By Our Special Correspondent
Britain and the world bid a final farewell to Queen Elizabeth II, with presidents and kings, princes and prime ministers - and crowds lining the streets of London to honor the monarch whose 70-year reign defined her age - at a state funeral on Monday. An eventful day in London and Windsor began when the doors of the 900-year-old Westminster Hall were closed to mourners after hundreds of thousands filed in front of her flag-draped coffin. Many waited in line for hours, including cold nights, to attend the lie-in-state in an outpouring of collective grief and honor.
"I thought I'd come and pay my last respects to our majestic Queen. She's done so much for us and I really want to thank the people," said Tracy Dobson. .
In a country known for pomp and pageantry, the first state funeral since Winston Churchill was full of spectacle: 142 Royal Navy sailors escorted a gun carriage carrying Elizabeth's coffin to Westminster Abbey, walked by King Charles III and his sons Princes William and Harry. Behind as bagpipers play.
Pallbearers carried the coffin into the abbey, where about 2,000 people, from world leaders to health care workers, paid their respects. Before the service, a bell was tolled 96 times - once a minute for every year of her life.
Monday was declared a public holiday in honor of Elizabeth, who died on September 8 - and millions of people flocked to central London to take part in the historic moment. Long before the service began, viewing areas along the funeral procession route were packed, city officials said.
US President Joe Biden was among the leaders who paid their respects at the Queen's coffin on Sunday as thousands of police, hundreds of British troops and an army of officers made final preparations for the funeral.
Joe Biden called Queen Elizabeth II "polite" and "honorable" and "all about service" as he signed a condolence book, saying his heart went out to the royal family.
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