Representatives of republics and monarchies from around the world have gathered this Monday at Westminster Abbey to bid farewell to whom French President Emmanuel Macron has accurately defined as the “Queen”. The death of the most respected and famous monarch, Elizabeth II, has focused the attention of half the planet for 11 days in England, in London, in the new king, Carlos III, and in a period of open uncertainty. in the country after closing its doors in the 70 years of the Elizabethan era.

The state funeral has gathered at the convent of the president of the United States, Joe Biden; to France, Macron; Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau; to New Zealand, Jacinta Arden; President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, or President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro. And for European royal family members like Harald V of Norway, Margarita II of Denmark or Felipe VI. The king, accompanied by Doña Letizia, eventually shared a seat, in front of Isabel II’s coffin, along with emeritus Juan Carlos I and his wife Doña Sofía.

At 10:44 a.m. local time (11:44 p.m. peninsular Spain), Carlos III and his sons, Guillermo and Enrique, arrived at Westminster Hall. The spirited chapel of the late monarch has been installed there, and for four days, nearly a million citizens have paraded inside to bid farewell to Elizabeth II. The coffin was transported to a military vault that would take him to the convent, just 200 meters away. A total of 142 members of the Royal Navy have been tasked with dragging cars weighing more than three tons.

2,000 guests were already waiting inside the church, which, in addition to international dignitaries, included members and former members of the British Government, the Prime Minister, Liz Truss, and former Prime Ministers such as Boris Johnson, Theresa May, David Cameron, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown or John Major. , as well as members of parliament, members of the judiciary and representatives of civic institutions.

“His Majesty declared, in now-famous words, on his 21st birthday, that he would devote his entire life to the service of the nation and the Commonwealth. [Comunidad de Naciones]. Promises are seldom kept,” said the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in the main sermon of the hour-long service, which includes readings from the New and Old Testaments (the Prime Minister has read one) and hymns performed by the chapel choir. . Some of them, such as Psalm 34, were composed in 1953 for Elizabeth II’s coronation ceremony, which took place at the same Westminster Abbey. Others, composed for funerals, such as the work written by Scottish musician James Macmillan, are based on Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans.

At 11:58 a.m. (12:58 a.m., Spanish peninsula time), everything fell silent. Two minutes in honor of the late king, in convents and across England. Until the national anthem was played, followed by Elizabeth II’s personal piper notes, from the balcony in the center of the nave.

Funeral Procession

From there began the funeral procession that would carry the king’s coffin to Wellington Arch, a long journey through central London, interrupted by tens of thousands of citizens who had waited hours in advance to preserve their place, and they too could say goodbye to Elizabeth II. . On the coffin, transported by military coffin, were placed the State Crown, Orb and Scepter, and a flower crown, the leaves of which partially matched the flowers of Isabel II’s bridal bouquet, from 1947. Some of them were transplanted after the ceremony. Above the flower crown, a personal note from King Carlos III. “In loving and faithful memory. Charles R. (In loving and faithful memory. Carlos Rey).

More than 3,000 soldiers have participated in a state funeral comparable in size only to that of George VI, in 1952. In full uniform (except Prince Andrew, stripped of his public representation because of his connection to the Epstein scandal), Carlos III and his brothers (Ana) and Eduardo), have been parading behind military armor and coffins, while strolling through London.

The Empress, Camila, along with Catherine, Princess of Wales, had followed the procession aboard a Rolls Royce from the royal house.

Among all the military bodies that have been part of the procession, members of the Canadian Equestrian Police stand out, one of the most relevant Commonwealth countries, whose Head of State was Elizabeth II and now Carlos III. Behind them are members of the National Health Service (NHS), one of the institutions most British citizens respect.

Throughout the morning, Big Ben rings incessantly, the legendary clock that crowns Elizabeth Tower, at the Palace of Westminster, and is an icon of the city of London. 96 bells, one for each Elizabeth II year.

The procession took more than an hour, with the constant rhythm of a funeral march played by military bands, to cover the distance between Westminster Abbey and Wellington Arch. There, the coffin has been transported to a hearse, to travel to Windsor Castle, where Elizabeth II lived during the long months of the pandemic. The national anthem bid farewell to the king of London, while the king and his brothers bid farewell to him with military salutes.

In the afternoon, after the final funeral procession about five kilometers, to the chapel of San Jorge, the last public religious service will be held, where Carlos III has invited the kings of Spain. Doña Sofia was also present, but the king emeritus refused the invitation.

In the afternoon, the British royal family will hold a farewell ceremony for their queen, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Carlos III would be in charge of spreading the first handful of earth in the coffin, before Isabel II finally rested beside her husband, Felipe de Edinburgh.

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