100 international leaders attend the service
An estimated global audience of four billion people watched The State Funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The ceremony and procession took place on Monday 19 September 2022 and was seen by an estimated 37.5 million viewers in the UK alone.
It was the first State Funeral since 1965 when a ‘grateful nation’ paid tribute to the wartime leader, Sir Winston Churchill.
The Queen’s Funeral saw more than 100 international leaders attend the service along with 2000 dignitaries before the coffin was taken from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch.
The coffin was then placed in the State Hearse before being taken to Windsor Castle.
Her Majesty had been Britain’s longest reigning Monarch having been crowned in The Coronation which took place in 1953.
Queen Elizabeth II had been Patron of a significant number of charities during her reign.
Devon CPRE
‘The national countryside charity, CPRE, was honoured to have Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as our patron throughout her long reign,’ wrote Devon CPRE Director Penny Mills in a tribute published last week.
‘Her Majesty’s enduring commitment will be long remembered by the national charity and by CPRE’s network of local branches, including ours here in Devon.’
‘We are all mourning someone who has been so much a part of the life of the nation for so long that it is hard to imagine public life without her.’
‘Since becoming our patron 70 years ago, the Queen has taken a keen interest in the charity’s work, sending regular messages of support and encouragement.’
‘Throughout this time, she demonstrated her unequivocal love for the British countryside, helping CPRE celebrate its 80th birthday and other significant occasions.’
‘On such visits, she was always keen to spend as much time as possible chatting to our volunteers about their local countryside and the rural issues that impacted their lives.’
‘Now we hope her successor, King Charles III, will take on her mantle as a champion of the countryside.’
‘His mother’s love of the Great Outdoors runs deep in the veins of our new King, who loved the family’s annual holidays at Balmoral and enjoyed a rural lifestyle at his own country estate in Gloucestershire.’
‘He has long been interested in farming and other aspects of rural life and was ahead of the curve in championing organic farming practices.’
‘As King in waiting, Prince Charles showed an acute awareness of the importance of the environment and good planning – interests that bode well for a campaigning environmental charity like ours.’
‘Devon CPRE joins the nation in mourning the death of our longest-reigning monarch. We bid you a fond farewell, Your Majesty.’