Queen Elizabeth II: What happens next and when will her funeral take place?

Following Queen Elizabeth II’s passing on Thursday, the UK officially entered a mourning period leading up to her funeral which is expected to be held next week at Westminster Abbey.

Elizabeth, the UK’s longest serving monarch, died aged 96 at her residence in Balmoral, Scotland on Thursday following news that her health was a cause for concern.

The queen’s eldest son, Prince Charles, officially succeeded to the throne on Saturday. He was proclaimed at an official ceremony at Saint James’s Palace, making him King Charles III.

The Accession Council officially proclaimed Charles III as Britain's new king at St James's Palace in London
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King Charles was declared as such during a televised meeting of the Ascension Council in central London, making it the first time in history that the ceremony had ever been televised.

Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral is expected to take place on Monday 19 September, with King Charles III confirming that her funeral will be a Bank Holiday in the United Kingdom.

So, what is expected to happen next?

On Sunday, the queen’s coffin is expected to leave Balmoral Castle and be taken to Holyroodhouse Palace in Edinburgh, according to Sky News. Proclamations are expected to be read in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

This will be followed by a procession on Monday to St Giles’s Cathedral, also in Edinburgh, where members of the Royal Family will attend a service.

The queen’s coffin is then expected to be flown to the capital city, London on Tuesday, where it will rest in Buckingham Palace’s throne room.

A dress rehearsal for the funeral processions is also expected to take place.

From Wednesday, the queen's lying in state is expected to begin in Westminster Hall, codenamed Operation Marquee, following a ceremonial procession through London.

It is expected that it will last four full days, ending on Sunday 18 September, with the funeral likely to take place the following day at Westminster Abbey in central London.

World leaders are expected to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, including US President Joe Biden and European leaders.

Arab leaders from the UAE, Jordan and Qatar, among others, have expressed condolences regarding the Queen’s passing, but it is unclear if any will attend her funeral services.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his desire to attend the service, according to The Guardian, after he said that he had visited Buckingham Palace "on a number of occasions".

A number of European royals and other key figures are also expected to attend her funeral, which will be televised.

A two-minute silence is also expected to be held.

Noticeably absent, however, will be Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite offering condolences. Ties between the UK and Russia are currently strained following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February.