French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte gathered in front of the coffin of Elizabeth II in London this Sunday evening, on the eve of the funeral of the sovereign who died after 70 years. At the same time, the country held a minute’s silence in honor of the Queen.
The French President, in turn, bowed to the remains of Elizabeth II this Sunday evening from a gallery in Westminster Hall, where the public has been parading for several days and where American President Joe Biden and the President of the European Commission have also paraded throughout the day came Ursula von der Leyen.
At the same time, the UK froze in a minute’s silence in memory of the monarch, who died on September 8 after more than 70 years of reign. Brits had been invited to celebrate the solemn moment in their homes, on their doorsteps or on their streets, or at community events and vigils.
This Monday is a public holiday in the UK for this state funeral, the first since that of Winston Churchill in 1965. Some 2,000 guests, including leaders from around the world, will gather at Westminster Abbey, where they will meet Meet Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953, the culmination of tributes paid in immense emotion to worldwide popularity since the monarch’s death.
The funeral will begin at 11 a.m. local time (12 p.m. in France). They are chaired by the Dean of Westminster, David Hoyle. The homily will be delivered by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, spiritual leader of the Anglican Church, of which the British Sovereign is the formal head.
An hour later, the ceremony ends with the national anthem. The coffin is then hauled from the gun carriage towards Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner near Buckingham Palace, followed by the royal family and a procession, to the sounds of Big Ben and cannon shots. The crowd should be massaged during this course. The funeral will be broadcast nationwide on big screens and in cinemas.