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Britain and the world bid adieu to Queen Elizabeth II
Britain said farewell to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday at a state funeral attended by world leaders, before a historic last ceremonial journey through the streets of London packed with sorrowful mourners.
Huge crowds gathered in near silence to watch as the queen’s flag-draped coffin, topped with the Imperial State Crown, her orb and sceptre, was carried slowly to a gun carriage from parliament’s Westminster Hall where it had lain in state since Wednesday.
To the tune of pipes and drums, the gun carriage — used at every state funeral since Queen Victoria’s in 1901 — was then drawn by 142 junior enlisted sailors in the Royal Navy to Westminster Abbey.
The thousand-year-old church’s tenor bell tolled 96 times at one-minute intervals — one for every year of her life — stopping a minute before the service began at 11:00 am (1000 GMT).
In his funeral sermon, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby praised the queen’s life of duty and service to the UK and Commonwealth.
“People of loving service are rare in any walk of life. Leaders of loving service are still rarer,” he told the 2,000 guests, who included US President Joe Biden and Japan’s reclusive Emperor Naruhito.
“But in all cases, those who serve will be loved and remembered,” the Anglican leader added, before the coffin was borne on another procession towards her final resting place in Windsor Castle, west of London.
The longest-serving monarch in British history died at Balmoral, her Scottish Highland retreat, on September 8 after a year of declining health.
Her eldest son and successor, King Charles III, dressed in ceremonial military uniform, followed the solemn processions, alongside his three siblings.
‘She was my boss’
Charles’s eldest son Prince William accompanied them alongside William’s estranged brother, Prince Harry, and other senior royals.
William’s two eldest children, George and Charlotte, who are next in line to the throne, also walked behind the coffin inside the abbey.
Late Sunday, Charles, 73, and his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, said they had been “deeply touched” by the public’s flood of messages.
“As we all prepare to say our last farewell, I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you,” he said.
Britain, a country much changed since the queen’s coronation in the same abbey in 1953, has dug deep into its centuries of tradition to honour the only monarch that most of its people have ever known.
“It’s once in a lifetime,” said student Naomi Thompson, 22, camped out in the crowds at London’s Hyde Park.
“It’s a moment of history… She’s everyone’s granny,” added engineer Alice Garret, 28.
Others unable to be in London gathered in cinemas and churches around England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to watch the service and procession on big screens.
Auto engineer Jamie Page, a 41-year-old former soldier, stood on Whitehall to observe the funeral procession, wearing his military medals from service in the Iraq war.
“Sixteen years old, I swore an oath of allegiance to the queen. She’s been my boss. She means everything, she was like a gift from God,” he said.
Two minutes of silence
But on Charles, the oldest person yet to ascend the British throne, Page added: “Who knows, time will tell.”
The funeral lasted just under an hour, brought to an end by a bugler playing “The Last Post”, before two minutes of silence and the reworded national anthem, “God Save the King”.
After an hour-long procession that was to go past Buckingham Palace, the coffin was to be taken west by road to Windsor Castle, where thousands had lined the route since early morning.
Some 6,000 military personnel have been drafted in to take part in proceedings in what Britain’s highest-ranking military officer has called “our last duty for Her Majesty the Queen”.
The queen will be buried alongside her father king George VI, her mother queen Elizabeth and sister princess Margaret, reuniting in death the family who once called themselves “us four”.
The coffin of her husband, Prince Philip, who died last year aged 99, will also be transferred to lie alongside her.
Elizabeth’s funeral could not be more different from Philip’s at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, in April 2021.
Coronavirus restrictions limited mourners to just 30, led by the queen, a solitary figure in mourning black and a matching facemask.
The contrast was profound on Monday, the abbey packed with dignitaries and some ordinary Britons who were honoured for their military or community service, especially during the Covid pandemic.
Biden’s tribute
“You were fortunate to have had her for 70 years; we all were,” Biden said on Sunday after signing a book of condolence. “The world is better for her.”
In the abbey pews was Liz Truss, whom the queen appointed as the 15th British prime minister of her reign just two days before her death, in her last major ceremonial duty.
All of Truss’s living predecessors were there plus her counterparts and representatives from the 14 Commonwealth countries outside Britain where Charles is also head of state.
Whether they remain constitutional monarchies or become republics is likely to be the defining feature of Charles’s reign.
