When Is Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral? Details on Westminster Abbey Ceremony, Procession and More

As Britain says goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II, a carefully choreographed plan is in place to put the U.K.’s longest-serving monarch to rest. 

The royal family announced on Saturday, September 10, that the funeral for Her Majesty The Queen will be held at Westminster Abbey on Monday, September 19, at 11 a.m. local time.  

“The Queen will Lie-in-State in Westminster Hall for four days, to allow the public to pay their respects,” the official website added in the announcement.

Keep scrolling for details on the late monarch’s funeral procession. 

A Viewing for Citizens

Queen Elizabeth’s coffin currently rests at Balmoral Castle. The Queen’s coffin is set to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, on September 11 by road, to arrive in the Throne Room of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where it will rest until the afternoon of September 12. 

That afternoon, a procession will be formed from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. The King and members of the royal family will take part in the Procession and attend a service at the Cathedral to receive the coffin. 

The Queen’s Coffin will lie in the cathedral, guarded by Vigils from The Royal Company of Archers, to allow the people of Scotland to pay their respects to the monarch. 

On September 13, the Queen’s coffin will travel from Scotland to RAF Northolt by a Royal Air Force aircraft. 

Prior to the funeral, her coffin will be taken via a ceremonial route from London’s Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster five days after her passing, where the queen will lie in state for four days. Viewing will be open to the public for 23 hours a day. 

When Is Queen Elizabeth’s II Funeral?

Queen Elizabeth II’s publicly funded state funeral at London’s Westminster Abbey is expected around 10 days following the announcement of her death, on September 19 at 11:00 a.m. local time. 

The major difference between state and ceremonial funerals is that state funerals require approval by Parliament and a gun-carriage carrying the casket by Royal Navy sailors, according to a 2013 House of Commons note. 

Where Will Queen Elizabeth Be Buried?

Following her funeral service, her coffin will make its way to its final resting place out of London and toward St. George’s Chapel within the grounds at Windsor Castle.

Her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, was lowered into the Royal Vault, set below the chapel, following his death in April 2021. However, after the Queen’s death, he is set to be relocated and the pair will be reunited together within St. George’s Chapel.