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The expectation that the British Royal Family would use the Queen’s funeral to build bridges with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was brutally shattered on Monday morning after the couple were seated in the second row at the state funeral of the Queen Elizabeth.

In what looked very much like a calculated snub to Harry, he sat in the second row with Meghan, alongside his cousins ​​Beatrice and Eugenie and behind Prince Andrew, the Queen’s disgraced son who was kicked out of the working class ranks of the family during its association with Jeffrey Epstein.

Harry and Meghan were on the right side of the church, behind King Charles. In the front row, ahead of Harry, were Charles, Camilla, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, her husband Sir Tim Laurence and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie (both were seen wiping away tears during the service ).

William and Kate were also in the front row, with their children – and, surprisingly, also in the front row were Anne’s children, Peter Philips and Zara, who do not work in the royal family and never have. Zara was accompanied by her husband Mike Tindall. Sarah, Duchess of York, Prince Andrew’s ex-wife and still close friend – once known as ‘Fergie’ – was also present at the service (and second row). King Charles looked visibly upset and helpless.

In the careful word of royal symbolism, where nothing is made by mistake, the placement of the Sussexes will have sent an unequivocal message to the Sussexes that they are now second-tier members of the family.

It was an extraordinary moment in an extraordinary day, the ceremonial aspects of which began when Big Ben rang at the minute, as the Queen’s body was carried from Westminster Hall where she lay in state for four days, causing queued for several miles around London, by a party of eight Grenadier Guards and carried on a gun carriage to Westminster Abbey for his funeral.

The Queen’s coffin was followed by a massive guard of soldiers and pipers in full dress and a royal party including King Charles, Harry and Andrew.

The separated brothers walked side by side behind the coffin. William wore a military uniform, but Harry wore civilian clothes.

Only serving military personnel are technically authorized to wear the uniform. Old soldiers are however allowed to wear their medals on civilian clothes and Harry proudly wears his as he walks solemnly behind the coffin.

The imperial crown was placed on top of the oak coffin, which was adorned with the royal standard. A wreath, made from flowers picked from her gardens, was placed on the coffin, along with a handwritten card from her son the king. It read: “In loving and devoted memory. Charles R.”

The funeral itself began with a military precision that would have pleased the late monarch who was deemed punctual at 11 a.m. local time. It also ended as scheduled an hour later at noon local time with a rousing rendition of “God Save the King” followed by a two-minute silence in the abbey and across Britain.

The Royal Family united behind the Queen’s coffin as it was carried from Westminster Abbey after the service in a procession en route to Wellington’s Arch. As the post-service funeral procession made its way to Buckingham Palace, it was to be watched by the Queen’s dedicated and veteran staff. Later, the Queen will be buried in a private burial ceremony in Windsor.

GARETH FULLER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 7, the eldest children of William and Kate, joined the motorcade as the coffin was brought into the church. The palace would have wanted them to have a public role to underline the continuity of the monarchy. Kate wore a pearl and diamond choker that belonged to the Queen, which Princess Diana also once wore.

The children were among 2,000 mourners gathered at Westminster Abbey on Monday for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, who ruled Britain for more than 70 years.

Joe Biden arrived shortly after 10 a.m. local time and was the only world leader allowed to arrive in a private vehicle. He arrived in the Beast, the fortified presidential limousine, in a reduced motorcade of six vehicles. Other leaders arrived by bus. Former British Prime Ministers and the current Prime Minister, Liz Truss, were also present.

The funeral took place in the same church where the Queen was crowned in 1953, with guests such as Kate Middleton’s parents Michael and Carole joining a breathtaking cast of world dignitaries. The first hymn was the moving “The day you have given, Lord, is ended.”

MARC ASPLAND/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Up to 100 heads of government or state were expected to attend the funeral, dwarfing the estimated fifty who attended Nelson Mandela’s memorial. It is believed to be the largest gathering of world leaders in history.

Vladimir Putin was not invited but other controversial leaders were, including Brazilian Jair Bolsonaro. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was reportedly invited but was not supposed to attend.

Members of European royal families, many of whom were relatives of the Queen, were present, including King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain and the royal families of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Monaco. Also present were the Emperor of Japan, the King of Bhutan, the Sultan of Brunei.

Up to two million members of the public were expected to line the streets of London to pay their respects to the Queen as Her Majesty’s funeral procession makes its final journey from Westminster Abbey to Windsor, where she will be buried with her late husband. -beloved, Prince Philip.

Many VIPs were transported to the Abbey by coach, having gathered at a hospital in Chelsea.