The queen’s death has prompted deep reflection about the Britain she reigned over, the legacy of its past, its present state and what the future might hold, as well as the values of lifelong service and duty she came to represent during her 70-year reign.
Hundreds of thousands of people are estimated to have queued, sometimes for up to 25 hours and overnight, to file past the queen’s coffin as it lay in state.
Chrissy Heerey, a serving member of the Royal Air Force who joined the marathon queue twice, was the last person through the doors and described the experience as “amazing”.
“When they came to me and said, ‘right, you’re the last person’, I said, really?!” she told AFP, before heading off to join the crowds for the coffin’s procession through London.
Big Ben tolls
Throughout the procession after the funeral, Big Ben, the giant bell atop the Elizabeth Tower at one end of the Houses of Parliament, tolled and military guns fired at one-minute intervals.
At Windsor, the Sebastopol Bell — captured in Crimea in 1856 — and the Curfew Tower Bell also sounded.
A vast television audience was expected to watch the funeral worldwide and live online, in a sign of the enduring fascination with the woman once described as “the last global monarch”.
Those lining the streets of London — already jammed at sunrise on Monday — said they had to bear witness.
“I will talk about this moment to my children,” said Jack Davies, 14, camped out for the procession with his parents at Hyde Park Corner, where the coffin will be transferred from the gun carriage for the drive to Windsor.
“I’ll say: ‘I was there!’”
At Windsor, the queen’s crown, orb and sceptre will be removed and placed on the altar.
The most senior officer of the royal household, the lord chamberlain, breaks his “wand of office” and places it on the coffin, symbolising the end of her reign.
The lead-lined oak casket, draped with the queen’s colours, will be lowered into the Royal Vault as a lone bagpiper plays a lament.
A private interment ceremony will take place at the adjoining King George VI Memorial Chapel at 1830 GMT.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State and aspirant for the Irepo/Oorelope/Olorunsogo Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general elections, Hon. Bosun Oladele, has called on members of the party and the wider progressive family in the state to embrace unity in order to preserve and advance the legacy of the late former Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
Oladele made the appeal on Thursday as political associates, loyalists and admirers marked the remembrance of the former governor, whose administration was widely associated with the popular slogan, “Koseleri.”
In a statement he personally issued, the federal lawmaker hopeful described Ajimobi as a visionary leader whose passion for development transformed Oyo State and left an enduring footprint in its political history.
According to him, the annual remembrance of the late governor offers an opportunity for progressives to reflect on the ideals, discipline and commitment that defined Ajimobi’s leadership.
“It is that time of the year to remember the passion that once drove the developmental strides of the Pace Setter State, the centre of politics in Nigeria and a state renowned for many firsts,” Oladele said.
He noted that although the former governor had departed, his contributions to governance and public service remain fresh in the minds of many residents and party faithful.
“Oyo State still misses his sharp mind, problem-solving abilities, oratory prowess, focused leadership and developmental initiatives. His style of governance inspired confidence and demonstrated what purposeful leadership could achieve,” he stated.
Oladele stressed that Ajimobi’s legacy should continue to serve as a source of inspiration for members of the APC, urging them to close ranks and work towards a common goal.
“Even though he is gone, his legacy gives the progressive family in Oyo State hope that the future he envisioned for our dear state remains achievable through oneness and unity of purpose.
“I therefore call on all members of the APC and the progressive family at large to join hands, put aside differences and work together towards winning future elections as part of efforts to actualise the developmental aspirations our departed leader had for Oyo State,” he added.
The APC stalwart also prayed for the repose of Ajimobi’s soul and sought divine strength for his family, particularly his widow, Ambassador Florence Ajimobi, as she continues to shoulder public and private responsibilities.
He expressed optimism that Oyo State would once again witness progressive governance driven by visionary leadership, inclusiveness and a shared commitment to the welfare of the people.
The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to establish state police services across the country, a major milestone in ongoing efforts to decentralise policing and tackle Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.
The proposed legislation introduces a dual policing framework comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services, effectively replacing the existing structure under which policing is exclusively controlled by the Federal Government through the Nigeria Police Force.
The bill was passed after Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, presented its general principles on the floor of the Red Chamber.
It subsequently scaled second reading, underwent a rigorous clause-by-clause consideration and was passed for third reading after securing the support of more than two-thirds of the senators.
A key provision of the constitutional amendment empowers governors to appoint Commissioners of Police for their respective states, subject to confirmation by the state Houses of Assembly.
