Queen Elizabeth

Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Tears and bowed heads as the Queen went past​


Nick Beake
Reporting from The Mall

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The Queen is now lying in state, and thousands turned out to see her final journey from Buckingham Palace.

Crowds at the far end of The Mall fell silent as the sombre thump of the drum echoed out.

Both young and old, who moments earlier had been cheerfully reminiscing about the Queen’s extraordinary life, bowed their heads.

As her coffin passed by there were tears. Some made the sign of the cross, army veterans saluted their former commander-in-chief - while families embraced.

They had seen the Queen - their Queen - the only Queen most had known, leave her home for the final time. Seconds after Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin passed out of sight, thunderous applause broke out, filling the warm London afternoon air.

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Here is a brief recap of what has been happening this afternoon:

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  • The Queen is now lying in state in Westminster Hall in London, and mourners are lining up to enter and pay their respects from 17:00 BST
  • Huge queues are expected, and the government earlier warned that people could face 30-hour waits to get in
  • The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II was transported from Buckingham Palace on a gun carriage in a slow-moving procession which lasted around 38 minutes
  • King Charles III, Princes William and Harry, and other senior royals followed on foot behind the coffin
  • A short service followed, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, which was attended by senior politicians including Prime Minister Liz Truss and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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From 17:00 BST, members of the public have been filing into Parliament's Westminster Hall to view the Queen's closed coffin.

It is resting on a raised platform, known as a catafalque, beneath the 11th Century hall's medieval timber roof.

Earlier, the coffin made its way through the heart of London borne on an open gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, drawn by seven black horses.

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Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Who's on and who's off the funeral guest list?​



James Landale
BBC Diplomatic correspondent

We know who is not coming to the funeral on Monday.

The governments of Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Russia, Belarus and Myanmar have not been invited, either for their behaviour or because the UK does not have diplomatic relations with them.

Iran, North Korea and Nicaragua have been invited but they can send only their ambassadors.

But there is still no complete list of those who are attending - the deadline for RSVPs is Thursday.

Some heads of government are struggling to rearrange their schedules at short notice - many were expecting to be in New York for a big United Nations summit.

Most countries are only allowed to send their head of state and a plus one, but the 14 Commonwealth countries for whom King Charles III is head of state have been given a little extra leeway.

They can send a head of government and a plus one, a governor general and plus one, a high commissioner and 10 guests representing their societies.

 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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The dazzling crown resting on the Queen’s coffin​

Sarah McDermott & Kirstie Brewer

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On top of the Queen's coffin sits the Imperial State Crown, perhaps the most familiar item in the Crown Jewels.

The crown sparkles with nearly 3,000 stones - including 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and five rubies.

Made in 1937 for the coronation of the Queen's father, King George VI, it was designed to be lighter, and to fit better, than the crown it replaced - which dated back to Queen Victoria.

But nevertheless, the Imperial State Crown still weighs in at a hefty 2.3lbs (1.06kg).

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Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Tecumsehsbones said:
Arguably second only to Charlemagne's crown in magnificence and significance. Or perhaps not even second.
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It is estimated to be worth £5 billion. The Cullinan II alone is worth £400 million. It's no wonder it, along with the rest of the Crown Jewels, is safely kept locked up 24/7 in the Tower.

The Imperial State Crown was worn by George VI and Elizabeth II upon leaving Westminster Abbey at the end of their coronations and during State Openings of Parliament and will be worn by Charles III on these occasions.

The Queen once joked that the Imperial State Crown was so heavy that if she looked down while wearing it "it would break your neck."

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Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Black Prince's Ruby - This was given to the Black Prince in 1367. The Black Prince was the eldest son of King Edward III and the heir apparent. However, he died before his father so the Black Prince's son became King Richard II. The ruby comes from the Badakhshan mines in modern day Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

St Edward's Sapphire - Thought to have been in the coronation ring of King Edward the Confessor, who ascended the Throne in 1042.

