King’s goodbye as Queen’s coffin is seen in public for the final time
The Queen’s coffin has been pictured for the final time as it was lowered into the Royal Vault at St George’s Chapel following a committal service surrounded by her family.
The casket had been carried into the chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle for the service after thousands of people turned out to pay their respects to a monarch who served them for 70 years.
Prior to the final hymn, the Imperial State Crown, the orb and the sceptre were removed from her coffin and placed on the altar.
The King placed a flag – the Queen’s company camp colour of the Grenadier Guards – on the coffin.
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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 before it slowly descended into the Royal Vault.
The Queen was later laid to rest in a private ceremony.
Her final resting place is the King George VI memorial chapel, a small annex to the main chapel – where her mother and father are buried, and where the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret, are kept.
The coffin of the Queen’s beloved husband, Prince Philip, was moved from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join her.
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Around 800 people, including members of the Queen’s Household and Windsor estate staff, had attended the committal ceremony.
The Dean of Windsor led the service, with prayers said by the rector of Sandringham, the minister of Crathie Kirk and the chaplain of Windsor Great Park.
The King, accompanied by the Queen Consort, was driven from St George’s Chapel after thanking those who had conducted the service.
They were followed in stages by other members of the Royal Family, who also paused for conversation with the Dean of Windsor and Archbishop of Canterbury, before being driven to join the King and the Queen Consort in Windsor Castle.
Earlier in the day, a funeral service for the Queen took place at Westminster Abbey which was attended by world leaders, politicians and celebrities.
The Queen’s coffin was then driven along crowd-lined streets from London to St George’s Chapel.