Clause 17 of the bill provides that a State Police Service shall be headed by a Commissioner of Police appointed by the governor on the recommendation of the National Police Council and confirmed by the House of Assembly of the state.
The proposed law further defines the operational relationship between governors and state police commands, allowing governors to issue lawful written directives of a general policy nature to Commissioners of Police on matters relating to the maintenance of public safety and order within their states.
To address widespread concerns over possible abuse of the proposed policing structure, lawmakers incorporated safeguards aimed at protecting political freedoms and civil liberties.
The bill expressly states that a state Commissioner of Police shall not arrest, detain, investigate or deploy force against any individual, political party or group merely for criticising the government, except in accordance with the law.
The provision is intended to prevent state police formations from being used to intimidate political opponents, activists, journalists and other dissenting voices while ensuring that all actions taken conform with due process.
The amendment also empowers the Federal Police Service to temporarily intervene in the internal security affairs of a state where there is an actual or imminent breakdown of public order or public safety which the state police are unable or unwilling to contain.
Such intervention must be authorised in writing by the President, who is required to state the grounds, territorial scope, functions and duration of the operation.
The President must also notify the governor, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, the National Police Council and the National Assembly within 48 hours of the commencement of the intervention.
The bill further provides that no federal intervention shall continue beyond a period to be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly unless approved by a resolution of the Senate.
The Senate’s approval came barely a day after President Bola Tinubu transmitted the bill to the National Assembly as part of his administration’s efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture.
According to the President, the proposed amendment is designed to provide a legal framework for a dual policing structure that would allow states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the federal police.
Tinubu said the proposal is a critical component of ongoing efforts to reorganise the country’s policing system, enhance security and better protect citizens, adding that communities, municipalities and local government areas would play more active roles in policing responsibilities under the new arrangement.
The renewed push for state police comes amid growing concerns over insecurity, banditry and mass kidnappings across parts of the country.
Supporters of the proposal argue that decentralised policing would strengthen grassroots intelligence gathering, deepen community-based security initiatives and ensure quicker responses to crimes and emergencies.
Critics, however, have cautioned against possible political interference by governors, funding challenges and the risk of exacerbating ethnic or communal tensions.
Tinubu had earlier described state police as inevitable in addressing the nation’s security challenges and urged lawmakers to fast-track constitutional amendments aimed at bringing the proposal to fruition.
President Bola Tinubu has transmitted a Constitution Alteration Bill to the Senate seeking the establishment of state police as part of efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture.
The proposed legislation, contained in a communication dated June 15, 2026, was read during plenary on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Tinubu said the bill was aimed at providing a legal framework for a dual policing structure that would allow states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the President, the proposed amendment forms a key component of ongoing efforts to restructure the country’s policing system to improve security and enhance the protection of lives and property.
He explained that under the arrangement, communities, municipalities and local government areas would play more active roles in policing, enabling local authorities to detect suspicious activities and promptly relay intelligence to security agencies.
Following the presentation, Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Constitution Review and directed it to report back on Wednesday.
Speaking on the importance of community-based policing, the Senate President said local authorities were better placed to identify security threats and support proactive responses by law enforcement agencies.
“You will know when foreigners infiltrate Nigeria and alert security agencies so they can react proactively rather than reactively,” he said.
Akpabio expressed optimism that sustained collaboration between the executive and legislative arms would ensure the successful passage and implementation of the initiative.
He disclosed that the process would be undertaken in phases through constitutional amendments and subsequent Acts of Parliament.
“We will do it in two phases through alteration and an Act of Parliament. There will be a lot of safeguards; let us come and do this important task. It is extremely important that we come tomorrow,” he said.
The Senate President also informed lawmakers that plenary would not entertain other major business following the death of a member of the House of Representatives, Yahaya Tongo of Gombe State.
Similarly, the Senate Leader urged senators to attend the next sitting, stressing the significance of the proposed state police framework.
“We need a minimum of two-thirds of members to vote on constitutional alterations. The issue of state police is non-partisan and cuts across geopolitical zones and interests,” he said.
The latest development came barely two weeks after the Senate passed an executive bill on state police for second reading.
Akpabio said the fresh Constitution Alteration Bill transmitted by the President builds on the earlier proposal and seeks to provide the constitutional foundation necessary for the establishment and operation of state police services across the country.
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