Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022) ruled the United Kingdom and Commonwealth realms for seven decades, making her the longest-serving British monarch. After her death on September 8, 2022, her body was first taken to London.
On September 14, her coffin was carried in a grand procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, escorted by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. Members of the royal family walked behind, including King Charles III. Once placed inside Westminster Hall, she began lying in state, allowing citizens and dignitaries to pay respects over the next four days.
The queue to view her coffin stretched for miles along the River Thames, with people waiting many hours. The event reflected the Queen’s deep connection to her people, as millions in the UK and worldwide watched. This moment marked the beginning of the final farewell to a monarch who had guided her nation through wars, political changes, and cultural shifts across the 20th and 21st centuries.
