What happens next? Day by day after the death of the Queen
A rehearsal for the funeral service will take place inside Westminster Abbey on Saturday.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Here is a day-by-day account of what will happen, leading up to and including the Queen’s funeral on September 19.
– Saturday September 17
The lying in state continues, with representatives from the Commonwealth realms invited to pay their respects.
The King will meet the Chiefs of Staff at Buckingham Palace before visiting police headquarters, where he will thank representatives from all the emergency services involved in the planning and delivery of the events during this period.
London Fashion Week diversity fashion show takes place in honour of the late Queen. Models will carry a white lily in tribute.
The King and Queen Consort will attend a lunch for governors general, and then the King will meet realm prime ministers at Buckingham Palace.
Eight of the Queen’s grandchildren will stand vigil beside her coffin.
The Prince of Wales will stand at the head, the Duke of Sussex at the foot. William will be flanked by his cousins Zara Tindall and Peter Philips, the children of the Princess Royal, while Harry will be with the Duke of York’s daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
The Earl of Wessex’s children Lady Louise and Viscount Severn will stand near the middle.
A rehearsal for the funeral service will take place inside Westminster Abbey.
– September 18
The lying in state continues and heads of state will begin to arrive for the funeral, with many expected to sign a book of condolence at Lancaster House over the weekend.
The King will hold an audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss at Buckingham Palace.
The King and Queen Consort will host heads of state and official overseas guests at the palace, in what the King’s spokesman described as an “official state event”.
A service of reflection for the Queen at the Kelpies sculptures near Falkirk, Scotland, will see 96 lanterns, one for each year of Her Majesty’s life, being lowered into the pool of reflection at the foot of the Queen Elizabeth II Canal, before wreaths are placed into the water.
Members of the public are invited to observe a one-minute silence at 8pm to remember the Queen.
– September 19
There will be a national bank holiday to allow as many people as possible to watch the Queen’s funeral.
The funeral will be broadcast live at several cinemas and cathedrals throughout the UK, and on a big screen in Holyrood Park in front of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh.
A piper will play a lament from the decks of Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith, where the Union flag on the jackstaff will be flying at half-mast.
The King’s former school, Gordonstoun, in Morayshire, will mark the occasion by watching the funeral and with a walk of the whole school to the Coastguard watchtower at nearby Covesea, and a memorial service either in the Round Square or the school chapel, weather dependent.
Lying in state will continue until 6.30am.
The coffin will be taken in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral at 11am.
Senior members of the family are expected to follow behind, just as they did for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The military will line the streets and also join the procession. Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, members of European royal families and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000.
The service will be televised and a national two minutes’ silence will follow the Last Post being sounded at 11.55am.
Reveille, the national anthem and a lament, played by the Queen’s Piper, will bring the state funeral service to an end at approximately noon.
After the service, the coffin will be taken in procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch and then travel to Windsor.
The hearse will then travel in procession to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle via the Long Walk, after which a televised committal service will take place in St George’s Chapel.
Later in the evening, there will be a private interment service with senior members of the royal family.
The Queen’s final resting place will be the King George VI memorial chapel, an annex to the main chapel – where her mother and father were buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.
Philip’s coffin will move from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join the Queen’s.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.