Thousands lined the streets as the royal family gathered with world leaders at Westminster Abbey for a state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II. Source: Getty / Getty Images
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Thousands lined the streets as the royal family gathered with world leaders at Westminster Abbey for a state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II. Source: Getty / Getty Images
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You might remember BBC News anchor Huw Edwards from his announcement of the Queen's death, which went viral online.
He's hosting the BBC's coverage of the funeral tonight, which SBS is broadcasting live.
Edwards is a Welsh journalist who's covered numerous Royal events including the 2011 and 2018 weddings of Kate and William, Harry and Meghan, and last year's funeral of Prince Philip.
There are a number of world leaders who'll be conspicuous because of their absence, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Saudi Arabia will instead be represented by Prince Turki bin Mohammed al Saud, a Saudi minister of state.
Saudi representation at the funeral has been closely watched for any signs of a further thaw in a diplomatic chill Western countries imposed on Prince Mohammed after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Vladimir Putin didn't receive an invitation due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in a move that's angered the Kremlin’s foreign ministry.
Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the UK's decision to not invite Mr Putin was "deeply immoral".
You can read more about the guest list here.
About 500 royals, politicians and world leaders will attend, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Other world leaders and royal attendees include:
And many, many more.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have arrived at Westminster Abbey.
They were pictured on the way, along with Catherine and William's children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Wales.
The Queen's coffin is being moved from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey.
King Charles III, Princes William and Harry and Prince Andrew are following the procession, accompanied by dozens of military personnel.
Harry and Andrew, who both were in active service, are not in uniform.
King Charles III has been pictured travelling on The Mall with the Prince of Wales.
He waved at well-wishers who have gathered along the funeral procession route, to cheers from the crowd.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Westminster Abbey for the funeral along with his partner Jodie Haydon.
Harry and Meghan have been pictured on The Mall, on their way to the funeral.
The last time we saw the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they greeted members of the public outside Windsor Castle at the invitation of Prince William and wife Kate a week ago.
The quad examined flowers and spoke to crowds lining the entrance to the castle.
It was a significant moment of reconciliation - or a show of one at least, with relations between the King's two sons strained since Harry and Meghan moved to the United States.
Yesterday, Prince Harry was in uniform standing guard at the Queen’s lying-in-state. He was previously denied the chance to wear military uniform because he is no longer a working royal but it’s been revealed the King made an exception for his youngest son.
Thousands are attending in person. Millions are watching from around the world.
Here’s the Queen’s funeral service in numbers:
1 million: People London transport authorities expect to attend.
10,000: Police officers out and about.
2,000: Dignitaries and guests.
1,650: Military personnel for procession of the coffin to Wellington Arch after the funeral.
1,000: Military personnel to line the streets along the procession route.
World leaders are starting to arrive at Westminster Abbey, including French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte.
US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill are also pictured arriving ahead of the state funeral.
Former UK Prime Ministers including Boris Johnson, David Cameron and Tony Blair have also arrived. Liz Truss, who replaced Boris Johnson, was appointed by Queen Elizabeth just days before her death.
Crowds are building along the funeral procession route, as guests arrive at Westminster Abbey ahead of the service.
As dawn broke over the River Thames, a steady stream of well-wishers streamed out of Embankment underground station headed for Parliament Square.
But many were already there, camping in sleeping bags behind the metal barriers along the Whitehall government district, where the funeral procession will pass.
"It's part of history," Bethany Beardmore, an accountant whose brother is a Grenadier Guard and part of the ceremonies, told AFP.
"Not in my lifetime is there going to be another queen."
The doors to Westminster Hall, where the Queen was lying in state, were finally shut at 6.30am (3.30pm AEST) to prepare for the coffin's transfer past Parliament Square to Westminster Abbey.
- With AFP
SBS News' Chief International Correspondent Ben Lewis has been in London and wrote about the Queen's lying-in-state.
Even for someone not prone to being overly emotional, the historical significance of the occasion does make you pause.
The coffin and catafalque look small inside Westminster Hall's cavernous banquet room. The live feed of the vigil doesn’t quite convey how imposing the surroundings are.
It’s almost completely silent. Just the sound of feet brushing along the carpet and the occasional gurgle of a baby. I would have liked to take my four-month-old daughter with me, but I’m pretty sure she would have shattered the silence within seconds of entering the room.
With a couple of taps of a cane on the ground, the change of guard is announced. So begins a brief procession of Yeomen and the Household Cavalry, where one replaces another. Some of the guards must be in their 70s. Stints are limited to 20 minutes, to reduce the risk of them collapsing. But still, it happens.
By my count, every third or fourth person walking past the Queen’s coffin has tears in their eyes.
For many, it’s clearly a very emotional moment, perhaps exacerbated by the many hours of anticipation. Those passing through during my brief visit had endured a cold night outdoors in The Queue.
There is something wonderfully British about The Queue. After waiting for almost a day to get there, people only pause briefly when they reach the catafalque, not wanting to be too showy or hold up the people behind them.
When a small group of people from a religious order I couldn’t quite identify paused a little too long to perform a prayer, there was the odd eye roll from those waiting their turn.
When a woman walked past the coffin with a large shaggy dog — definitely not a service animal — even the police officers managed a little smile. Animals are, of course, not allowed.
But given The Queen’s love of her corgis, the presence of the smuggled hound seemed somehow appropriate.
Read more about the magic moments of The Queue here.
At the conclusion of the funeral service, the Queen's coffin - followed by King Charles III and senior royals - will be drawn in procession to Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner, beginning at about 12.15pm (9.15pm AEST).
Big Ben will toll at one-minute intervals.
The coffin will be taken to Windsor by state hearse, where it is expected to arrive shortly after 3pm (midnight AEST) for a service at St George's Chapel.
At 4pm (1am AEST) the committal service will begin, attended by a smaller group of about 800 guests. It will end at about 4.45pm (1.45am AEST).
The service will be conducted by Dean of Windsor David Conner, with a blessing from Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
Afterwards, the coffin will be lowered into the royal vault.
At a private family service later in the evening, the Queen will be buried with the Duke of Edinburgh at the King George VI memorial chapel, where her parents and sister, Princess Margaret, also rest.
For more information, click here.
- With AAP
With The Queen's lying-in-state period ending, here's what we know about the funeral proceedings.
The doors to Westminster Abbey opened at 8.00am BST (5.30pm AEST) ahead of the funeral.
At 10.44 BST (7.44pm AEST), the coffin, covered in the Royal Standard flag with the Imperial State Crown on top, will be placed on a gun carriage and pulled by naval personnel from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey.
The coffin is scheduled to arrive at Westminster Abbey at 10.52am (7.52pm AEST) and the funeral service will officially begin at 11.00am (8pm AEST).
The funeral service will end around 12pm BST (9pm AEST) after a playing of the Last Post and a two-minute silence.
To read more, click here.
- With AAP
Hello and welcome to our live blog on the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
SBS News journalists Rashida Yosufzai and Emma Brancatisano will be taking you through developments this evening.
The Queen’s lying-in-state period has ended, and the final members of the public have paid their respects at the coffin in Westminster Hall.
You can watch events from 7:30pm AEST when the SBS Main Channel will switch to the BBC coverage of The State Funeral.
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