Queen Elizabeth laid to rest, remembered for 'life of unstinting service'

The United Kingdom and the world said a final farewell to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday with a state funeral that drew presidents and kings, princes and prime ministers and crowds in the streets of London and at Windsor Castle to honour a monarch whose 70-year reign defined an age.

Some six hours after the state funeral, the Queen's coffin was lowered into a vault through an opening in the floor at Windsor Castle's chapel,ahead of a private burial service for members of the Royal Family.

Elizabeth's funeral procession arrived at the west gate of the medieval abbey shortly before the service at 11 a.m. local time andthe trappings of state and monarchy abounded: The coffin was draped with the Royal Standard and atop it sat the Imperial State Crown, sparkling with almost 3,000 diamonds, and the sovereign's orb and sceptre.

Before the service, a bell tolled 96 times once a minute for each year of Elizabeth's life. Then, 142 Royal Navy sailors used ropes to draw the gun carriage carrying her coffin to Westminster Abbey, where pallbearers bore it inside.

WATCH l Queen Elizabeth's coffin is carried to Westminster Abbey:

Queen Elizabeth's coffin travels to Westminster Abbey

2 years ago

Duration 4:32

Queen Elizabeth's coffin travels by gun carriage to the funeral service at Westminster Abbey in London.

But the personal was also present: The coffin was followed into the church by generations of Elizabeth's descendants, including King Charles III, heir to the throne Prince William and nine-year-old George, who is second in line. On a wreath atop the coffin, a handwritten note read, "In loving and devoted memory," and was signed Charles R for Rex, or king.

David Hoyle, the dean of Westminster, began the service offering prayers for her family and recognizing "her unswerving commitment to a high calling over so many years."

"Here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, we gather from across the nation, from the Commonwealth, and from the nations of the world, to mourn our loss, to remember her long life of selfless service, and in sure confidence to commit her to the mercy of God our maker and redeemer," Hoyletold the mourners.

WATCH | The Queen's coffin is carried through London after the funeral:

Queen's coffin carried through London after funeral

2 years ago

Duration 3:13

Queen Elizabeth's coffin was taken by gun carriage from Westminster Abbey through the streets of central London to Wellington Arch. It was then placed on a hearse to travel to Windsor Castle for the committal service.

The service ended with two minutes of silence observed across the United Kingdom, after which the attendees sang the national anthem, now titled God Save the King.

The service, taking place where Elizabeth was married in 1947 and crowned in 1953, was attended by 2,000 people, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron. In addition, about 200 members of the British public previously recognized during this year's Queen's Jubilee for volunteer efforts were in attendance.

WATCH | Some of the Queen's comments about Canada over the years:

Queen Elizabeth talks about Canada

2 years ago

Duration 0:44

Over her 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth made 22 official visits to Canada. Here are a few comments she made over the years while visiting.

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, spoke at the service, telling the congregation that the grief felt by so many across Britain and the wider world reflected the late monarch's "abundant life and loving service."

"Her late majesty famously declared on a 21st birthday broadcast that her whole life would be dedicated to serving the nation and Commonwealth," he said. "Rarely has such a promise been so well kept. Few leaders receive the outpouring of love that we have seen."

After the service in the abbey,a procession through the streets of London took the Queen's coffin to WindsorCastle for a committal service at St. George's Chapel. Many of those who lined the routetossed flowers at the cortege as it passed. Millions more tuned into the funeral live, and crowds flocked to parks and public spaces across the U.K. to watch it on screens.

As the coffin arrived at the castle, there were poignant reminders of Queen Elizabeth'slove of animals: A groom stood at the roadside with one of her ponies, Emma, and another member of staff held the leashes of two of her beloved corgis, Sandy and Muick.

WATCH | Historian Dan Snow reflects on the age of Queen Elizabeth:

Messages and symbols you may have missed during the Queen's funeral

2 years ago

Duration 3:55

British historian Dan Snow talks about the messages and symbols that were present during the Queen's funeral and discusses the work ahead for the new king.

David Conner, dean of Windsor, began the remarks at the service by noting the Queen's "profound Christian faith" and "life of unstinting service to the nation, the Commonwealth and the wider world."

"In the midst of our rapidly changing and frequently troubled world, her calm and dignified presence has given us confidence to face the future as she did, with courage and with hope," Conner told about 800 guests.

At the committal ceremony the Imperial State Crown and the sovereign's orb and sceptre were removed from the coffin and placed on the altar separating the Queen from her crown for the last time.

The Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the royal household, then broke his Wand of Office, signifying the end of his service to the sovereign, and placed it on the casket, which was then lowered into the royal vault through an opening in the floor.

She was being buried later in the day at a private service to lie alongside her husband, Prince Philip, her parents and the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.

Elizabeth's husband, Prince Philip, died last year at age 99.

During the procession to Windsor, gun salutes were being fired in nearby Hyde Park, and Big Ben tolled at one-minute intervals during the procession.

Jilly Fitzgerald, who was in Windsor, said there was a sense of community among the mourners as they prepared to wait hours to see procession carrying the Queen's coffin.

"It's good to be with all the people who are all feeling the same. It's like a big family because everyone feels thatthe queen was part of their family," she said.

WATCH l Thousands line the procession route as coffin is taken to Windsor Castle:

Queen's coffin travels to Windsor Castle

2 years ago

Duration 1:46

Queen Elizabeth's coffin is carried from London by state hearse to her final resting place at Windsor Castle.

Many spectators camped overnight in London and outside Windsor Castle to catch a glimpse of the procession. Some came with blankets and bags of food, while others carried small step stools.

Sarah Grant normally throws parties at her home in Sussex for royal events, but this time, she came down in person. Grant lined up wearing a black hat that her mother wore to King George VI's funeral in 1952.

"The Queen has done a wonderful service for 70 years," she told CBC News. "We wanted to soak up the atmosphere to see what it was like."

Charles 'moved beyond measure'

A day packed with funeral events in London and Windsor began early when the doors of 900-year-old Westminster Hall were closed to mourners after hundreds of thousands had filed in front of the Queen's coffin since Sept 14. Many of them had spent cold nights outdoors to pay their respects at the foot of Elizabeth's flag-draped coffin in a moving outpouring of national grief.

The closing of the hall marked the end of four full days of the coffin lying in state and the start of the U.K.'s first state funeral since the one held in 1965 for Winston Churchill, the first of 15 prime ministers during Elizabeth's reign. Two days before her Sept. 8 death at her Balmoral summer retreat, the Queen appointed her last prime minister, Liz Truss.

On the evening before the funeral, King Charles issued a message of thanks to people in the U.K. and around the world, saying he and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, have been "moved beyond measure" by the large numbers of people who have turned out to pay their respects to the Queen.