Elizabeth's reign of 70 years and days was the longest of any British monarch. She was immediately succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III. Elizabeth's death set in motion the most recent version of Operation London Bridge , a funeral plan first devised in the s, and Operation Unicorn , the plan for the Queen's death in Scotland. Elizabeth's coffin lay at rest in St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh from 12 to 13 September, after which it was flown to London, where it lay in state in Westminster Hall from 14 to 19 September.
An estimated 33, people filed past the Queen's coffin in Edinburgh, and approximately , people queued to pay their respects in London. The United Kingdom observed a national mourning period of ten days. Elizabeth's state funeral on 19 September was the first held in Britain since Winston Churchill's in A funeral service was held at Westminster Abbey , followed by a procession to Wellington Arch which featured around 3, military personnel and was watched by approximately one million people in central London.
The state hearse then transported the Queen's coffin to Windsor , followed by another procession through Windsor Great Park and a committal service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The Queen was interred later that evening with her husband, Prince Philip , in the King George VI Memorial Chapel , in a private service attended only by her closest family. Designated as a public holiday in the UK and several Commonwealth states, the state funeral included dignitaries from around the world and featured the largest security operation ever mounted in the UK. Coverage of the state funeral was one of the UK's most watched special television broadcasts , surpassing the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton , the previous most-watched royal event of the 21st century.
Queen Elizabeth II was in good health for most of her life, but her health declined significantly following the death of her husband , Prince Philip , in April She suffered a sprained back in November, which prevented her from attending the National Service of Remembrance.
