American Reacts to Queen Elizabeth II Coffin Procession to Westminster Abbey
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- I don't believe I've ever witnessed something as solemn as the Queen Elizabeth II coffin procession. The Scottish and Irish Regiment played Mist Covered Mountain with bagpipes and drums as the funeral march made way to Westminster Abbey.
Queen Elizabeth's funeral procession was a beautiful farewell to Her Majesty and one of the greatest showings of respect I've ever seen.
Thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this reaction please give this video a thumbs up, share your thoughts in the comments and click the subscribe button to follow my journey to learn about my British ancestry.
Subscribe to my channel: / @reactingtomyroots
The Gurkhas are from Nepal. Nepal wasn't part of British Empire. The Gurkhas are one of the most feared Regiment's in the British army. Very respected.
"Show me a man who isn't afraid going into battle & I'll show you a liar or a Gurkha" ~ Some British Army Officer
Ghurkhas also serve in the Indian army, but the UK gets the pick of the best recruits first.
That's good to know. Thanks :)
I lived and served with the Gurkhas for 3 years, it wasn't as honourable as the majority of people believe. I witness some bad stuff. Overall most of them were fine soldiers but there were many, many bad apples.
@@QuakerJones268 If I'm in a foxhole with someone. I don't care whether he volunteers for the local church. I want him to be a cold blooded killer.
Hello so I was part of the funeral procession. I was the bass drummer you hear in the pipes and drums tune. I just want to say the pipes and drums were from different sections of the British army. The regiments represented in the pipes and drums that day were the Royal Regiment of Scotland 2 Scots, 3 Scots and 4 Scots, Scots guards, Irish guards, Royal dragoon guards, Royal artillery, Royal Tank regiment, Royal Irish, Gurkhas, London Scottish and the Royal Air Force.
Thank you for the information, you all looked and sounded wonderful 😊
You have your place in history. You were all wonderful and saw her off famously. Thank you to all.
Thank you for your service 🙏 ❤️
That was the “small” procession. Traditionally the royal adult males walk behind the coffin, they also stand vigil during the laying in state. Princess Anne is the exception…but then she is an exceptional woman.
Princess Anne was in uniform, so I wondered if she was attending as Colonel of the Regiment of the Blues and Royals, rather than as a woman.
It's an extremely high rank because the Blues and Royals are the second-highest regiment of the British Army, and in terms of following royal protocol, it completely bypasses the gender argument. I could be wrong, but it makes sense!
It still seems surreal that we don't have our Queen anymore. She has been a constant for seventy years of my life.
I pray that our Royal tradition continues on for many more centuries. It is the nation's heritage.
unless Charles radically downsizes it and get rid of all the hangers on in their country estates and grace and favour homes they are finished
mine too i was hearbroken when she died
You need to be heartless not to feel sympathy on this day ,as soon as the pipes played the "Mist covered mountains of Mull"the flood gates opened and i was in tears .She passed away in Scotland a place she loved so much i'm Glaswegian and still can't believe the Queen is gone its a date i will never forget as my mum passed away a few months later.Long live the King 🏴🇬🇧🇺🇸
I am from Belgium , but as soon as the pipes and drums started I couldn’t hold back my tears , it was so beautifull so respectfull so perfect
@@putanamnam Very powerful those pipes and drums most people even anti monarchists were admitting it brought a tear or ten to the eye all over the globe .The part when the lone piper plays as her casket is lowered to be interred and the pipe music is loud then gets softer and softer as he walks out was like she has gone now forever but never from our hearts .She adored Scotland she lived in Balmoral more than any other residence as did her whole family it seemed, her father(the king during ww2 ) and mother, also Queen victoria loved Balmoral they had strong connection to the Scots.
The Guards are the ones in the red tunics and big hats.
This section of the funeral processions - with the sway of the RN ratings and the precise step of all participating, and the bagpipes and thrilling drum rattles - still makes my eyes burn with tears. Robert, UK.
The Royal Navy pulling the coffin with the way the sailors swayed made it look like she was floating on the sea 💕🙏
What a lovely analogy. Hadn't thought of it, but you are right.
