak or horse hair or nylon. The Blues and Royals wear a blue tunic, with a red-plumed helmet.
Another noticeable difference is that the Blues and Royals wear their chin strap under their chin - whereas the Life Guards wear it below their lower lip.
Perhaps the most recognisable uniform on display is that of the Grenadier Guards with their scarlet tunics and bearskin "caps" – said to have first been worn after victory over Napoleon’s troops in 1815 as they make troops appear taller and more intimidating.
No military uniforms for Princes Andrew or Harrypublished at 14:34 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Image source, Reuters
King Charles III and his siblings Princess Anne and Prince Edward, as well as his son Prince William, are wearing military uniforms today.
But the King’s brother Prince Andrew and his other son Prince Harry are both in suits.
Prince Harry is no longer a working member of the Royal Family, having taken a decision with his wife Meghan in 2020 to step back.
Ahead of the procession, his spokesperson said: “His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
Prince Andrew, too, is no longer a working royal. He lost his military titles earlier this year - shortly before he settled a civil sexual assault lawsuit in the US, in which he denied any wrongdoing.
The King, Prince Harry and Prince William accompany the coffinpublished at 14:31 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Image source, Reuters
We’ve now caught sight of members of the Royal Family participating in today’s procession.
King Charles III and his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, are following the Queen’s gun carriage on foot.
The Queen’s other children, Princes Andrew and Edward and Princess Anne are also walking behind the coffin.
We’re also expecting to see Anne’s husband Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and her son Peter Phillips, as well as the Queen’s cousin the Duke of Gloucester and her nephew the Earl of Snowdon.
Up to 1,000 members of the armed forces are also taking part, wearing ceremonial dress.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, is travelling to Westminster Hall by car, as is the new Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex.
A moment of symbolic unitypublished at 14:29 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent
Image source, Reuters
In a moment of symbolic unity, Prince William and Prince Harry walked side-by-side behind the Queen's coffin as it left Buckingham Palace.
Along with King Charles and other members of the Royal Family, they are processing to Westminster Hall where the Queen will lie in state.
The sight of the brothers together, walking behind the coffin, will evoke poignant memories of their mother Diana's funeral 25 years ago.
Crowds clap the solemn procession.
The Queen's coffin, carried on a gun carriage, passed below the Buckingham Palace balcony where only three months ago she appeared for the final moments of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
How is the Queen’s coffin travelling?published at 14:28 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is being carried by a gun carriage of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery - a mounted unit which is used to mark grand state occasions.
Pall bearers are flanking the vehicle, as are an escort party and bearer party, both comprising members of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards.
Further members of the Armed Forces and the Queen’s staff are at the front of the coffin.
Royal Family members, including King Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry, as well as other staff members are walking behind.
Mounted members of London’s Metropolitan Police appear at the very front and back of the procession.
The Queen’s coffin has been draped in Royal Standard, on top of which the Imperial State Crown has been placed on a velvet cushion.
A wreath of flowers includes white roses, spray white roses, white dahlias and a selection of foliage from the Queen’s residences at Balmoral and Windsor.
The Queen’s route to the Palace of Westminsterpublished at 14:26 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
Huge crowds have assembled along the route of the procession in central London as people hope to get a glimpse of the Queen's coffin during today’s short, sombre journey.
It starts at Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of the UK sovereign since 1837.
The Queen’s coffin is being taken to Westminster Hall, the oldest building in the Palace of Westminster, where she will lie in state in keeping with royal tradition.
Her mother did the same thing in 2002.
Image source, .
Queen's coffin leaves Buckingham Palacepublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 14 September 2022
The Queen's coffin is now leaving Buckingham Palace, followed on foot by King Charles III, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex and other senior royals.
Watch the whole procession by clicking the play button or picture at the top of this page.