Buckingham Palace announced Thursday that Queen Elizabeth, the nation’s figurehead for seven decades, had passed away at the age of 96.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace stated, “The Queen passed away peacefully this afternoon at Balmoral.”.
The queen’s eldest son, Charles, 73, automatically becomes king of the United Kingdom and the head of the state of 14 other realms, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
Queen Elizabeth II is set to be laid to rest Monday after a ceremonial funeral at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. The service will take place at 3 pm local time (10 am ET) and last for 50 minutes; Buckingham Palace has yet to release a statement.
Who Will Broadcast The Funeral?
- The service is broadcast live on British television and various news networks, including CNN and Sky News, and streamed on YouTube and other platforms.
- You can also watch a funeral Livestream on the BBC iPlayer here.
- To watch a Livestream of the Queen’s funeral in Australia, head to SBS, where it will be available from midday AEST on Thursday.
- If you’re in Canada, look for coverage across CBC News Network – including CBC News Toronto channel two and CBC Ottawa channel 1 – both live from 11:30 am EST (4:30 pm BST) until 1 pm EST (8 pm BST).
Other networks, including CBS, ABC, Fox News, and NBC will also air footage of the Queen’s funeral live from Windsor Castle as well as other locations along The Mall including Westminster Abbey where an evening prayer vigil will take place Thursday night before her body is transferred to St George’s Chapel for lying in state overnight.
The ceremony will be followed by interment in the royal vault of St George’s Chapel with the death of her husband, Prince Philip, last year at the age of 99, paving the way for what has been billed as a “no frills” funeral by officials.
The service will take place at 3 pm local time (10 am ET) and last for 50 minutes, Buckingham Palace said earlier this week.
Queen Elizabeth II was a beloved figure, and the world will miss her. In addition to being an integral part of British history, she was also an important figurehead for many people who felt marginalized or disenfranchised.
Her death is a loss for everyone, especially those who were close to her or looked up to her as an important role model. We must mourn her passing while still celebrating all that she accomplished during her life—and this funeral service is exactly the right time and place to do just that!