Queen’s funeral service at St. George’s Chapel
Newslooks- WINDSOR, England — (AP)
A procession carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has entered St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle for the late monarch’s committal service.
Crown jewels removed from Queen’s coffin
Ahead of the final hymn, “Christ is made of sure foundation,” the Crown Jeweller is removing the Imperial State Crown and the Orb and Sceptre from the Queen’s coffin.
With the help of the Queen’s Bargemaster and Serjeants-at-Arms, the jeweller is passing them to the Dean of Windsor to place on the altar.
Eight hundred guests are attending the service, including prime ministers from Commonwealth countries and many staff who worked with the queen or on her royal estates.
Most of those attending the chapel service did not attend the state funeral held at Westminster Abbey in London earlier Monday.
During the service, the Imperial State Crown and the sovereign’s orb and sceptre are removed from the top of the queen’s coffin and placed on an altar, separating the queen from her crown for the last time.
The Dean of Windsor reads a psalm and the queen’s coffin is lowered into the chapel’s royal vault.
Later Monday, the royals will hold a private service at the chapel, when the queen will be interred together with her late husband Prince Philip, who died last year at 99.
The state hearse carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin has arrived at Windsor Castle for the final stretch of a long procession that ends at St. George’s Chapel, where the late monarch will be laid to rest.
Thousands of people lined both sides of the Long Walk in front of the castle as a military procession escorted the coffin in slow procession.
Silence fell among the sea of mourners as the sound of drummers grew louder, and many at the back of the crowd raised their phones high in the air to try to get a glimpse of the scene.
The ceremonies in Windsor are the final events capping 10 days of national mourning since Elizabeth died in Scotland on Sept. 8 aged 96.
Construction of the chapel begun under King Edward IV in 1475 and was completed just over 50 years later by King Henry VIII.
The chapel is a Royal Peculiar — meaning a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch. The chapel is governed by the Dean and Canons of Windsor who — along with their officers and staff — are independent of the royal household.
Back in 2005, it was also where a service of dedication and prayer took place following the marriage of King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort.
Funerals have also taken place there including those of Princess Margaret and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. The funeral service for the Duke of Edinburgh was held at the chapel last Aprl.
Earlier Monday, hundreds of world leaders and dignitaries bid a final farewell to the monarch at a grand state funeral in London’s Westminster Abbey, before the coffin was carried by gun carriage through central London.
