Britons Bid Farewell to Queen Mother

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, April 10, 2002

Britons Bid Farewell to Queen Mother

Thousands of Britons joined the royal family in mourning the death of the Queen Mother at Westminster Abbey in London Tuesday, as her coffin began its final journey to Windsor Castle.

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Thousands of Britons joined the royal family in mourning the death of the Queen Mother at Westminster Abbey in London Tuesday, as her coffin began its final journey to Windsor Castle.

Draped in her personal flag and topped with her crown, the Queen Mother's coffin was carried on a gun carriage to the abbey -the scene of her wedding, her coronation and now her funeral.

The abbey's Tenor Bell was rung 101 times to mark the age of the Queen Mother. She passed away on March 30.

Nine senior members of the royal family walked solemnly behind her coffin, led by the Massed Pipes and Drums, comprising 192 musicians from 13 royal regiments.

Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward,Princes William and Harry were among the alignment.

Along the route of the procession, up to 400,000 people from across Britain and abroad, some of whom had been camping for days to get the best view, stood silent, and many people bowed or threwflowers tributes onto the hearse as it passed.

A 2,000-strong congregation including the Queen, Prime MinisterTony Blair, the U.S. first lady Laura Bush and several Commonwealth leaders awaited the procession in the abbey for the funeral.

Around Britain, millions of people observed two minutes' silence as the ceremony started at 1130 BST (1030 GMT) Tuesday. Some shops and offices closed as a mark of respect and many schools held special assemblies.

The Archbishop of Canterbury paid tribute to the Queen Mother'sgifts of "strength, dignity and laughter."

Dr. George Carey said, "We come here to mourn but also to give thanks, to celebrate the person and her life - both filled with such a rich sense of fun and joy and the music of laughter."

He talked of the "remarkable quality of her dealings with people - her ability to make all human encounters, however fleeting, feel both special and personal."

A poem by an unknown author on the Order of Service also set the tone of thanksgiving for the Queen Mother's long and remarkable life.

It read, "You can shed tears that she is gone or you can smile because she has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back or you can open your eyes and see all she's left."

After the funeral, a car bearing her coffin began the journey to Windsor Castle for the Royal Family's private interment of the Queen Mother in a chapel alongside her husband, King George VI, who died in 1952, and the ashes of her daughter Princess Margaret,who just died a few weeks earlier than the mother.

Prince Charles was to accompany his "beloved" grandmother's coffin on its final journey.

More than 200,000 mourners had queued around the clock along the banks of the Thames for the chance to get a glimpse of the coffin for the last time.

Two Second World War spitfires and a Lancaster bomber from the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight made a fly-past over Buckingham Palace.

The doors of Westminster Hall had earlier closed at 0600 BST (0500 GMT), bringing an end to the four days' public homage to the Queen Mother.

The final visitors were led through the hall just as dawn brokeand then the doors were closed to allow the preparations for the funeral.

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