Stuart Sapphire - Originating from Kashmir, Afghanistan, Myanmar or Sri Lanka, it is thought to have originally belonged to King Charles II and was among the jewels that his brother and successor King James II took with him to France when he fled England during the Glorious Revolution in 1688.

Only three people on the entire planet are allowed to touch the Imperial State Crown: the monarch, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Crown Jeweller. It is so precious that it is taken to the Houses of Parliament under armed guard in its own carriage.
 
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The_Foxer

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Blackleaf said:
Black Prince's Ruby - This was given to the Black Prince in 1367. The Black Prince was the eldest son of King Edward III and the heir apparent. However, he died before his father so the Black Prince's son became King Richard II. The ruby comes from the Badakhshan mines in modern day Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

St Edward's Sapphire - Thought to have been in the coronation ring of King Edward the Confessor, who ascended the Throne in 1042.

Stuart Sapphire - Originating from Kashmir, Afghanistan, Myanmar or Sri Lanka, it is thought to have originally belonged to King Charles II and was among the jewels that his brother and successor King James II took with him to France when he fled England during the Glorious Revolution in 1688.

Only three people on the entire planet are allowed to touch the Imperial State Crown: the monarch, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Crown Jeweller.
Click to expand...
I wonder what its appraised at
 
Ron in Regina

Ron in Regina

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The_Foxer said:
I wonder what its appraised at
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Blackleaf said:
It is estimated to be worth £5 billion. The Cullinan II alone is worth £400 million. It's no wonder it, along with the rest of the Crown Jewels, is safely kept locked up 24/7 in the Tower.

The Imperial State Crown was worn by George VI and Elizabeth II upon leaving Westminster Abbey at the end of their coronations and during State Openings of Parliament and will be worn by Charles III on these occasions.

The Queen once joked that the Imperial State Crown was so heavy that if she looked down while wearing it "it would break your neck."

View attachment 15679
Click to expand...
It is estimated to be worth £5 billion. That’s the whole crown, or did you mean just the “Princes Black Ruby” alone?
 
Tecumsehsbones

Tecumsehsbones

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Blackleaf said:
Black Prince's Ruby - This was given to the Black Prince in 1367. The Black Prince was the eldest son of King Edward III and the heir apparent. However, he died before his father so the Black Prince's son became King Richard II. The ruby comes from the Badakhshan mines in modern day Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

St Edward's Sapphire - Thought to have been in the coronation ring of King Edward the Confessor, who ascended the Throne in 1042.

Stuart Sapphire - Originating from Kashmir, Afghanistan, Myanmar or Sri Lanka, it is thought to have originally belonged to King Charles II and was among the jewels that his brother and successor King James II took with him to France when he fled England during the Glorious Revolution in 1688.

Only three people on the entire planet are allowed to touch the Imperial State Crown: the monarch, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Crown Jeweller. It is so precious that it is taken to the Houses of Parliament under armed guard in its own carriage.
Click to expand...
And thereby hangs a tale. . .

Actually, a number of tales. And several Shakespeare plays.
 
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The_Foxer

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Ron in Regina said:
It is estimated to be worth £5 billion. That’s the whole crown, or did you mean just the “Princes Black Ruby” alone?
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Well to be honest, it's not like i can really afford either one :)

But i was thinking about the whole crown. You'd think for that much they could have gotten something that was comfortable to wear.
 
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The_Foxer

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Ron in Regina said:
Like a “Royal Wrestling Belt” to distribute the weight of those 3000 or so stones!!!
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That's what i'm thinking - like instead of a crown couldn't you get like the 'royal load bearing harness' or something? We could stop swearing to 'the crown' and start swearing to "the rig". I'ts 2022 for god's sake, the woman was in her nineties, at least give these people a fighting chance if you're going to be strapping a couple of kilo's to them.
 
IdRatherBeSkiing

IdRatherBeSkiing

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The_Foxer said:
Well to be honest, it's not like i can really afford either one :)

But i was thinking about the whole crown. You'd think for that much they could have gotten something that was comfortable to wear.
Click to expand...
Even if you could afford it, it is unlikely for sale. I haven't checked e-bay but it is unlikely.
 
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