King Charles IIIandPrince Williamhave made their way intoQueen Elizabeth’s funeral.
The King, 73, and the new Prince of Wales, 40, made a poignant picture as they arrived at thestate funeralfor the late Queen at the Palace of Westminster in London on Monday. The father and son, who represent the present and future of the British monarchy, were somber in military uniform for the day’s first and most formal funeral event.
Not far behind,Kate Middletonrode alongside her two childrenPrince George, 9, andPrincess Charlotte, 7, andQueen Camillato Westminster Abbey, where the funeral is being held.
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William and Kate spent last week carefully considering whether to include their eldest two children in the procession and service, PEOPLE understands. With the eyes of the world on them, their parents kept in mind the fact that Prince George and Princess Charlotte were at Westminster Abbey forPrince Philip’s memorial service in March.
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Meanwhile,Prince Harrydrove over to the meeting point with wifeMeghan Markle, before switching cars and driving to the procession point with his cousin Peter Phillips, son of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips and the eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth.
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Charles, William and Harry silently walked behind the Queen’s coffin as it ceremoniously processed across the complex on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy from Westminster Hall, where the it had laid in state for a week, to Westminster Abbey. The brothers stood shoulder to shoulder, following behind their father and the Queen’s three other children —Princess Anne,Prince AndrewandPrince Edward.
Over 2,000 people, including world leaders and foreign royals, watched as the coffin was carried up the same aisle Queen Elizabeth walked to marryPrince Philipnearly 76 years before.
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Five minutes before noon, the Last Post (the traditional bugle call of the British infantry, honoring the dead) will be played, and a two-minute silence will be observed both within Westminster Abbey and across the United Kingdom.
Then, the congregation will sing the national anthem — now “God Save the King” — as the service officially ends at 12 p.m.
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During the somber march, the King’s Troop fired guns in Hyde Park and Big Ben will toll.
At Wellington Arch (the original entrance to Buckingham Palace), the coffin will move into the State Hearse. The car will drive an hour west to Windsor Castle, where the Queen will be buried atSt. George’s Chapel.
When the hearse takes off, bound for Her Majesty’s final resting place, the parade gave a royal salute, and “God Save the King” will play again.
King Charles and his family will then depart in cars for Windsor, where the Queen will be privately interred atSt. George’s Chapelthis evening.
source: people.com
