19th September, 2022
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II has arrived St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle for the Committal Service before she will be lowered to the grave.
After all the glamour of the procession at London, there’s hundreds of people here, at this rather intimate procession.
Only about 800 people will be at St. George’s Chapel to witness the committal service.
Those to be at the service included the King, the royal family, Commonwealth leaders, governors-general and mourners from the Queen’s household past and present, including personal staff from across her private estates. It will be conducted by the dean of Windsor with a blessing by the archbishop of Canterbury.
Senior members of the Royal Family joined the procession as the state hearse approached St George’s Chapel.
King Charles III, Princess Anne, Princes Andrew and Edward, as well as Princes William and Harry were seen walking behind the hearse.
BBC’s Daniela Relph, said the crowd at the chapel would feel smaller and more intimate than the funeral service at Westminster Abbey this morning.
She explained that in recent years, this had been the equivalent of the Queen’s parish church during the years she lived in the castle, saying it was where she worshipped at Easter and celebrated baptisms, confirmations and weddings during her reign.
She added that it was where she said her own final farewell to her husband Prince Philip.
According to her, the seats are laid out – each one has an order of service placed on it. She said much of the music for the Committal Service had been composed by Sir William Harris who was the organist here from 1933 to 1961, as he was also the Queen’s childhood piano teacher.
“At the foot of the altar lie the family flowers – providing flashes of colour on the chapel floor. The details of the Committal Service were discussed with the Queen over a number of years.
“But the final hymn was not her choice. That was deliberately left to the Dean of Windsor and the King. They have chosen Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation,” she said.
Earlier in the day, over 2,000 people, including world leaders were at the Westminster Abbey for the Queen’s funeral service.