The procession that brought Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin from London to Windsor was flanked at all times by huge crowds of people.
Far from being a sad occasion, some sections applauded, others cheered, and some even threw flowers in front of the State Hearse – all homage to their Monarch in her final journey.
The Palace was not sure what to expect in terms of crowd sizes, and the public went out of their way to make themselves feel a part of this piece of history that is currently being written.
Many people who did not manage to get a place along the processional route in London because of security restrictions have opted to instead pay their respects to the late Monarch by lining up all along the journey from Wellington Arch to the hearse’s next destination.
The body of the late Queen will be carried to St George’s Chapel, Windsor, for a public service to lay her to rest. A private burial ceremony will follow this evening, in which her coffin will be placed next to that of the Duke of Edinburgh. The two will be buried together in a plot next to that of the Queen’s beloved parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
Windsor Castle holds a very special place in the Family’s history, as it was such a landmark residence that it was chosen as the family’s new surname.
But for the late Queen, it was also a place that signified safety: it was there that she and her sister took refuge during the hard years of World War II, when London was bombed constantly and the danger to life was great.
It is then fitting that she will be buried there, next to everyone she held dear in life. And it is even more poignant that during her last journey towards her beloved family, she was accompanied by the people she served for the 7 long decades that made her the longest serving British monarch in history.
