What time is the Queen’s committal service? What happens at St George’s Chapel - and is it on TV live

The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, will be held today and broadcast across the UK and internationally.

The last state funeral to be held in the UK was for the former Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1965, though they are usually reserved for monarchs.

After the Queen’s funeral, her coffin will be taken from London to Windsor for a committal service.

What is a committal service?

A committal service is normally held at the end of a funeral at the graveside and is an opportunity for loved ones to say a final goodbye.

The Queen’s committal service will feature many traditions which occur at the end of a British monarch’s reign.

David Conner, the Dean of Windsor, will conduct the service, and 800 guests will attend.

The congregation will include members of the Queen’s household, her Windsor estate staff, and members of the royal family.

The Imperial State Crown, orb and sceptre, three of the crown jewels, will be removed from the top of the Queen’s coffin.

The jewels will then be passed to the Dean who will place them on the High Altar in the chapel.

What is the order of service?

Hymns will be sung and prayers and religious readings will take place - this is the official order of service for the Queen’s committal service:

• Psalm 121
• The Russian Contakion of the Departed (Sung by the choir)
• The Bidding (said by the Dean of Windsor)
• Hymn - God, My Hope on You Is Founded
• Reading - Revelation 21.1–7 (Read by the Dean of Windsor)
• Prayers - Six prayers will be read by the Rector of Sandringham, the Minister of Crathie Kirk and the Chaplain of the Royal Chapel,Windsor Great Park.
• The Lord’s Prayer
• The Motet (All sung together with the choir)
• Hymn- Christ is made the sure Foundation
• Psalm 103.13–17 (Read by the Dean of Windsor as the coffin is lowered)
• The Styles and Titles of Queen Elizabeth II (Proclaimed by the Garter King of Arms)
• The Blessing (Said by the Archbishop of Canterbury)
• The National Anthem
• The Voluntary

Following the committal service there will be a private service, where the Queen and Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, who died in 2021, will both be laid to rest at King George VI’s chapel at Windsor.

When is the Queen’s committal service?

The service will start at 4pm at St George’s Chapel, four hours after the end of the state funeral. The service will last roughly 30 minutes.

At the end of the service, King Charles III will leave the chapel, followed by other members of the congregation.

Will the Queen’s committal service be on TV?

Yes, the Queen’s committal service will be televised live on BBC One, BBC Two, ITV and ITV2.

The event will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer live and after it first airs.

The funeral itself will also be broadcast live on TV, and on the National World website and at the top of this page.

The private service taking place after the committal will not be televised.