Queen's funeral: 'It means a lot that she wanted her people there'

Natalie Queiroz survived being stabbed 24 times while heavily pregnant in 2016

A stabbing survivor who was made MBE for her campaign work said she was honoured to be invited to attend the Queen's funeral.

Natalie Queiroz, from Birmingham, was almost killed when she was stabbed 24 times while heavily pregnant in 2016.

She was recognised in the Queen's last birthday honours list in June.

"It is really humbling and I think it's testament to Her Majesty that she wanted it to be that members of the public were invited," Ms Queiroz said.

The Queen's state funeral service will be held at Westminster Abbey from 11:00 BST.

Hundreds of thousands of people queued to file past the Queen's coffin, with the final mourners leaving just after 06:30

Ms Queiroz said she was "totally speechless" to have been invited to the ceremony and that it was "an incredible honour".

"I think it reflects Her Majesty because she wanted to be always in touch with her people and even in her final moments, she's made sure that her people are here represented.

"It's not just statesmen, it's not just heads of state or just royalty, and I think that really reflects our Queen who will be really, really missed."

After she and her baby survived the knife attack in Sutton Coldfield, Ms Queiroz began working with young people, sharing her experience of the realities of being a victim of knife crime.

It was for this work that she was recognised by the Queen earlier this year.

"It was such an emotional moment when we heard of [the Queen's] passing," she said.

"To be able to say quietly to myself, which I will when she passes by, thank you for everything and to pay my respects, it is really humbling."

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