The Westminster Abbey funeral service order of service has been made public by Buckingham Palace.
According to Buckingham Palace, it will honor the Queen’s “remarkable reign and lifetime of service.”
The Very Reverend Dr. David Hoyle MBE, Dean of Westminster, will preside over the service in Westminster Abbey and recite the benediction.
The BBC will carry live coverage of the ceremony on television, radio, and iPlayer starting on Monday at 11:00 BST.
The tenor bell will ring 96 times before the service, representing the years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.
Music Before the Service
- Fantasia of four parts – Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)
- Romanza (Symphony no 5 in D) – Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) arranged by Robert Quinney (b 1976)
- Reliqui domum meum – Peter Maxwell Davies (1934-2016)
- Meditation on “Brother James’s Air” – Harold Darke (1888-1976)
- Prelude on “Ecce jam noctis” Op 157 no 3 – Healey Willan (1880-1968)
- Psalm Prelude Set 1 no 2 – Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
- In the Country Op 194 no 2 – Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)
- Fantasy on “O Paradise” – Malcolm Williamson (1931-2003)
- Elegy Op 58 – Edward Elgar (1857-1934), arranged by Matthew Jorysz (b 1992)
- Andante espressivo (Sonata in G Op 28) – Edward Elgar
- Sospiri Op 70 – Edward Elgar
The musicians
Under the guidance of James O’Donnell, Organist and Master of the Choristers, the choirs of Westminster Abbey and the Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace, will sing at the ceremony.
The Household Cavalry’s State Trumpeters will be led by Trumpet Major Julian Sandford, and Sub-Organist Peter Holder will play the organ
Funeral party arrives
The Dean and Chapter of Westminster will transport the Royal Family to the Great West Door.
When they arrive in their seats in the Lantern, they will stay there until the Queen’s casket arrives at the Abbey.
The sentences
- I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. John 11: 25-26
- I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. Job 19: 25-27
- We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. William Croft (1678-1727), Organist of Westminster Abbey 1708-27, 1 Timothy 6: 7; Job 1: 21
The Choir of Westminster Abbey and the Choir of the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, sing
- Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not thy merciful ears unto our prayer; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee. Amen. Henry Purcell (1659-95), Organist of Westminster Abbey 1679-95. The Book of Common Prayer 1549
- I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: even so saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labors. Amen. William Croft Revelation 14: 13
The Bidding
The bid is presented by the Dean of Westminster.
We come to this House of God, a place of prayer, a church, where remembering and hoping are holy obligations, in pain, and also in heartfelt appreciation. We come together from all across the country, the Commonwealth, and the world here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, to mourn our loss, to honor her long life of selfless service, and to confidently commit her to the mercy of God, our creator and redeemer.
We are grateful for her unwavering dedication to a noble cause during her long reign as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. We remember her lifelong sense of duty and commitment to her people with admiration.
We remember her devotion to her family and her dedication to the causes she believed in with love.
“Now, in silence, let us remember our many blessings; pray for all of her family members, and entrust Queen Elizabeth to the care and keeping of all-powerful God.”
O compassionate God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life; in whom we have been taught that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life; and whosoever lives and believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life; who has taught us, through his holy apostle Saint Paul, not to be sorry, as men without hope, for them, that sleep in him: We humbly implore you, Father, to deliver us from the death of sin into the life of righteousness so that we may have peace with him when we pass from this life, just as our sister does. We also pray that at the general Resurrection on the last day,
so that when thy well-beloved Son says, Come, ye blessed children of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world, those who love and fear thee will hear and believe in him. We humbly ask this of you, compassionate Father, via our mediator and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Hymns and prayers
All sing St Clement before the Right Honourable Baroness Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth reads the first Lesson.
A specially commissioned piece, ‘Like as the hart’, composed by the Master of The King’s Music, Judith Weir, will be sung by the choir. It is a setting of Psalm 42 to music and will be sung unaccompanied.
Prime Minister Liz Truss will read the second Lesson, followed by the hymn ‘The Lord’s my shepherd’ – which was also sung at Prince Philip and the Queen’s wedding in 1947.
The sermon will be delivered by the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan.
After the sermon, all will remain seated as the choir sings the Anthem, ‘My soul, there is a country, set by Hubert Parry.
The prayers will then be said from the High Altar before the choir sings ‘O Taste and see how gracious the Lord is, composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.
The Commendation will be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Dean of Westminster will pronounce the Blessing.
The National Anthem
As the service comes to a close, all will remain standing as The Last Post will be sounded by the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry from the steps of the Lady Chapel.
A two-minute silence will then be observed across the UK, followed by The Reveille sounded by the State Trumpeters.
All remain standing as the congregation sings the national anthem, God Save The King.
The Sovereign’s Piper of the Royal Regiment of Scotland will play ‘Sleep, dearie, sleep’.
All remain standing as the coffin and processions leave the church.
The Sub-Organist plays Fantasia in C minor BWV 562, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).
Music After The Service
Allegro maestoso (Sonata in G Op 28), Edward Elgar.
Source: BBC News
