Queen Elizabeth's death and funeral

By Rob Picheta, Ed Upright and Aditi Sangal, CNN

Updated 9:52 PM ET, Wed September 14, 2022
43 Posts
Sort byDropdown arrow
1:58 p.m. ET, September 14, 2022

Our live coverage has ended

Follow more news on Queen Elizabeth II's death and funeral here.

12:43 p.m. ET, September 14, 2022

In photos: The Queen's coffin travels to Westminster Hall

From CNN Digital Photo Team

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with the Imperial State Crown, rests on a raised platform inside London's Westminster Hall on Wednesday, September 14.
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, adorned with the Imperial State Crown, rests on a raised platform inside London's Westminster Hall on Wednesday, September 14. (Alkis Konstantinidis/Pool/AP)

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is now at London's Westminster Hall, where the monarch will lie in state before her state funeral on Monday.

The Queen's son, King Charles III, was joined by his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, and other members of the royal family as he walked behind the coffin during its procession route Wednesday.

See more photos from Wednesday's procession:

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, walk behind Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, as they leave Westminster Hall on Wednesday.
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, walk behind Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, as they leave Westminster Hall on Wednesday. (Nariman El-Mofty/Pool/AP)

People gather in London's Hyde Park, where video screens broadcast Wednesday's events.
People gather in London's Hyde Park, where video screens broadcast Wednesday's events. (Andreea Alexandru/AP)

The King watches his mother's coffin arrive at Westminster Hall.
The King watches his mother's coffin arrive at Westminster Hall. (Alkis Konstantinidis/Pool/Reuters)

The Queen's coffin is covered with the Royal Standard as it is carried to Westminster Hall.
The Queen's coffin is covered with the Royal Standard as it is carried to Westminster Hall. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

12:46 p.m. ET, September 14, 2022

The line to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state is currently 2.9 miles long and ends near London Bridge

From CNN’s Alex Hardie in London

People line up in London for the chance to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday.
People line up in London for the chance to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday. (Maja Smiejkowska/Reuters)

The end of the queue for people to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state is currently near London Bridge, according to the UK government’s live tracker. 

The queue is approximately 2.9 miles long (about 4 kilometers), the tracker says.

Speaking to the BBC on Wednesday, UK Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said that the government is expecting “extremely large queues, that could go up to thirty hours.”

She added that “it won’t be thirty hours for everybody” but said that it was important people knew how long it could potentially take.

Donelan added that there will be more than 1,000 people per day on hand to help those in the queue, including from the Samaritans, the Red Cross, and the Metropolitan Police.

 

12:37 p.m. ET, September 14, 2022

"I couldn't contain my emotion," says woman who waited for 2 days to see Queen Elizabeth II lying in state

A woman who waited for two days to pay her respects to Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall said she became emotional as she passed by the late monarch's coffin.

"It's really, really emotional. It's so sad. It reminds me of when my mom died in Ghana, and all the family has to go around and then pay our respects and say farewell to her. I couldn't contain my emotion. Emotion is something natural. You can't think, it has to come out. ... I was choked up and had to cry," Grace told CNN's Bianca Nobilo.

Grace said that all the chairs have been taken away in Westminster Hall and mourners are in a single line to file past the Queen's coffin.

"I was sad, just so sad not to see her again," she said.

12:14 p.m. ET, September 14, 2022

First members of the public enter Westminster Hall to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state 

From CNN's Sugam Pokharel

The first members of the public were seen entering Westminster Hall to view Queen Elizabeth II's coffin lying in state after the hall was officially opened to the public at 12 p.m. ET (5 p.m. local time). 

The Queen will lie in state until the morning of her funeral on Monday.

12:26 p.m. ET, September 14, 2022

Nearly all Tesco supermarkets in the UK will close on Queen's funeral day

From CNN'S Sarah Diab in London

(Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
(Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Tesco supermarkets across the UK will close on the day of the late Queen's state funeral, Tesco announced in a statement on Wednesday.

"On the morning of the funeral on Monday 19 September our stores across the UK will remain closed to allow our colleagues to pay their respects," said Jason Tarry, Tesco UK's CEO, in the statement.

However, some shops will remain open as an exception. 

"A small number of our London stores will be open along the funeral procession," the statement added.

12:56 p.m. ET, September 14, 2022

"I needed to come and say goodbye": Mourners line up for hours to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II

People in a 2.5-mile-long line (about 4 kilometers) in London to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II explained why they wanted to visit her coffin in Westminster Hall.

"I just feel like I will regret it if I don't. And I just felt like I needed to come and say goodbye. That's just me. And also, when my family has children — my boys have children — I'd like to teach them the history of it all. So, it just needed to be done today," one woman told CNN's Anna Stewart as she waited in line.

A group told Stewart that they were told the line could last about five hours from where they stood, but the queue is moving.

11:56 a.m. ET, September 14, 2022

PBS is shifting Monday programming for Queen Elizabeth's funeral

From CNN's Megan Thomas

PBS announced a change in programming plans for coverage of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

"The U.S and the Holocaust," a three-part film directed by documentarian Ken Burns, will no longer air on Monday to accommodate special programming from PBS and BBC around the funeral.

Episode 1 of the docuseries will still premiere on Sunday, with the second episode moving to Tuesday.

11:43 a.m. ET, September 14, 2022

Princess of Wales wore a brooch that belonged to Queen Elizabeth at today's service

From CNN's Jorge Engels in London

Catherine, Princess of Wales is driven behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday.
Catherine, Princess of Wales is driven behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth on Wednesday. (Marco Bertorello/AFP via Getty Images)

Catherine, the Princess of Wales, wore a diamond and pearl leaf brooch that belonged to Queen Elizabeth II at the short service marking the arrival of the late monarch's coffin at Westminster Hall, according to the UK’s Press Association.