For two minutes, central London was silent on Monday as Britain marked the funeral of its longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
On a day of national mourning, there was a tangible sadness for the death of a queen who had for 70 years devoted herself to duty.
Hundreds of international leaders joined a million mourners along with many millions of worldwide television viewers to watch the solemn ceremony.
But it was the image of the 98 Royal Navy ratings towing the gun carriage carrying the queen’s coffin draped in the royal standard that was among the most striking of the day.
Shortly before they set out to collect the coffin from where it had been lying in state for five days, The National watched the sailors along with the officers who had gathered in Speaker’s Court in the Houses of Parliament. Some temporarily removed their plumed helmets or hats, chatting quietly as they stood next to the empty gun carriage.
Looking at the same green hearse that had carried Queen Victoria’s coffin in 1901 and every dead monarch since, the sense of history was palpable
The command "parade" rang out over the cobbles of New Palace Yard. The service personnel stiffened and came to attention. Then, as another order was shouted, they lifted the rope and marched out, their boots tramping in unison on the cobbles. Meanwhile, the rumble of the carriage filled the courtyard with a sense of purpose.
The same Grenadier Guards who had carried the queen into Westminster Hall on Wednesday returned with the coffin. This time, it was adorned not only with the Imperial Crown, but also the queen’s sceptre and orb attached on top. The three symbols of sovereignty will not be seen again until they are carried by King Charles III at his coronation next year.
The new king joined the rear of gun carriage with his three siblings and his sons, Princes William and Harry.
At precisely 10.44am BST, they departed from Parliament for Westminster Abbey under grim, grey clouds, with the mournful sound of bagpipes and drums assembled on Parliament Square resonating a steady beat.
The sailors came to an abrupt halt outside the abbey doors and bowed their heads.
Queen Elizabeth was taken into the church where she had married aged 21 in 1947 — and where she was crowned six years later.
Members of the 2,000-strong congregation turned then bowed their heads in respect as the coffin passed. They were joined by Prince George, 9, who has become second in line to the throne, and his sister Princess Charlotte, 7.
Queen Consort Camilla took her place beside her husband, as did Catherine, Princess of Wales and Meghan, Prince Harry’s wife.
They passed a galaxy of world leaders, bowing their heads in respect. Among them was US President Joe Biden, Olena Zelenska, the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron, who earlier said he was there to “share the pain of the British.”
King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan and the Crown Prince of Bahrain were there along with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim. Also in London was Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, who met King Charles on Sunday evening at a Buckingham Palace reception.
Once again the high vaulted ceiling of Westminster Abbey witnessed an immense royal event, as it has done since William the Conqueror was crowned there in 1066.
The queen had been consulted on the service, personally choosing hymns and readings. These included The Lord's My Shepherd, that was also sung at her wedding.
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, spoke in his sermon of the queen’s 21st birthday broadcast, where she vowed to dedicate her life to serving the nation and Commonwealth. “Rarely has such a promise been so well kept,” he said.
The service drew to a close with a piper playing the lament Sleep, Dearie, Sleep, followed by trumpets sounding The Last Post.
Then, the great two-minute silence gripped London. On Parliament’s terrace overlooking the Thames, policemen removed their caps and bowed their heads. Speedboats that had been patrolling the water stopped, as did the public lining Westminster Bridge. It was a stillness possibly not witnessed in 70 years.
The silence ended and the coffin was lifted out of the church, with its handwritten card on top carrying the words: “In loving and devoted memory. Charles R.”
By now, the sun was streaming across London, warming the crowds who had cried, clapped and linked arms as they listened to the service over loudspeakers. Some had camped overnight, while others had travelled from Europe and beyond.
They witnessed a great military procession, two kilometres long, formed of Canadian Mounties, Gurkhas, guardsmen and Royal Marines ― with the sailors at the tail end.
There was a vivid image when the queen passed the Cenotaph war memorial one last time with a score of Royal British Legion flags resting on the ground. Meanwhile, guardsmen lowered their rifles and the royals in uniform gave a smart salute.
They passed some of the 10,000 police who had mounted the biggest security operation Britain has ever witnessed. This operation protected up 185 heads of state, as well as the new Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has barely been two weeks in her new job.
Nearly 90 minutes after it set out from the abbey, the funeral procession finally reached Wellington Arch.
Guns from the Royal Horse Artillery boomed and church bells tolled when it halted in front of a vast array of personnel in uniform.
As the bands played a funeral lament, the Grenadier Guards pallbearers gently lifted their monarch's oak and lead-lined coffin on to their shoulders and placed it into the state hearse.
Queen Elizabeth then began her final journey by car to Windsor Castle, along streets lined with crowds who clapped, cheered and threw red roses on to the road into the path of the cortege.
Twelve days after she died in Balmoral Castle in Scotland, the queen was finally laid to rest in a vault alongside her late husband Prince Philip, her sister and her parents.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
The cost of Covid testing around the world
Egypt
Dh514 for citizens; Dh865 for tourists
Information can be found through VFS Global.
Jordan
Dh212
Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.
Cambodia
Dh478
Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.
Zanzibar
AED 295
Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.
Abu Dhabi
Dh85
Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.
UK
From Dh400
Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Royal wedding inspired menu
Ginger, citrus and orange blossom iced tea
Avocado ranch dip with crudites
Cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese mini club sandwiches
Elderflower and lemon syllabub meringue
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
UAE and Russia in numbers
UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years
Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018
More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE
The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023
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The%20specs
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
1.
|
United States
|
2.
|
China
|
3.
|
UAE
|
4.
|
Japan
|
5
|
Norway
|
6.
|
Canada
|
7.
|
Singapore
|
8.
|
Australia
|
9.
|
Saudi Arabia
|
10.
|
South Korea
|
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
The specs
Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Results
6pm: Dubai Trophy – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Silent Speech, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby
(trainer)
6.35pm: Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m
Winner: Island Falcon, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Dirt)
1,400m
Winner: Rawy, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.45pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Desert Fire, Hector Crouch, Saeed bin Suroor
8.20pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Naval Crown, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.55pm: Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watsons
9.30pm: Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Dubai Icon, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
MATCH INFO
Mumbai Indians 186-6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 183-5 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians won by three runs
The biog
Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5