Queen Elizabeth’s coffin makes way through London

Queen Elizabeth’ s coffin is making its way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall in London.

The queen’s coffin has left the palace for the last time, in a procession including King Charles III and senior members of the royal family walking behind her coffin to the lying in state.

Pulled on a gun carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, the coffin was draped with a Royal Standard. The Imperial State Crown is resting on top of the coffin.

Heathrow Airport flights have been cancelled so they do not disturb the queen’s coffin procession on Wednesday.

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The west London airport said in a statement that “out of respect” for the mourning period it will be making “appropriate alterations to our operation”.

These include flights being disrupted between 1.50pm and 3.40pm on Wednesday to “ensure silence over central London as the ceremonial procession moves from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall”.

Tens of thousands of people have lined the streets.

Large flags were positioned above the crowds, who are packed in behind temporary barriers. Police officers stood in front of those who had lined up to catch a glimpse of the procession from the palace down the Mall to Westminster Hall.

The coffin left Buckingham Palace at 2.22pm and arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm. The procession will travel via Queen’s Gardens, the Mall, Horse Guards and Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square and New Palace Yard.

A vigil will be held at the Westminster parliament complex, before members of the public are allowed in from 5pm. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to queue for many hours to visit. Airport-style security measures have been put in place.

At some stage, senior members of the royal family are expected to stand guard around the coffin, in the tradition known as the vigil of the princes.

People will be able to file past the coffin 24 hours a day during the lying in state from 5pm on Wednesday until 6.30am on the day of the Queen’s state funeral on September 19th. At the lying in state, the queen’s closed coffin will rest on a raised platform, called a catafalque, in Westminster Hall.

About 500 dignitaries from around the world are due to attend the State funeral. “This is the biggest international event we have hosted in decades,” a Whitehall source said. For most countries the invitation extends to the head of state plus a guest.

It was a logistical task equivalent to organising “hundreds of state visits” within a matter of days, the source said. Invitations have not been sent to Russia, Belarus and Myanmar, sources said, while Iran will only be represented at an ambassadorial level.

Elsewhere, dozens of Clarence House staff have been given notice of their redundancy as the offices of King Charles and the queen consort move to Buckingham Palace after the death of the Queen.

Up to 100 employees at the King’s former official residence, including some who have worked there for decades, received notification that they could lose their jobs just as they were working round the clock to smooth his elevation to the throne. — Agencies