Key points
What happens today – key timingsLying in state ends as last person through pays tributeFrom royals to Biden – who will sit where at funeral?Weather on day of Queen’s funeral – with a chance of rain Queen will be buried with Philip and there will be a national two-minute silence – funeral detailsFrom the war, to Diana’s death, to COVID – what the Queen said at key momentsLive reporting by Faith Ridler, Megan Baynes and Tim Baker, with correspondents Ali Fortescue, Adele Robinson, Ashna Hurynag, Alex Rossi and Dominic Waghorn in London, Becky Cotterill in Windsor, Dan Whitehead in Aberfan, Joe Pike in Edinburgh, David Blevins in Belfast and James Matthews in Balmoral
Chief Scout Bear Grylls arrives at Westminster Abbey
Chief Scout Bear Grylls waves to the crowd as he arrives at Westminster Abbey this morning.
Grylls, who was awarded an OBE by the Queen in 2019, previously said the Scouts family are “united in sorrow for the loss of our Patron” and that she leaves a “bright legacy of hope and promise for future generations”.
He said the late monarch “lit up the most” during events celebrating the organisation.
Liz Truss arrives for Queen’s funeral
The prime minister has arrived at Westminster Abbey this morning ahead of Her Majesty’s funeral, which will begin at 11am.
She is sitting alongside the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, and several members of the cabinet have already taken their seats for the service.
Bells begin to toll at Westminster Abbey
The first bells of the day have started be heard for the late Queen outside Westminster Abbey.
It is understood they will toll once every minute in the run up to the funeral.
Proceedings are set to begin at 11am.
Who wasn’t invited to the Queen’s funeral – and how did they respond?
There are a number of countries who weren’t invited to send a representative to the Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey – with Russia, Belarus and Afghanistan not making the list.
Invites were also not sent to Myanmar, Syria and Venezuela, while Iran, North Korea and Nicaragua will only be represented at an ambassadorial level, Whitehall sources say.
Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to the King on the news of the Queen’s death, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was always going to make his attendance in London highly unlikely.
However, the Kremlin has responded furiously to the snub, saying it is “profoundly immoral” and “blasphemous”.
“We view this British attempt to use a national tragedy that has touched the hearts of millions of people around the world for geopolitical purposes to settle scores with our country during the days of mourning as profoundly immoral,” Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will not attend the Queen’s funeral.
Bird arrives for Queen’s funeral
A man with a bird of prey – possibly a hawk – arrived at Westminster Abbey this morning.
Such animals are used to chase away pests like pigeons – both inside and out of cavernous buildings like the abbey.
Who will be sitting where?
The King and the Queen Consort will be sitting in the ornate Canada Club chairs, with Camilla next to the Princess Royal, then Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, then the Duke of York, and then the Earl and Countess of Wessex in the front row of the south lantern.
Across the aisle will be the Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and then Peter Phillips and Zara and Mike Tindall.
Directly behind the King will be the Duke of Sussex with the Duchess of Sussex behind Camilla. Meghan will be sitting next to Princess Beatrice.
US President Joe Biden will be 14 rows back on the south transept behind the Polish leader and in front of the Czech Republic. The First Lady will be next to Switzerland.
Directly across the aisle from Mr Biden’s place the seat was labelled the Republic of Korea.
In the front of the south transept will be Realms governors general and then commonwealth counties followed by other nations including the US.
All public viewing areas for the Queen’s funeral procession are full
London’s City Hall said public viewing areas for the procession of the Queen’s coffin from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch are full.
Middletons arrive at Westminster Abbey
Relatives of Queen Consort Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales have arrived for the Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey this morning.
Catherine’s parents Carole and Michael took their seats in the last few moments.
Tom Parker Bowles, the son of Camilla, the Queen Consort, has also entered the Abbey alongside members of his family.
From Joe Biden to Liz Truss: Hundreds of politicians attend Queen’s funeral
Many of the world leaders the Queen met during her long reign will attend her funeral at Westminster Abbey today.
US President Joe Biden has confirmed he will attend, as will his wife, First Lady Jill Biden.
Westminster Abbey will be so full for the event it will only be possible for a single, senior representative from each country and their partner to attend, according to Foreign Office documents obtained by Politico – which Sky News understands to be correct.
It is therefore unclear whether former US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, and their respective wives Michelle and Melania, all of whom met the Queen, will be in attendance.
Liz Truss, who is the last UK prime minister to be officially asked to form a government by the Queen, will attend, as well as Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin and President Michael D Higgins have confirmed they will be travelling to London for the event, and the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, is also expected to be there.
European leaders confirming their attendance include French President Emmanuel Macron, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
Other world leaders who say they will be there include New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australia’s Governor-General David Hurley, South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol, and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
It has been announced that Indian President Droupadi Murmu will be at Westminster Abbey too.
Buckingham Palace shares picture tribute to late Queen
The official Twitter account for the Royal Family has shared a series of images, documenting the Queen’s life from childhood.