Bank holiday announced for day of Queen's funeral as King Charles approves proclamations
The day of the Queen's funeral will officially be a bank holiday.
At the proclamation of King Charles III at St James's Palace on Saturday morning, the Privy Council confirmed the day of the state funeral will be a bank holiday. Buckingham Palace has since confirmed the funeral will take place on Monday, September 19.
Penny Mordaunt, the Lord President of the Privy Council, said a proclamation will appoint the day of the Queen's funeral as a bank holiday across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
"Drafts of two proclamations. One - appointing the day of Her late Majesty's state funeral as a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland," she said during the ceremony.
"Two - appointing the day of Her late Majesty's state funeral as a bank holiday in Scotland.
"And of two orders in council, directing the Lord Chancellor to affix the great seal to the proclamations."
Charles answered: "Approved."
King Charles then signed the proclamation approving the bank holiday.
The original plans are for the Queen’s coffin to process on a gun carriage to the abbey, pulled by naval ratings – sailors – using ropes rather than horses.
Senior members of the family are expected to follow behind – just like they did for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The military will line the streets and also join the procession.
Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000.
The service will be televised, and a national two minutes’ silence is expected to be held.
The same day as the funeral, the Queen’s coffin will be taken to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle for a televised committal service.
Later in the evening, there will be a private interment service with senior members of the royal family.
The Queen’s final resting place will be the King George VI memorial chapel, an annex to the main chapel – where her mother and father were buried, along with the ashes of her sister, Princess Margaret.
Philip’s coffin will move from the Royal Vault to the memorial chapel to join the Queen’s.
