The funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, as it happened: Every cheer, every tear... moment by moment on historic day that truly was the end of an era

By Jack Wright and Mark Duell and Tara Cobham and Harry Howard and Arthur Parashar For Mailonline 04:16 19 Sep 2022, updated 09:15 20 Sep 2022

• The Queen's funeral: All the latest Royal Family news and coverage

The day began with the last of the ordinary Britons who had queued through the night to pay their respects to the Queen filing out of Westminster Hall. 

Then at, 6.30am, the four-day period of lying-in-state came to an end and Her Majesty's coffin was moved later in the morning in a majestic procession to Westminster Abbey.

King Charles III led his four siblings, the Queen's grandsons and other members of his family in walking behind the state gun carriage carrying the Queen that was being pulled by Royal Navy sailors. 

The Duke of York - wearing a morning suit after being stripped of his titles - was visibly emotional, signifying the pain of his and his family's crushing grief.    

Once at the Abbey, the Queen's state funeral - an event not seen inside that historic church since Winston Churchill's in 1965 - took place in front of her family, closest aides and nearly all of the world's leaders and senior royals. 

As the Archbishop of Canterbury hailed the Queen's 'abundant life and loving service', there were more tears, this time from King Charles. 

Then came the procession from the Abbey to Wellington Arch, and then on to Windsor Castle. An estimated 2million people had gathered along the route or were watching on big screens.

Crowds threw roses in front of the Queen's coffin and cheered her for the final time as the state hearse drove from West London to Berkshire, with even the Queen's beloved fell pony, Emma, standing by as her coffin was driven past her in Windsor.

Then, once in St George's Chapel, the final televised service took place in front of Her Majesty's family and aides.

In a highly symbolic moment, the Imperial State Crown and the Orb and Sceptre - those potent icons of royal authority - were removed from the Queen's coffin.

Her Majesty's coffin then descended into the royal vault, to the lament of a lone piper that prompted further tears from her eldest son.

Later, in a service that was entirely private, the Queen was laid to rest in the King George VI Memorial Chapel - an annex to St George's - alongside her husband Prince Philip.

So too was she finally reunited with her father King George VI, mother Queen Elizabeth and sister Princess Margaret. 

Below, recap MailOnline's liveblog from the historic day: