News

HM Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral – coverage timings, procession, and order of service

A full day of proceedings will see the nation come together to commemorate the life of our longest-reigning monarch.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 19th September 2022

The State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II is taking place today as the nation comes together to commemorate her remarkable life.

HM Queen Elizabeth II died aged 96 on 8 September 2022.

During her reign, she served as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth – undertaking an important symbolic and unifying role as a head of state, spanning numerous geographical regions, cultures, and religions. 

She was not just the longest-reigning British monarch in history, but she was also the first-ever monarch to reign in the UK for 70 years.

With the UK in a period of national mourning, it was confirmed by Buckingham Palace and the UK government that the State Funeral would be held at 11am in Westminster Abbey today (Monday 19 September), and a bank holiday has been declared to allow the public the time to properly pay their respects to the late monarch.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tens of thousands of mourners have travelled to London and Windsor for the State Funeral and burial service, and many more will be gathering at different hubs across the UK to watch the historic event in real-time.

Continuous coverage of the State Funeral is being screened by many of the nation’s major broadcasters, including BBC, ITV, Sky, and Channel 4, and is expected to be watched on television by millions of people around the world.

ADVERTISEMENT

Here’s what to expect throughout the course of the State Funeral morning.

8am – Westminster Abbey opens and guests start to arrive

Although the State Funeral itself does not begin until 11am, the doors to Westminster Abbey have already opened and guests have begun arriving and taking their seats.

A total of 2,000 guests are expected to attend.

ADVERTISEMENT

This includes 500 foreign dignitaries – including politicians, civil servants, some celebrities – and many ordinary members of the public selected for charitable or community works.

World leaders will be among those representing nearly 200 countries and territories.

10:44am – Coffin procession to Westminster Abbey

The procession will involve around 6,000 representatives from all three armed forces, with 98 Royal Navy sailors towing the 123-year-old gun carriage which will carry the Queen’s coffin to Westminster Abbey.

King Charles III, his siblings, and the Queen’s grandsons will be following the coffin.

They will be followed by the Queen’s son-in-law Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, her cousin the Duke of Gloucester, and her nephew the Earl of Snowdon.

ADVERTISEMENT

The procession is set to arrive at Westminster Abbey at 10.52am, and the coffin will be carried into the Abbey for the service.

The State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II is taking place today / Credit: The Royal Family

11am – State Funeral service begins

The State Funeral itself is to begin at 11am, and will be conducted by the Dean of Westminster.

Newly-appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth are expected to read Lessons, while the Archbishop of York, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and the Free Churches Moderator will each say prayers.

A sermon will be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who will also give the commendation, and the Dean of Westminster will then pronounce the blessing.

Read more:

ADVERTISEMENT

11:50am – The Last Post and two-minute silence

As the State Funeral ceremony draws to a close, The Last Post is to be played, and this will then be followed by a two-minute silence observed by all those in attendance at Westminster Abbey, and throughout the UK.

The national anthem will then be played, and a lament will close the service at midday.

The nation will come together to commemorate the remarkable life of our longest-reigning monarch / Credit: The Royal Family

Although the State Funeral will have concluded around midday, this is not the end of proceedings for the day, as the Queen’s coffin is then to make the journey to Windsor Castle.

The procession will first make its way to Wellington Arch, before arriving in Windsor and travelling up the Long Walk to Windsor Castle – where thousands of people are expected to be lining the streets to pay their respects and catch a glimpse at the coffin.

Here is a brief run-down of what is expected throughout the rest of the day:

ADVERTISEMENT
  • 12:15pm – Procession to Wellington Arch
  • 1pm – Procession arrives at Wellington Arch
  • 3:06pm – Coffin and procession arrives in Windsor
  • 3:10pm – Procession up the Long Walk
  • 4pm – Commital Service
  • 7:30pm – The burial

Full coverage throughout the day is to be broadcast live by the BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 4, and other services, as well as being streamed for free right across the globe via The Royal Family’s YouTube channel here.

You can read the Order of Service in full here.

Featured Image – The Royal Family

News

Manchester’s libraries to become ‘warm spaces’ with free hot drinks and WiFi this winter

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Manchester’s libraries are set to become ‘warm welcome spaces’ offering free hot drinks and internet access to those in need again this winter.

