The streets of London were packed with more than 1 million people for the Queen’s funeral procession on Monday.
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II was lowered into the royal vault of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, her final resting place.
Her state funeral began with a grand service at Westminster Abbey, followed by a procession through London, and closed with a smaller service at Windsor Castle, where the Queen spent the final years of her life.
Hundreds of thousands of people watched as the Queen’s coffin made its way through the streets of London, flanked by honor guards and accompanied by King Charles III and other royal family members.
Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8 after reigning as Queen of the United Kingdom for 70 years, meaning that the vast majority of Britons have never lived in a world without her on the throne. She was the nation’s longest-reigning monarch.
“She’s been in our lives for all of my life. I just really felt like I needed to come, and I’d have been gutted if I’d missed it, which I thought I was going to,” said London resident Debbie Flanagan. “I’m just so happy that I’m nearly here.”
Windsor local Rachel Fowler said, “I think the Queen has been a great witness to us all throughout her life. She’s been steadfast and brought calm … and stability to the country over many years.”
“And for most of us, we don’t know what life’s like without having a queen reigning, so it was really special to be here today to pay respect,” she said. “The Queen in Windsor always has a special place in our hearts for the locals here.”
Chloe Jesson, 59, who traveled from Manchester to watch the ceremony, said, “You felt the sadness for the country and her family. At the same time, it was a celebration of her life.”
“I occasionally cried, but I was never sad, if that makes any sense,” she said.
“I find it hard to express in words what we just witnessed. This was really special and memorable,” said Camilla Moore, 53, after watching the funeral service in London. “It was terribly sad. So very, very sad. The end of an era.”
