Windsor Castle: Hundreds queue to visit Queen's final resting place
- Published
Hundreds of people have been queuing outside Windsor Castle to see the final resting place of Queen Elizabeth II.
The monarch's former home has reopened to the public, following her death on 8 September.
She was buried with her husband, Prince Philip, and alongside the remains of her mother, father and sister in St George's Chapel following her funeral.
On Saturday, Buckingham Palace released a photo of the ledger stone that marks the spot where the family are interred.
It replaces a previous slab dedicated to George VI and the Queen Mother.
The fresh stone now reads "George VI 1895-1952" and "Elizabeth 1900-2002" followed by a metal Garter Star, and then "Elizabeth II 1926-2022" and "Philip 1921-2021".
Inside the grounds of Windsor Castle, the queue into St George's Chapel was long, running the whole way along the outside of the building.
Once inside, people were asked not to stop or take photos as they walked slowly past the gravestone.
The castle opened its gates to the public at 10:00 BST
Among the first in the queue was Darren Martin who had travelled from Melbourne, Australia, following the Queen's death.
The 43-year-old said he had queued to see the monarch lying in state, camped out for the funeral and driven to Balmoral, Holyroodhouse and Sandringham to pay his respects.
"I've come here today for my final send-off before I go back home," Mr Martin said.
"She was somebody that I admired very much for her service, everything that she did and everything she stood for.
"My grandparents liked the Royal Family. My grandmother reminded me of the Queen. As a child I fantasised about my own grandmother being the Queen and that stood with me throughout my life."
He said he had brought his 85-year-old grandparents to the UK in 2013 to visit the royal sites. "It's been quite an emotional experience coming back," he added.
"But I think it was just something I felt really deeply and strongly about doing."
Grace Gothard, from south London, and Anne Daley, who got the 05:07 train from Cardiff, were at the head of the queue
For Grace Gothard and Anne Daley the sight of the ledger stone had been emotional and emphasised the "finality" of the Queen's reign.
"It was sad to see her lying down there, like we saw in Westminster. It was so emotional," Ms Gothard said.
"I'm so glad I've seen her for the last time."
Ms Daley added: "That's finality, seeing the gravestone. It confirms to you that that's it over and done. Elizabeth II... that's her reign finished."
The freshly engraved stone features the names of the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Queen's parents
All four royals - the Queen, her parents and Prince Philip - were members of the Order of the Garter, the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system. The order of chivalry dates back to medieval times and is made up of the monarch and other senior figures, including ex-prime ministers and former military chiefs.
The Queen's sister Princess Margaret, who died in 2002, was cremated and her ashes were initially placed in the Royal Vault of St George's Chapel, before being moved to the George VI memorial chapel with her parents' coffins when the Queen Mother died a few weeks later.
A general admission ticket allows access to St George's Chapel which is in the castle's grounds, within which the ledger stone can be viewed in the George VI Memorial Chapel.
Entry to the castle is £28.50 for adults on Saturdays and £26.50 on other days, according to the chapel's website, and can be booked in advance.
St George's Chapel is not open to visitors on Sundays, when it is only open for worship.
On the day of the Queen's funeral her coffin was taken to St George's Chapel after a service in London
The new ledger stone is made of hand-carved Belgian black marble with brass letter inlays, to match the previous ledger stone.
The Queen was laid to rest in a private burial at George VI Memorial Chapel attended by King Charles III and immediate family members on 19 September.
The service in the evening followed the public elements of the day - the Queen's state funeral at Westminster Abbey and committal service in Windsor.
The memorial chapel was commissioned by the Queen in 1962 as a burial place for her father King George VI and was designed by George Pace. The pale stone annexe was added on to the north side of the building behind the North Quire Aisle and was completed in 1969.
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. It was founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th Century and has since been the home of 40 monarchs.
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