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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Beth Ure

What time does the Queen's funeral start today?

The Queen's funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey at 11am today.

Her Majesty's state funeral is due to be one of the largest diplomatic occasions, with over 500 dignitaries from all over the world to attend. Westminster Abbey holds 2,000 people, and today the church will be full of family members, world leaders, politicians, monarchs from other countries, public figures and those who worked with the Queen, all paying their last respects.

The Queen's four children, King Charles III, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York, and Prince Edward, will all be present, as will Camilla, the Queen Consort, and the Countess of Wessex. The monarch's grandchildren - Princes William and Harry, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, will also be present at the ceremony.

READ MORE: Are buses, trains and Metrolink running on Queen's bank holiday?

Spouses of all the close family will also attend, as well as the Queen's cousins. Prime Minister Liz Truss and leader of the opposition Keir Starmer are also expected to attend.

From overseas, US President Joe Biden has confirmed he will attend, as will his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, but it is not yet clear whether any previous Presidents, including President Obama and President Trump, will attend as well. European leaders confirming their attendance include French President Emmanuel Macron, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

All Commonwealth nations have also been invited, including New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australia's Governor-General David Hurley.

The event is not limited to high-profile guests, as some of the Queen's closest staff, including her ladies-in-waiting and footmen, will want to be there to say a final goodbye. Absent from the service will be heads of state from Russia, Belarus, Myanmar, Syria, Venezuela or Afghanistan.

Guests will be arriving at the abbey from 8am. The service is expected to last one hour and then a procession will set off at 12.15pm to Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, arriving at 1pm.

The state hearse and royal family will then travel to Windsor where a committal service will take place at 4pm in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. A private burial service will take place at 7.30pm.

READ MORE

  • Queen's funeral procession route map and best places for public to watch
  • The shops and places that will open today on the Queen's funeral bank holiday
  • Royal fans in tears about what Harry, William and Queen's grandchildren did for her as they hold vigil
  • Queen's state funeral: Time, service details and everything you need to know
  • Prince Andrew issues tribute saying he will 'treasure' Queen's love 'forever'
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