Beautiful
If you can find footage of the journey from London to Windsor I highly recommend you take a look because to me it's the most impressive and telling part of all the proceedings. It's over 25miles and the streets are lined on both side the whole way
Wow. I'll have to check it out. Thanks
@@reactingtomyroots nearly every reaction site misses the best pieces, the crowds in London, the military from the Commonwealth eg: Australia, Canada, New Zealand etc and of course the trip from the lead up to Windsor. It was spectacular.
To be fair they didn't walk the whole way. Good Queen Elizabeth went by royal hearse for a large percentage of the nearly 50 kilometres between London and Windsor.
@@reactingtomyroots
How can you expect to be taken serious when you come out with such drivel about the soldiers, sailors and airmen on parade for the Late Queens Funeral.
@@stuartbrown8367 In fairness Stuart he's eager to learn as were 90 % of Americans who showed emotion and actually think its a great thing our pomp and pageantry. Every wedding or funeral always brings the UK and Commonwealth together.My first was Charles and Diana's wedding i was a youngster who never ever needed an excuse to wave the Union flag .Street party's all over Glasgow and the rest of the UK they really do bring us together as 1,all the best stuart ps i'm not morbid but i have watched this time and again and i still feel great emotion and a pride in being British it has rekindled a loyalty inside i thought was gone i notice in the comment's so many who feel the same.
Thank you for your very respectful review of this significant moment of not only my country's history, but the entire world. This is the end of an era. I am very saddened. HM Queen Elizabeth II has left a huge legacy ❤️
I am Australian and would like to express my appreciation for your respectful and sensitive comments.Renate Scanlon Westenberger Ballarat, Victoria Australia .All the best Steve.God Bless you.xo
When we in Scandinavia, Sweden received the sad news that Queen Elisabeth II has left not only the UK but also our deep reverence in Scandinavia and Europe, I burst into tears.
Her service in work on time cannot be counted. She took her office as Queen with the utmost respect. She was a the queen of queens.
Queen Elizabeth II thank you and rest in peace ❤❤❤
The march along an English country road was also amazing, more shivers….
The English country road to the great walk for me was beautiful. So unusual and out of place amazing
Scotland also started the proceedings and were as well magnificent.
@@kathleenfederl5121 The Scots were amazing with her (bar one). The tractors and horses lined up on the hillsides was such a beautiful tribute.
To watch all the military you need to watch the full procession which also include the Canadian mounties.
as we know Canada was close to the late Queen's heart.
@@LouiseKernow2024 At least 22 visits, dear to her indeed.
I was one of thousands that lined the route when she was flown back to England and driven back to Buckingham palace. It was soaking wet but none of us cared. A special moment that will stay with me for life xx Thank you Queenie we loved you x
I don't know why but everything surrounding the death of the queen gives me goosebumps. The majority of us brits loved and respected her. Her entire funeral was incredible... I'll never understand how it was planned, prepared a d rehearsed without us londoners seeing it. I suspect the coronation will be worth reacting to. The entire funeral was six hours long, from that procession to her being laid to rest.
They rehearsed in the middle of the night for the late queen’s funeral. The king and queen are rehearsing for the coronation.
Her funeral was carefully planned long ago, with her input, and taking the funeral of her father as a template.
The money for it all was put aside long ago as well.
The guest list was always in flux, but was settled shortly after she passed away..
The Scottish band beating 74 to the minute was like a machine. Wonderful drumming. Also a resting heartbeat maybe?
For me, the most poignant moments were during the committal at St George's Chapel, when the Royal insignia were removed from the coffin, and the piper played. The BBC commentary told you everything you needed to know about the ceremonies, if you watch their version.
I always find it funny that the president of the US turns up in a massive bomb proof car and quickly goes indoors but the royal family are in normal land rovers, open top cars or just walking in the open. Even the body guards for the royal family are somewhat invisible you don’t really notice them but the president is constantly surrounded by quite a large team
To be honest with four American presidents falling victim to an assassin(s),and at least two others surviving near-misses I can fully see why they are so wary.
@@mikesaunders4775 if someone wanted to take the president out it's easy just wait till he steps out of the car bang he's gone.
@@Harry-kk6qf the other guests were PM's and heads of states; they are valuable as heck
@@Harry-kk6qf Truman, Ford (2X), Reagan plus FDR not long before he was elected were the near misses.
