Queen’s funeral set for September 19; heavy security planned ahead of first state funeral since 1965
- Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral is the first since that of Winston Churchill, Britain’s prime minister during World War II, nearly 6 decades ago
- Event will be in a ‘very different threat world’ compared with previous royal funerals, such as the Queen Mother’s in 2002 and Princess Diana’s 5 years earlier
Palace officials say the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth will take place on September 19 at Westminster Abbey in London after the public gets an opportunity to pay their last respects to the monarch.
Elizabeth, the nation’s longest-reigning sovereign, died on Thursday at her summer retreat, Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Details on the 96-year old queen’s funeral will be released later, but organisers on Saturday described the ceremony as a “a fitting farewell to one of the defining figures of our times.’’
Palace officials said there would be opportunities to see the late sovereign’s oak coffin as it journeys from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh and again in London, where her body will lie in state for four days starting on Wednesday.
The queen’s funeral will be Britain’s first state funeral in nearly six decades and security officials are planning what is expected to be the “biggest policing and protective operation” in UK history.
Police are dusting off long-standing plans to keep safe attendees – including global political leaders and royalty – at the historic funeral, as well as the millions predicted to flock to London around the time of the event.
The queen’s funeral will be the first state funeral since the service in 1965 for Winston Churchill, Britain’s prime minister during World War II.
Before that, the queen’s body is set to lie in state for four days in Westminster Hall, the oldest building on the UK Parliamentary estate, following a ceremonial procession through the streets of London.