Guests tell of 'electric and highly emotional' atmosphere at the Queen's funeral service

  • Tap above to watch video report by Simon Harris


Guests who attended the Queen's funeral have described an "emotional" service at Westminster Abbey, with some attendees "struggling to hold it together" at the ceremony.

Afghanistan veteran Major Peter Norton said quite a few people in the service "lost it" when the Last Post was sounded at the end of the proceedings.

"The atmosphere inside was both electric, sombre and highly emotional," the 59-year-old told ITV News.

"Particularly when Her Majesty's coffin was carried in, I could see quite a few people around us struggling to hold it together and quite a few who lost it when the last post was sounded."

Mary Marc-Peterken, the High Commissioner's Secretary, said tears "rolled down my cheeks for quite a few minutes" when the Queen's coffin was brought into the service.

Outside of the ceremony, mourners in London and Windsor who had gathered together to catch a glimpse of the Queen's final journey told of what the monarch meant to them.

  • Jennifer from Windsor describes 'historical moment'

One emotional visitor from Australia broke down in tears as she described seeing the Queen's coffin being driven to Westminster Abbey.

"It was just the most amazing, emotional, unbelievable experience," Sydney native Carmel Breen told ITV News.

Windsor mourner Jennifer, who took her young daughter to see the funeral cortege pass, said it was an "honour to be part of such a historical moment"

"For us to be here on this special day and to see her personally, it was very touching."

The Queen was buried alongside her beloved late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, at the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle on Monday evening.

It followed a service that saw members of the Royal Family sing hymns and pay their final public respects to the Queen after a day of ceremonies in both London and Windsor.

The lowering into the Royal Vault of St George's Chapel during a committal service this afternoon was the last time the Queen's coffin was seen by the public.

But later in the evening, at around 7.30pm, members of the Royal Family attended a small and private burial service at the memorial chapel - An annexe of St George's Chapel.

It was there that Elizabeth II was relocated to her final resting place and interred with her husband of nearly 74 years, away from the view of cameras or members of the public.

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