I forgot George Wallace as another Presidential hopeful.
The horses used to pull Queen Victoria’s coffin on the gun carriage in 1901 started playing up so an admiral suggested that the naval ratings nearby could do the job instead. Since then naval ratings - young naval recruits- have always been used instead. Some of those pulling Queen Elizabeth’s coffin on the gun carriage had only been in the royal navy for a few weeks.
Many many yrs ago we fought against the gurkhas who are from Nepal, we were so impressed we recruited then into the British army, they are feared by every enemy we've faced and loved by us British, they are the most respectful and humble people there is. At the funeral there were many troops from various regiments helping with marshallling the crowds and general help throughout the day, the gurkhas were getting much love from the crowd.
After their service the Ghurkas have the right to settle in the UK and receive the same pension as other British Veterans. You quite often see them locally, working as security in shopping malls and supermarkets. They inspire quiet confidence and are known for exemplary good manners (anyway, who in their right mind would try to upset a Ghurka?)
@@TheArgieH I work in aldershot often (home of the British army) there are loads of old gurkhas and their families out and about.
@@tobytaylor2154 Thanks, and in Farnborough, it is good to see them.
Many Ghurkas live near to me as they were based at Shorncliffe barracks.
My brother in law's father served with the Gurkha rifles for 30 years. A very well-respected regiment to be part of. Pipes are also played in the north of England, though they aren't quite the same as those played in Scotland and Ireland. Something else to note is the sheer weight of the coffin; being lead-lined it will have weighed anywhere up to 450 - 600lbs on its own, so the burden on those young naval cadets, with the gun carriage, is huge. And for the bearer party - unimaginable!.
My sorrow for the loss of my queen will never leave me.
That bit was only a short match from Westminster Hall to Westminater Abbey. There was a much longer bigger procession after the service, to Wellington Arch where the coffin was transported to Windsor those processions were pretty amazing too.
The pipes and Drums were a mass band, so a mix of Scottish and Irish, if you look closely you will see different tartans
I was thinking they were possibly together. I'll go back and take a look. Thanks
I think the Irish kilts are plain not tartan. That is how to tell the Scots and Irish apart. Both play bagpipes. Someone else pointed out how to find the Irish pipers and the Gurkas in the huge massed bands.
There were also Australians,Gurkhas and various other units represented.
Thank you for staying silent and watching instead of stopping and continually interrupting like most of your fellow countrymen do when reviewing. The back men/women on the ropes are the brakes.
This was a short procession from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey. They are pretty much opposite each other so only about 200m. After the service there was a far longer procession up Whitehall, down the Mall past Buckingham Palace to Wellington Arch which is probably 1.5 - 2 miles. That had forces from all over the Commonwealth, Gurkhas, all regiments of the British forces - the procession was over a mile long of people. Almost certainly the most impressive parade I've and anyone else has or will ever see. After Wellington Arch they drove to Windsor some 20 miles away. Much of the route was lined with people along the road.
The Pipes and Drums were played by both the Scottish and Irish Regiments. Princess Anne title is The Princess Royal this is a special title given by the monarch to a Princess who has done a lot so not all Princesses will be a Princess Royal the Queen was not. Princess Anne is also a commodore-in-chief at Portsmouth and went there the next day to thank the personnel who took part in the funeral . Another thing you might not know is that The Royal Regiment of Scotland were the pallbearers that carried the Queen into the Palace of Holyrodhouse where she lay in state for I believe two days and the crown of Scotland was laid on her coffin.
Scots and Irish share a common ancient language of Gaelic so have many cultural and musical similarities such as bagpipes although in Scotland Gaelic only survives in the remotest regions and islands now.
Westminster Hall and the Abbey are pretty much next door to each other so it was a short march, unfortunately the edit you viewed didn't seem to care much for the pipers who really made the procession. Her Majesty was always woken of a morning by a piper under her window and it was at her own request for the Massed Pipes and Drums to start her on her final journey.
The Gurkhas are a British regiment of Nepalese recruits whose loyalty to the British Crown goes way back.
