Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral: UK observes 2 minutes of silence for late monarch

Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral ended with two minutes of silence, which were observed throughout the United Kingdom. The silence was broken with Britain’s national anthem, which is now called “God Save The King.”

The noisy crowd outside Westminster Abbey fell silent after an announcement from the speaker. All movement stopped. People were seen with folded hands and heads bowed down in respect.

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In Windsor, rain began to fall as the crowd fell silent for the moment of reflection. Some camped overnight outside the castle in order to reserve the best spots to view the queen’s coffin.

Shortly before people observed two minutes of silence, a service of reflection was held at the sculptures near Falkirk. According to reports from Guardian, 96 lanterns, one for each year of the Queen’s life, were lowered into a pool at the foot of the Queen Elizabeth II Canal. Hundreds of wreaths were also placed.

Big Ben did not strike before and after the silence, as originally planned, British media reported. Traffic also halted parts of London. A small crowd was seen stopping near the London Bridge, with their head bowed down.

Monday was declared a public holiday in honor of Elizabeth, who died on September 8 — and hundreds of thousands of people descended on central London to partake in the historic moment.

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They jammed the sidewalks to watch the coffin wend its way through the streets of the capital after the service. As the procession passed Buckingham Palace, the queen’s official residence in the city, staff stood outside, some bowing and curtseying.

Millions more tuned into the funeral live on television, and crowds flocked to parks and public spaces across the UK to watch it on screens. Even the Google doodle turned a respectful black for the day.