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.
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.
Here’s what to expect throughout the course of the State Funeral morning.
Ahead of Her Majesty The Queen’s State Funeral, a new photograph has been released.
The photo was taken to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee – the first British Monarch to reach this milestone.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
Man who calls himself ‘Kardashian of Cheshire’ pleads guilty to £200k handbag fraud scam
Emily Sergeant
A man who refers to himself as Cheshire’s very-own Kardashian has pleaded guilty to fraud and theft.
Cheshire Police explained how Jack Watkin, formerly of Wilmslow Road, in the affluent Cheshire suburb of Alderley Edge, funded his fantasy Instagram influencer lifestyle by defrauding businesses and individuals to a total value of more than £200,000.
The 26-year-old appeared at Chester Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday 24 June), where he pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud by false representation.
The court heard how Watkin used the lure of well-known designer handbag brand, Hermes, as a ruse to trick people into giving him the money he needed to afford his extravagant lifestyle, as these sought-after handbags can’t be purchased over the counter, and instead, shoppers must be specially invited to buy one.
This therefore makes Hermes bags a lucrative investment, as the resale value of them can be much higher than the original price.
Jack Watkin has pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud / Credit: Cheshire Police
The victims were told by Watkin that he had the contacts that could give them access to the handbags and that they could split the profits made on resale, so they proceeded to hand over their money in good faith.
But when no bag or sign of any money from the investment opportunity showed itself, they would begin to ask for their money back… and it was at this point they encountered his excuses.
A police investigation was launched after one victim contacted the Metropolitan Police back in 2022 when she became suspicious of Watkin’s continued excuses, and the case was subsequently referred to Cheshire Constabulary’s Economic Crime Unit.
Their enquiries unearthed a string of victims and a ‘breathtaking’ amount of luxury goods and hotel bills, all of which Watkin afforded by ‘swindling’ his six victims.
During the investigation, detectives also found indecent images on his mobile phone, which he has already been found guilty of at a previous hearing.
“Watkin deluded himself that he was a successful rich kid influencer,” explained Detective Constable Gareth Yates, of Cheshire Constabulary ECU.
“But in reality, he was stealing money from wealthy individuals under the guise of ‘business opportunities’ to fund his expensive habit of fast cars, luxury goods, and designer footwear and clothing.
“It was never going to end well, and his downfall was inevitable.
“Eventually his lies caught up with him and he is now facing the consequences of his deceit, and his perversions.”
Watkin has been remanded in custody and is set to be sentenced for the fraud and indecent images offences on Wednesday 3 September at Chester Crown Court.
Featured Image – Cheshire Police
News
Kala announces closure after more than half a decade in Manchester city centre
Danny Jones
Another hit for the Manchester hospitality sector as city centre cult favourite Kala has announced it has closed with immediate effect.
The Manc bistro, beloved for putting a contemporary slant on British and French classics, was opened by restaurateur Gary Usher back in 2021, receiving plenty of positive press over the years.
Announcing the shutdown on Tuesday evening (24 June), Usher shared an extended statement on social media, explaining the details behind the decision – but there was one, clear, overriding reason.
Confirming the news on Instagram, the chef-owner wrote: “Gary Usher here.. It’s with a heavy heart that I announce the immediate closure of Kala. I’m not really sure how to explain why we’ve closed other than we weren’t busy enough to cover our costs.
“I really really want to blame the economy and the pandemic. I really want to say the rising costs have made it impossible. All those factors haven’t helped, but we are 50% down in trade at Kala, and that is the killer.”
Nevertheless, Kala’s reputation has remained strong throughout, boasting one of the best elevated albeit accessible evening and lunch deals in the city centre, not to mention at very reasonable prices.
Moreover, they were famed for their stunning Sunday dinners, with Sacha Lord dubbing them the best roasts in Manchester he’s had “in ages.”
Usher goes on to add: “It goes without saying our business rates [are] increasing substantially, and the hike in NIC [national insurance] contributions only works against us. This was not planned, but neither was us being this quiet in June. All the Kala team will be paid up to date, our rent & suppliers too.
“If you have a voucher with us, as always, it can be used in the wider group. It was always a dream to have a restaurant on King Street in Manchester. I just wish it had lasted longer than 6 years.
“Thank you to all the team past & present & I’m so sorry to all of you and all the guests that I couldn’t create something with longevity.
“Please come and visit us in Didsbury at Hispi where it will be our pleasure to welcome you. Farewell, King Street. Farewell Kala. Gary.”
We’re back after a busy Sunday lunch service with our Monday lunch options. Don’t forget our great value bistro menu is available all evening too. pic.twitter.com/TtV4grWurK
Kala closing marks yet another local business we’re gutted to see go, as it was only earlier this month that we had to bid goodbye to both Medlock Canteen and Indian street food spot, Rola Wala, which closed on Monday.
Safe to say it’s been a gutting few days for local food and drink.
With that being said, please do support the Elite Group’s remaining restaurants where you can, which include the aforementioned Hispi, The Sticky Walnut in Chester, The White Horse in the Cheshire village of Churton, as well as Wreck in Liverpool.
All we can say is thanks for the memories and the brilliant food.
Emily Sergeant -
19th September 2022 
