Tonight, people from around the world will tune in to watch the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, who sadly passed away at the age of 96 on Thursday 8 September.
It will be the first funeral to be held for a monarch at Westminster Abbey in 262 years since the passing of King George II in 1760.
While it has been an unspoken tradition for the monarch’s funeral be held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, the Abbey was a special place for the Queen, as it was where she married Prince Philip in 1947, and where she and her father were coronated.
The Queen’s coffin will be taken in a procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey, with the King, the royal family and members of the King’s household following close behind.
The Queen’s four children, eight grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren are expected to be in attendance, including Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
European royal families from Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, Norway, and the Netherlands are expected to make an appearance, in addition to world leaders such as US President Joe Biden, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, and Japanese Emperor Naruhito.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Governor-General David Hurley will attend the funeral on behalf of Australia, alongside 10 everyday Australians representing each state and territory.
The hour-long service will commence at 10am Monday (8:30pm ACST), where the Queen will then be carried in a procession to the Wellington Arch at London’s Hyde Park Corner. Big Ben will toll, and gun salutes will fire every minute throughout the procession.
After the funeral, the Queen’s coffin will be taken to Windsor Castle. A committal service will be held at St George’s Chapel, then a private burial will take place in the King George VI Memorial Chapel.
The Queen will be laid to rest with the late Prince Philip at the Memorial Chapel, which is also the final resting place for the Queen’s father, King George VI, the Queen Mother, and the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret.
Where to watch the funeral:
Channel 7, 9 News, the ABC, and 10 Bold are all broadcasting funeral proceedings. Guardian Australia has also begun its rolling coverage, which you can follow along at theguardian.com/au. Viewers can also watch the livestream on news.com.au, which will be available to watch from 5:30pm ACST.
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