Queen’s funeral: Prince George, Princess Charlotte to feature in royal farewell
The Prince and Princess will walk behind the cortege of the Queen into Westminster Abbey, it has been revealed.
Nine-year-old Prince George and his younger sister Princess Charlotte, seven, are expected to walk behind the cortege of their great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II into Westminster Abbey tonight, in touching funeral scenes that will be beamed around the world.
Buckingham Palace has released the order of service of Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral which will pay tribute to her remarkable reign and lifetime of service.
In a dramatic emphasis upon the line of succession of the British monarchy, George, who is second in line to the throne, and Charlotte, third in line, will be positioned in the royal family procession directly behind their parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales down the Abbey’s central walkway.
The Royal Family will march slowly behind the Queen’s coffin for the short distance from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey, led by King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla.
Directly behind the children will be the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, who will walk into Westminster Abbey alongside his wife Meghan.
The decision by the Wales’ to include the children was made at the last minute, including them on the officially printed order of service, but the Queen had long emphasised the line of succession and the importance to reassure the public about the continuity of the monarchy.
The fact that the biggest gathering of world leaders in a generation will be within metres of the procession inside the Abbey is a significant message to the world about the stability of the crown.
Prince William had told well-wishers last week that George had understood that his beloved “Gan Gan” had died, but Charlotte and four-year-old Prince Louis had less understanding.
William, who was 15 when he walked behind the cortege of his mother, Diana, the Princess of Wales, 25 years ago, would have considered the emotional impact on his children, and their readiness for such duty at such a huge occasion before including them in the procession.
George and Charlotte had taken a starring role during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations earlier this year.
The children have had a big couple of weeks, starting a new school near to their new house on the Windsor Estate on the day of the Queen’s death.
It is unlikely George and Charlotte will also take any part in the hour-long procession from the Abbey through central London and past Buckingham Palace. They have not been listed to take part in the second committal service held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
Palace reveals details of funeral service
Buckingham Palace has released the order of service of the Queen funeral.
The Dean of Westminster David Hoyle will lead the service, and the sermon will be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The Choirs of Westminster Abbey and His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, under the direction of James O’Donnell, Organist and Master of the Choristers of Westminster Abbey will sing.
Before the service begins, the Abbey’s tenor bell will be tolled once a minute for 96 minutes, one toll for each year of the Queen’s life.
Holders of The George Cross, Victoria Cross, and Representatives of the Orders of Chivalry will make their way through the Abbey at this time.
A Procession faith communities representatives from across the United Kingdom, as well as representatives from the Churches of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England, will also enter ahead of the Service. Also present will be the Sub-Dean of the Chapels Royal and the Dean of Windsor.
At the start of the Service, as The Queen’s Coffin is carried into the Abbey, the Sentences will be sung by The Choir of Westminster Abbey from the Nave. The five Sentences, which are lines of scripture set to music, have been used at every state funeral since the early part of the 18th century.
The Dean of Westminster will give The Bidding, before the first hymn. Baroness Scotland, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, will read the first Lesson.
A specially commissioned choral piece, composed by the Master of the King’s Music, Judith Weir, “Like as the hart”, will be sung by the Choir. The piece, inspired by Her Majesty’s unwavering Christian faith, is a setting of Psalm 42 to music and will be sung unaccompanied.
The Second Lesson, read by Prime Minister Liz Truss will be followed by the hymn, “The Lord’s my shepherd”. The hymn was also sung at the wedding of the then Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, in 1947.
Following the sermon, the choir will sing the anthem, “My soul, there is a country”, set by Hubert Parry; an anthem of great hope.
Prayerrusss will be said from the High Altar, before the choir sings a short anthem, “O Taste and see how gracious the Lord is”, which was composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams for The Queen’s Coronation in 1953.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will give the Commendation. The Dean of Westminster will pronounce the Blessing.
The Last Post will be sounded by the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry from the steps of the Lady Chapel. Two minutes’ silence will then be observed across the United Kingdom. The Reveille will be sounded by the State Trumpeters, before the Congregation sings the National Anthem, “God Save the King”.
At the conclusion of the State Funeral, The Sovereign’s Piper of the Royal Regiment of Scotland will play the traditional Lament, “Sleep, dearie, sleep”.
The Queen’s coffin will be borne in procession out of Westminster Abbey, returning to the gun carriage for the procession to Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, before travelling to Windsor for the committal service in St George’s Chapel.
Afterwards, the bells of Westminster Abbey will be rung, fully muffled, as is the tradition following the funeral of the sovereign.
At St George’s chapel the committal service will begin at 4pm London time, led by the Dean of Windsor, the Right Reverend David Conner, who will give the Bidding. Prayers will be said by the Rector of Sandringham, the Minister of Crathie Kirk and the Chaplain of the Royal Chapel, Windsor Great Park.
Some of the music in the Committal Service was composed by Sir William Henry Harris, who served as the Organist of St George’s Chapel between 1933 and 1961, throughout The Queen’s childhood. It is believed that he taught the young Princess Elizabeth to play the piano.
The Service will be sung by the choir of St George’s Chapel, under the direction of James Vivian. Psalm 21 will be sung as The Queen’s Coffin is borne through the Chapel, set to music by Sir Henry Walford Davies, another former Organist at St George’s.
The choir will sing “The Russian Kontakion of the Departed”, which was also sung for the funeral of The Duke of Edinburgh.
During the service, the Dean will read Revelation 21, verses 1-7, which was read at the funerals of The Queen’s grandparents, King George V in 1936 and Queen Mary in 1953, as well as at Her Majesty’s father’s Funeral in 1952.
In silence, the Crown Jeweller will remove the Instruments of State from Her Majesty’s coffin. The Orb, Sceptre and Crown will then be placed upon the Altar by the Dean of Windsor.
His Majesty The King will be handed The Queen’s Company Camp Colour by the Regimental Lieutenant Colonel commanding the Grenadier Guards, and The King will place it on Her Majesty’s Coffin. The Lord Chamberlain, the head of The Queen’s Household, will break his Wand of Office, and place it upon the coffin.
Her Majesty’s coffin will descend into the Royal Vault as the Dean reads Psalm 103, ending with the traditional words, “Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul”.
Garter King of Arms will proclaim the styles and titles of The Queen.
A Lament will be played by The Sovereign’s Piper, who will slowly leave The Chapel. At the close of the Committal Service, the Archbishop of Canterbury will pronounce The Blessing and the Congregation will sing The National Anthem, “God Save the King”.
More Coverage
‘Starved, emaciated, pained’: Israel shocked at sight of freed hostages
Israeli president accuses Hamas of a crime against humanity as the families of Or Levy, Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi react in horror at the men’s frailty after they were paraded on stage by their captors.
US judge blocks DOGE from Treasury data
The order says anyone who has accessed data from the Treasury Department’s records since Donald Trump was inaugurated must ‘immediately destroy any and all copies of material downloaded.’