By DANICA KIRKA, MIKE CORDER and JILL LAWLESS | Associated Press
LONDON — Britain and the world said a final goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II at a state funeral Monday that drew presidents and kings, princes and prime ministers — and crowds who massed along the streets of London to honor a monarch whose 70-year reign defined an age.
A day packed with events in London and Windsor began early when the doors of 900-year-old Westminster Hall were closed to mourners after hundreds of thousands had filed in front of her flag-draped coffin. Many had waited for hours in line, including through cold nights, to attend the lying in state in an outpouring of collective grief and respect.
“I felt like I had to come and pay my final respects to our majestic queen. She has done so much for us and just a little thank you really from the people,” said Tracy Dobson, who was among the last to join the line.
Britain’s King Charles III, left, and Camilla, the Queen Consort follow the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is carried out of Westminster Abbey during her funeral in central London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool)
The funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey in central London, for the funeral service, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (Ben Stansall/Pool via AP)
Soldiers from the Grenadier Guards march past the Cenotaph following the State funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey in central London Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt, Pool)
Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby speaking during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, held at Westminster Abbey, London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (Zac Goodwin/Pool Photo via AP)
A marching band on The Mall during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (Zac Goodwin/Pool Photo via AP)
Kate, Princess of Wales, arrives for the funeral service of late Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in central London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, Pool)
British Prime Minister Liz Truss and her husband Hugh O’Leary, center, walk with other guests as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is carried out of Westminster Abbey after her State Funeral in central London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool)
Britain’s Prince William, left, and Prince George attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey in central London, for the funeral service, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (Ben Stansall/Pool via AP)
King Charles III arrives at Westminster Abbey on the day of Queen Elizabeth II funeral in central London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. ( James Manning/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain’s King Charles III, left, and Princess Anne walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as they leave Westminster Abbey in London after the funeral service, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (Ben Stansall/Pool via AP)
Britain’s King Charles III, front, Anne, Princess Royal, right, and Prince William, background left, follow the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is carried following her funeral service in Westminster Abbey in central London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru, Pool)
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is pulled on a gun carriage through the streets of London following her funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt, Pool)
King Charles III walks behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II being pulled past Buckingham Palace following her funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is pulled during the State Funeral Service of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on the Mall in central London Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/David Cliff, Pool)
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown is pulled past Buckingham Palace following her funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)
The bearer party with the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is taken from Westminster Abbey, London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, at the end of service during the State Funeral of the late monarch. (Gareth Fuller/Pool Photo via AP)
Princess Charlotte, center, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, left, sits in a car during the State Funeral Service of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on the Mall in central London Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/David Cliff, Pool)
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is driven following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II carried after her funeral service in Westminster Abbey, in central London Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
King Charles III walks behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II being pulled past Buckingham Palace following her funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Prince William, center, and Prince Harry, right, walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II being pulled past Buckingham Palace following her funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Britain’s King Charles III, Camilla, the Queen Consort, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward walk behind the coffin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as it is carried out of Westminster Abbey during the funeral in London, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown is pulled past Buckingham Palace following her funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Kate, Princess of Wales, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, behind, follow the State Gun Carriage carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in the Ceremonial Procession following her State Funeral at Westminster Abbey, in London, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. (Mike Egerton/Pool Photo via AP)
Buckingham Palace household staff pay their respects outside Buckingham Palace in London, during of the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (Carl Court/Pool via AP)
People gather at Belfast city hall, Northern Ireland to watch TV coverage of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
People gather at Belfast city hall, Northern Ireland to watch TV coverage of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
In a country known for pomp and pageantry, the first state funeral since Winston Churchill’s was filled with spectacle: 142 Royal Navy sailors drew the gun carriage carrying Elizabeth’s coffin to Westminster Abbey, with King Charles III and his sons, Princes William and Harry, walking behind as bagpipers played. Pall bearers carried the coffin into the abbey, where around 2,000 people ranging from world leaders to health care workers gathered to mourn her. Ahead of the service, a bell tolled 96 times — once a minute for each year of her life.
“Here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, we gather from across the nation, from the Commonwealth, and from the nations of the world, to mourn our loss, to remember her long life of selfless service, and in sure confidence to commit her to the mercy of God our maker and redeemer,” the dean of the medieval abbey, David Hoyle, told the mourners, as the funeral opened.
It drew to a close with two minutes of silence observed across the United Kingdom. The attendees then sang the national anthem.
Monday has been declared a public holiday in honor of Elizabeth, who died Sept. 8 — and hundreds of thousands of people descended on central London to partake in the historic moment. Long before the service began, city authorities said viewing areas along the route of the funeral’s procession were full.
Millions more had been expected to tune into the funeral live on television, and crowds flocked to parks and public spaces across the U.K. to watch it on screens. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby noted during the funeral that “few leaders receive the outpouring of love we have seen” for Elizabeth.
On the evening before, Charles issued a message of thanks to people in the U.K. and around the world, saying he and his wife Camilla, the queen consort, have been “moved beyond measure” by the large numbers of people who have turned out to pay their respects to the queen.
Following the funeral, the coffin — accompanied by units of the armed forces in dress uniforms and members of her family — was brought through the capital’s streets.
At Wellington Arch near Hyde Park, it will be placed in a hearse to be driven to Windsor Castle — where Elizabeth spent much of her time — for another procession before a committal service in St. George’s Chapel. She will be laid to rest with her late husband, Prince Philip, at a private family service.
U.S. President Joe Biden was among leaders to pay their respects at the queen’s coffin on Sunday as thousands of police, hundreds of British troops and an army of officials made final preparations for the funeral.
Biden called Queen Elizabeth II “decent” and “honorable” and “all about service” as he signed the condolence book, saying his heart went out to the royal family.
People across Britain paused for a minute of silence at 8 p.m. Sunday in memory of the only monarch most have ever known. At Westminster Hall, the constant stream of mourners paused for 60 seconds as people observed the minute of reflection in deep silence.
In Windsor, rain began to fall as the crowd fell silent for the moment of reflection. Some camped overnight outside the castle in order to reserve the best spots to view the queen’s coffin.
Jilly Fitzgerald, who was in Windsor, said there was a sense of community among the mourners as they prepared to wait hours to see procession carrying the queen’s coffin.
“It’s good to be with all the people who are all feeling the same. It’s like a big family because everyone feels that … the queen was part of their family,” she said.
Associated Press journalists Sylvia Hui, Samya Kullab and David Keyton contributed to this report.