After millions of local residents visited the ‘stigma-free safe spaces’ to escape and take refuge from the cold each year since they were first introduced in 2022, Manchester City Council has decided to reintroduce its popular ‘Warm Welcome Spaces’ scheme again this year during the chillier months.

All 22 of Manchester‘s public libraries are, once again, taking part in the scheme this time around.

Designed to ‘provide support to people who need it’ over some of the most challenging months of the year when temperatures drop, the Council’s scheme is offering a range of different services – and they’re all for free of charge.

Free hot drinks, WiFi and internet access, data SIM cards, and newspapers are just some of the things people can make the most of inside these ‘warm spaces’, as well as get access to information, advice, and extra signposting to other support services they made need in the city.

Outside Manchester Central Library
Person holding a hot drink
Manchester’s libraries will become ‘warm spaces’ with free hot drinks and WiFi again this winter / Credit: Haydon Waldeck | koolshooters (Pexels)

There will be age-friendly spaces to connect with others, story times once a week at 11am for children under five, and even weekly digital drop-ins too.

Manchester Central Library, Miles Platting Community Library, Hulme High Street Library, Beswick Library, Longsight Library, and Abraham Moss Library are just some of the libraries taking part this winter.

All 22 libraries will be free to enter, and the Council says people can stay in them ‘for as long as you like’.

“For many years, the Council has been a proud supporter of the Warm Welcome Spaces initiative,” explained Councillor Thomas Robinson, who is the Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care at Manchester City Council.

“In Manchester we have been all too aware of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and the hardships people have suffered as a result. 

Read more:

“It’s not an exaggeration to say this work has the potential to be lifesaving. The simple act of offering a person a safe place where they can interact with other Mancunians, to not feel alone or get the help they need, can have a lasting and meaningful impact.”

Find your local free ‘Warm Welcome Space’ in Manchester here.

Featured Image – RawPixel

News

University fees set to increase in line with inflation but Government promises ‘better outcomes’ for students

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant University lecture

University tuition fees are set to increase in line with forecasted inflation for the next two academic years, the Government has announced.

However, the Department for Education is promising ‘better outcomes’ for students for it.

Last year was the first year, since 2017, that tuition fees were increased in line with inflation, and now that the Office for Students is forecasting that 43% of institutions will be in deficit without further action to ‘shore up’ their finances, the Government has announced in its ‘landmark’ Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper – published this week – that fees will need to rise again.

To support universities in continuing to deliver world-class teaching and research, tuition fees will rise in line with forecast inflation for the next two academic years.

According to the Department for Education, legislation will then be brought forward, when parliamentary time allows, to enable automatic increases to fee caps in future years in line with inflation – but this will only be institutions that meet tough new quality thresholds set by the Office for Students. 

Where standards are deemed to ‘fall short’, the Office for Students will then act quickly to stop the expansion of low-quality courses and will aim to hold providers to account.

Graduating students
University fees are set to increase in line with inflation for the next two years / Credit: PickPik

Universities that underperform could face financial and regulatory consequences, the Government has confirmed, as a way of ensuring public money is spent only on courses that deliver for students and the economy overall.

“Young people from all backgrounds feel they have been let down by a system that talks about opportunity but too often fails to deliver it,” commented Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, as the White Paper was published this week.

“Universities charge significant fees for their courses, but if they are going to charge the maximum, it is right that they deliver the world-class education students expect. 

“These reforms will ensure value for money, higher standards across our universities and colleges and a renewed focus on the skills our economy needs.”

Read more:

The Government has also said it will also work with universities and local authorities to ensure they offer ‘adequate accommodation’ for their students.

It will also support efforts to drive down the cost of living going forward.

Featured Image – StockCake

More News

Underpaid workers North West compensation minimum wage fines

Business

More than £2 million in compensation received by underpaid workers in the North West

Piccadilly Gardens Arrests

City Centre

342 arrests made in Piccadilly Gardens since start of GMP’s pledge to ‘improve’ public safety

Horse and Jockey refurb Chorlton

Eats

Chorlton’s Horse and Jockey is reintroduced to the suburbs after stunning transformation

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches