Hi Connor, i worked as a camera operator in the Abbey today. My shots were all the ones zooming into the coffin and the crown throughout the service. It was pretty nerve wracking, but an absolute honour to have played a very small role in such an historic event. I know it won't be surpassed by any other job. See if you can find the whole 60 minute service. RIP your majesty
What an amazing thing to remember and to pass forward to your possible relatives to come. I'm Finnish, but I see that as an honor that will last for many generations.
The smaller service later at Windsor was the most moving, the fact that they had her dogs and pony wait to great her on arrival at the castle and the bit that had me in tears was the lone piper disappearing into the distance while the coffin was lowered into the floor.
The two tombs at the beginning. The first they walked over was Churchill memorial. Think she requested, she leant on his wisdom as a young Queen, so would again one last time. The second with the red poppys round was the tomb of the unknown solider. No one stands on that one.
Connor, after this service there was an incredible procession which was over a mile long! You really should look at that footage. It included military personnel from the Commonwealth as well as the UK, headed by Canadian mounties. It stretched the full length of the Mall. It then proceeded past Buckingham Palace to Hyde Park where the coffin was taken from the gun carriage and transferred to the hearse for her journey to Windsor Castle.
I don't know if you watched the procession through London and again through Windsor, breathtaking, the crowds were amazing. I'm Australian and no country I know of, does Weddings, funerals and special occasions like the British.
THERE WAS ONE TINY BUT IMPORTANT DETAIL within the ceremony that probably went unnoticed by many. As the soldiers bearing the Queen's coffin carried it into and out of Westminster Abbey, with perfect symmetry they made a small detour (2:20) to sidestep around one tombstone, and only one tombstone, although they walked across many other monuments as they went up the aisle. You may have noticed it surrounded by red flowers. Who is it that is deemed so important that even the late Monarch's coffin is not carried over their tomb? The answer is: We don't know' for it is the tomb of the unknown warrior brought from the battlefields of the 1st World War. Their burial in such a prominent place within the Abbey stands as a symbol for all those people, known and unknown, that died in that dreadful war, and stands as a reminder to us all of their sacrifice.
The tomb of the Unknown Warrior, brought back from France after the First World War. His name, rank, and company are unknown, and therefore could be anybody's missing son, father or brother, who never returned. It is highly revered, and no one, even a Monarch dare walk on it.
I was at the Long Walk for 6 hours waiting- it was amazing to see the procession before it entered the main gates of the Castle- I drove 8 hours today to say my final farewells.
Westminster Abbey is even grander when you are inside looking up. The last time I was there was the afternoon before the Queen Mother's funeral, and even though I had to dodge a lot of TV rigging, and many areas were restricted in preparation, it is a very humbling place. I am not remotely religious, but as I looked up at the ceiling I was brought to tears.
Most people outside the UK and Commenweath countries can only compare such loss to members of their own families but Queen was mother/grandmother to over 48,000,000 people, such a loss is undisciribable. May you rest in peace Maam.
Just as an aside it is believed that around 60%of the worlds population have viewed the funeral on some platform ie internet streams or recording. Thats some love :)
The number of royal family supporters suffered a drop after the death of Princess Diana but unless my info is incorrect i believe the percentage has risen again after the Queens recent Jubilee. Thanks for the char Will.
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, London. It is one of the United Kingdom's most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and a burial site for English and, later, British monarchs. Since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, all coronations of English and British monarchs have occurred in Westminster Abbey. Sixteen royal weddings have occurred at the Abbey since 1100. Construction of the present church began in 1245 on the orders of King Henry III.
William the Conquerer may have been the first monarch of England, but the Queen's genealogy goes back to Charlemagne in 800 AD, the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
@@stirlingmoss4621 I always thought England was divided into kingdoms like Wessex, Northumbria, Cornwall, etc. under King Alfred. William the Conquerer was the first King of England who could trace his lineage to Charlemagne in 800 AD.
Such a beautiful and faith filled service. The coordination of the whole day was impressive and as for those soldiers who carried the coffin (which weighed in told 360kg as it’s lead lined) they were a credit to their regiment
There was a next service at st Georges chapel in Windsor. The pallbearers did a sterling job getting the coffin up the stairs. Watch and you'll also learn how the crown jewels stayed on the coffin
Westminster Abbey was first built in 960. With renovations in 1065, the 13th century (rebuilt in Gothic style), 1517 Henry VII's Chapel and 1722 (towers).
I did watch all of this, throughout the day, and was glad that I did....as it was the only way not to miss so many of the details (images and sounds) that will stay in my memory always. However it is difficult for anyone else, like Conor, to get a true impression of the day, as I think he would need to watch short-duration footage of the different parts of the day (rather than a long service or a slow procession in 'real time'). I think he would probably appreciate seeing a) any part of the procession with the 'Beethoven' March (with the drum-beat and the tolling bell) and b) the end of the service at Windsor, when the crown, orb and sceptre are removed from the coffin abd the congregation and choir sing 'God Save the King' (seeing the expression on Charles' face was when I finally 'unravelled' 😢)
Regarding medals and decorations, King Charles wore the Royal Navy No 1 tailcoat with sword, the collar of the Order of the Garter, Order of the Thistle Sash, Order of Merit neck order, Garter Star and Thistle Star. He also wore full-size medals including the Queen’s Service Order (New Zealand), Coronation Medal, Silver Jubilee Medal, Golden Jubilee Medal, Diamond Jubilee Medal, Platinum Jubilee Medal and a Naval Long Service Good Conduct (LSGC) (three x Additional Service Bars). The Prince of Wales wore the RAF No 1 uniform with the Garter Sash with RAF Pilot Wings and the Garter Star Chest Order. He also wore the Gold, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medals. [Source: Matt Watts; Evening Standard.)
Thank you for expressing your appreciation for the singing. Over 60 years ago I was an Abbey chorister, and I may assure you that big, state events such as this involved us in many hours of extra rehearsal. There is an unique quality to boys' treble voices. St Thomas's on 5th Ave in NY, an Anglican/Episcopalian Church like the Abbey, has a similar choir, also with its own boarding school.
This is the main funeral. The congregation consists of European Royal families, world leaders, leaders of the commonwealth and many other dignitaries. After this funeral, the queen is taken on the gun carriage, again pulled by the Royal Navy to Wellington Arch where her coffin in transferred to the royal hearse which then travels to Windsor for a smaller funeral service and committal to the Royal Vault in st George's Chapel.
Thank you for watching and reacting to this video with respect and interest. Westminster Abbey, the music and all the astonishing uniforms and pageantry were utterly amazing. The whole thing was mesmerising, moving and beautiful.
Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral are two separate buildings: the Abbey, as a church, is connected to the Protestant Royal Family; the Cathedral is the mother church to Roman Catholicism in England and Wales. St Paul's Cathedral is a protestant church but as the name implies (cathedral is derived from the Greek for throne) it is the seat of the Bishop of London; the are several Anglican, Catholic and other denomination cathedrals throughout the United Kingdom but the Abbey is seen as something a bit special because of its Royal connection.
The church of England ams the monarchy are pridestant. The King is the defender of our great prodestant faith but defender of all faiths and indeed none.
The procession into Windsor castle is worth watching too as is the service in st Georges chapel there. (Where H and M were married) There was a ceremony there that has never been seen before. Its where they take back the orb sceptre and crown from her and then commit her body to the crypt below. And regarding the unknown warrior or soldier there is a lovely video about how that came about...how he was chosen and brought back to the Abbey. Definitely worth watching. Lots of original footage which you say you love. I think its called the British unknown soldier and made by the marines.
There's 90 of the queens ancestors inturned in Windsor including her parents and sister. You should check out the 2012 james bond and the queen london performance and marmalade sandwich your majesty You can see her sense if humour .
THE day thou gavest, Lord, is ended, The darkness falls at thy behest; To thee our morning hymns ascended, Thy praise shall sanctify our rest. We thank thee that thy Church unsleeping, While earth rolls onward into light, Through all the world her watch is keeping, And rests not now by day or night. As o’er each continent and island The dawn leads on another day, The voice of prayer is never silent, Nor dies the strain of praise away. The sun that bids us rest is waking Our brethren ’neath the western sky, And hour by hour fresh lips are making Thy wondrous doings heard on high. So be it, Lord; thy throne shall never, Like earth’s proud empires, pass away; Thy kingdom stands, and grows for ever, Till all thy creatures own thy sway.
Connor, I recommend you watch the complete service if you haven't. Just in your own time not as a reaction. I say this as that service, from what I understand, was designed by the Queen herself. So you can take the sermon topic as a kind of final message from the Queen. Without the political baggage that usually holds such things back. There is a reason her title was "Defender of the faith".
I'm not Religious or overtly a Royalist But this really hit me ,The history of it all ,being made in real time ,well my time .was overwhelming. She has been steadfast, probably could have gone to a top beach somewhere in the world, she was certainly rich enough, but she served a country and a lineage, As a princess when a young woman, Some wanted the Royal Family to evacate to Canada when it looked Bleak for Britain. But the Royal Family stayed with the people of this Green and pleasant Land ..
The bidding and the collect. The bidding is the 'introduction' bidding us to come to prayer for the intention, in this case, of remembrance. And the collect is the prayer that sums up the bidding.
This is Westminster Abbey, not to be confused with Westminster Cathedral (a 10 minute walk away). The Cathedral is a Catholic church and pretty new compared to the Abbey
Connor, the mosaic pavement that you see behind the Queen's coffin in the close up shots is called The Great Pavement and id over 800 years old. The central roundel is where the throne when the Queen was crowned was placed as it always has been for the coronation of English monarchs. It is taken from an ancient Egyptian column that was in Rome and an almost identical roundel is in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and Charlemagne was crowned by the Pope on it 800 AD. The meaning and inscriptions on the pavement have never been successfully deciphered. Try and do some research on it as it is a fascinating monument. It is depicted in one of the most famous paintings in the world The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein itself a highly complex allegorical work that is not what it first appears to be. The pavement is covered over with carpet for most of the time.
Just a very minor correction: the chair in which the Queen was crowned was the coronation chair, King Edward's Chair. It is not technically a throne. After the moment of coronation, the Queen is led by her supporters to be enthroned. She is lifted into her throne which was positioned on a raised platform some distance behind the coronation chair and facing the same way towards the altar. The throne stood at the centre of the central crossing, a little way behind where the Queen's coffin rested during the funeral service.
I don't know if you will react to the full services , both were very moving with the lone piper facing into the distance . It must have been a challenge for Prince George and his sister accompanying their great grandmother in the Abbey , but something they ,and the Country will remember . Charles is already King , he became King Charles III on the death of his mother ,he will have an official Coronation but that will be another ceremony
Westminster Abbey is not a cathedral as it is not the seat of a bishop. It was a cathedral in its own right with its own bishop very briefly from 1540-1550 during the Reformation. From 1550 to 1556, it was a secondary cathedral for the Diocese of London. Westminster Abbey was a monastic house of Benedictine monks until its dissolution in 1539 and again briefly from 1553 to 1559. After its second dissolution, it was declared a Royal Peculiar (outside of the jurisdiction of any bishop) with the official title of the "Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster".
What you are looking at around 12. 30 in is The Tomb of The Unknown Warrior. It's the only grave in the Abbey that you're forbidden to walk upon. The history of it and the inscription is something I think you'd appreciate en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unknown_Warrior
History Hit did a great video on Westminster Abbey that you could react to. It's the final resting place of many monarchs and momentous people from History, including Queen Elizabeth I and Sir Issac Newton.
Westminster Abbey was originally part of a Benedictine Abbey - a Minster built to the West of the City of London. The first King to be crowned there (though obviously an earlier structure) was Harold II in January 1066. Sadly, he was killed at the Battle of Hastings and the Norman William the Bastard (his choice of nickname) was crowned there at Christmas 1066. So, like much of Britain its a bit of a jumble, a Minster in the West that was part of an Abbey. There are still many cathedrals in Britain which are still active - Henry VIII didn't destroy them all.
The Abbey is under the control of the Queen, NOT the Archbishop of Canterbury, she alone appoints the clergy who take the services. St George’s Chapel at Windsor was also under her appointments too.Its-called a royal peculiar.
You definitely are - reacting to eventful videos by reacting to these...alas they are only only the tiniest in length from a service alone that this was of an hour but yes, eventful. Because you are reacting to something in a building which so many centuries past was built as an architectural masterpiece for the glory of London and its everlasting links to the monarchy its kings and queens of the nation, and reacting indeed to that very funeral service for our Queen just as monumental of both person and the final goodbyes, that matches the very important significance of Westminster Abbey itself. I call that all in all eventful! :-) Thanks for your interest and what you have said over these past days.
Should always try and find BBC videos for any royal events like this. They are the only ones that are actually involved with the events and the filming of them etc. and everybody else just has to get what they are given from the BBC and make do. Also the BBC have people that actually know what they are talking about when it comes to the Royal Family and how and why they do things.
