The Procession of The Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall
On Wednesday afternoon, the Queen’s coffin was led in procession by members of the Armed Forces, from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where The Queen will now lie-in-state for five days.
Over 320 military personnel from all three services took part in the procession, including over 170 military personnel from the Household Division in the procession.
These individuals have had illustrious military careers, and some have personal experience of meeting HM The Queen.
Buckingham Palace
Ahead of the procession, dismounted detachments of The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment formed on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace either side of the centre arch. Outside the forecourt in Queen’s Gardens, a guard of honour was found by 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards.
Captain Thomas Muir led The Life Guards on procession from Buckingham Palace. His grandmother, Lady Rosemary Muir, was a maid of honour at The Queen’s coronation. She escorted The Queen on her first journey as the monarch in 1953. In 2022, her grandson escorted her on her last.
The gun carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery was positioned in the Buckingham Palace Quadrangle, where the Major General Commanding the Household Division, Major General Chris Ghika and over 50 of his staff took up their positions.
The bearer party from The Queen’s Company 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards carried the coffin from within Buckingham Palace to the gun carriage.
Captain Amy Cooper, aged 31, was selected by the commanding officer of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery to lead the gun team carrying the coffin. Each gun team usually requires 100 hours to prepare a gun to the required standard and they work through the night to complete the preparations.
His Majesty The King and members of the Royal Family walked in the procession behind the gun carriage, followed by mounted soldiers from The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.
The Procession
At 1422, Garrison Sergeant Major Headquarters London District, Warrant Officer Class 1 Andrew Stokes, stepped off the procession and the guard of honour gave a royal salute.
Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Wells danced with The Queen at the Ghillie’s Ball at Balmoral. He was on parade during the procession as commanding officer of 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards.
Minute guns were fired from Hyde Park by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery while the coffin moved in procession to the Palace of Westminster — one round every minute for the duration of the procession.
The procession marched at a pace of 75 steps per minute, which is specifically reserved for funerals and ensures it keeps time with the slow pace of the gun carriage. Ordinarily troops would either do a slow march of 60 beats per minute, or a quick march of 110 beats per minute.
A guard of honour of three officers and 53 other ranks from each of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, accompanied by the Band of HM Royal Marines Collingwood, were mounted in Parliament Square.
The Band of HM Royal Marines Collingwood provided musical accompaniment as the tri-service guard of honour marched to Parliament Square. They stopped playing once they reached the 100-metre silence zone around the Palace of Westminster.
Westminster Hall
Upon arrival at the Palace of Westminster, the coffin was carried in procession by the bearer party from the gun carriage and placed on a raised platform, known as a catafalque.
After a short service, the captain of The Queen’s Company 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, assisted by a senior sergeant, laid The Queen’s Company Colour, the royal standard of the regiment, on the steps of the catafalque at the south end.
A continuous vigil will be kept by His Majesty’s Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, assisted at times by The King’s Body Guard for Scotland (The Royal Company of Archers), The King’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard, assisted by The Body of Yeomen Warders of HM Tower of London, and by units of the Household Division. Those units will include: the Household Cavalry, the Grenadier Guards, the Coldstream Guards, the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards and the Welsh Guards.
Each period of 24 hours will be divided into four watches. Except for the first and last, each of the 20 watches will last for 6 hours. Within each watch, a vigil will last for 20 minutes.
