Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral LIVE: ‘She was joyful…touched multitude of lives’, says Archbishop of Canterbury

Queen Elizabeth II funeral LIVE: The state funeral will be held at London’s Westminster Abbey today.

Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral will be held at London’s Westminster Abbey on Monday. World leaders are joining King Charles and the British royal family to bid farewell to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Her funeral will be the UK’s first in over half a century after British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was the last head of state to be accorded with this honour in 1965.

The UK’s longest-serving monarch died last week on Thursday after reigning for 70 years.

The monarch was lying-in-state in the oldest building on the parliamentary grounds since Wednesday as several people filed past her coffin to pay their respects. Long queues were seen along the banks of River Thames as people waited to bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II.

Meanwhile, ahead of the funeral, Indian President Droupadi Murmu met King Charles III at the reception hosted by the Britain’s new monarch at Buckingham Palace – and offered condolences.

Follow all the updates here:

• Sep 19, 2022 04:03 PM IST
• Archbishop of Canterbury says Queen was ‘joyful’In his address for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, Archbishop of Canterbury remembered her as “joyful, present, touching multitude of lives”. He also commended the late monarch for her optimistic speech to the people of the UK during Covid-19 pandemic.
• Sep 19, 2022 03:43 PM IST
• Service begins at Westminster; King Charles III, his siblings in front row Service at the Westminster Abbey for the Queen’s funeral has begun. The late monarch’s son and current ruler – King Charles III, his sons and siblings are in the front row and also walked behind the Queen’s coffin. Now, prayer songs are being sung.
• Sep 19, 2022 03:34 PM IST
• Queen’s coffin reaches Westminster AbbeyQueen Elizabeth II’s coffin reaches Westminster Abbey as guests, including world leaders and royal family, present there stand out of respect to the late monarch of Great Britain. The coffin is adorned with flowers picked from the gardens of the late monarch on the special request of her son and current ruler of the UK – King Charles III.

• Sep 19, 2022 03:28 PM ISTQueen’s coffin carried by Grenadier Guards en route to state funeralThe coffin of Queen Elizabeth II carried by by Grenadier Guards are on the way to the Westminster Abbey.
• Sep 19, 2022 02:57 PM ISTFormer British PMs arrive at AbbeySeveral former ministers of the UK, including David Cameron and Boris Johnson, arrive at Westminster Abbey along with their better halves.
• Sep 19, 2022 02:46 PM ISTJoe Biden and First Lady Jill arrive at Westminster AbbeyUS President Joe Biden, and his wife – First Lady Jill Biden, arrive at Westminster Abbey for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

• Sep 19, 2022 02:31 PM ISTFrench President Emmanuel Macron arrives at Westminster AbbeyFrench President Emmanuel Macron along with his wife Brigitte Macron arrive at Westminster Abbey ahead of Queen’s funeral. Ireland’s President and Brazil’s President were also seen.
• Sep 19, 2022 01:56 PM ISTAll funeral viewing areas in Central London full

• Sep 19, 2022 01:54 PM ISTHeathrow Express faces power line failureHeathrow airport on its official Twitter handle says that “due to an overhead power line failure there are currently no Heathrow Express or Elizabeth Line services heading to Heathrow. Passengers can use their tickets on Tube and bus services instead.”

• Sep 19, 2022 01:43 PM IST2,000 people to take part in Queen’s state funeral Around 2,000 people are set to take part in Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral at Westminster Abbey today.
• Sep 19, 2022 01:37 PM ISTArchbishop of Canterbury ahead of Queen’s funeral

• Sep 19, 2022 01:19 PM ISTJoe Biden’s armoured limousine “The Beast” that he will take to Queen’s funeralWhen President Joe Biden arrives at Westminster Abbey on Monday, he will be using his armoured state car to and from state the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Read more