The Romans brought the bagpipes to the British isles. So the instrument was not used before then in UK/Ireland. They actually originate in the middle east. Although, the bagpipes we see today have evolved much since then lol.
The Guards regiments wear the Bearskin hats and the red tunics. As well as the Scottish and Irish guards there are the Grenadier Guards the Coldstream Guards, and the Welsh Guards. The easiest way to tell them apart is the button pattern on their tunics. The grenadier guards have single buttons. The Coldstream in pairs, The Scots Guards in threes, The Irish Guards in fours and the Welsh Guards in groups of five, these are the five foot regiments that along with two cavalry regiments the Blues and Royals and the Lifeguards make up what is known as the household division. Part of their duties is as the Royal guard, But they are also proper soldiers with proud regimental traditions and honours that have fought in pretty much every war and battle Britain has been involved in for hundreds of years. They do the guard duties in rotation and when not there could be in any theatre in the world where the British army is involved.
Awesome information that answers a lot of questions for me. Thanks
The 8 young coffin bearers were flown back from Iraq for their funeral duty and have been redeployed back there.
@@reactingtomyroots if you look at the drums of regiments they also have the battle honours as gold scrolls on them
The easiest way to tell which guard unit is which is by the plume colour on their bearskin. The Welsh are Green and white, grenadiers are white, Scots none, Irish blue, Coldstream red.
The Gurkhas are soldiers from Nepal.
The British army having been recruiting them for about 200 years.
They are known for their bravery in battle
I'll definitely have to check them out soon. Thanks
Seeing an american reaction like this to the queens funeral is shocking. She truly was loved by everyone.
Pipes are a tradition in Scotland, Ireland, Breton and Northumbria. It is standard for the family to walk behind the coffin.
And Spain, Belgium and most of Europe once.
She was an amazing queen and a fitting tribute
You don't want to come up against the Gurkhas. Fierce battle warriors from Nepal. Watching this still brings a tear to my old eye.
Many people seem to be saying the same. I'll have to check them out soon. Thanks for your comment.
Britain helps them stay independent from China and India. They provided people for the British army.
Worked with Queen’s Gurkha Signals at the Royal School of Signals (as was!) at Blandford Camp. Amazing individuals, hard working, fantastic soldiers and a great sense of humour.
They fought the British army on the borders of Nepal and this engendered a mutual respect. Ever since, Gurkhas have enlisted in the British Army - as Riflemen, Engineers, Signallers and in Logistics. All do sterling service.
Princess Anne wears the uniform of the Royal Navy at the rank of Admiral. Of the 4 children of the Queen she is the only one to not have joined the military. King Charles and Prince Andrew were navy helicopter pilots, Andrew fought in the front line in the Falklands War part of his job to attract missile fire away from the ships and landings etc. Prince Edward was in the Army I think but didn't stay for very long. Prince William was an Airforce helicopter pilot, then became an air sea rescue pilot. Prince Harry was in the Army in the Blues and Royals household cavalry (horses and tanks etc) and was an Apache gunner and then co-pilot. In Afghanistan for two tours of a few weeks each. Had to be recalled when the Taliban became aware of his presence. This is correct as far as I can remember but happy to be corrected if wrong.
King Charles was a captain in the Royal Navy, his ship being HMS Bronington, a mine sweeper.
So sad it’s made me cry 😭 again thank you for your respect and honest response to our queen ❤
Watch her coffin leave Balmoral for the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, and her lying in state at St Giles. It’s just as grand and formal and moving, but also somehow intimate and more personal. She had the Scottish crown on her coffin, part of the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish Crown Jewels. Thank you so much for your touching and respectful assessment. She meant so very much to us and to people all over the world
a lovely and respectable reaction x thankyou x 💖 you have quickly become one of my favourite TH-camrs 😀
Thanks so much for that. I really appreciate it. Hope you have a great night. :)
Massed pipes and drums, lump in the throat, tears in the eyes, its as if they go straight to the heart...
You should react to the st George's service in Windsor where she is lowered into the vault it's very moving . The lone piper at the end gets me choked up . 😪
The Gurhkas, are the only foreign regiment in the British Army. They have served with the utmost loyalty for 200 years.
They are held within the British armed forces with high regard.They were feared by the Japanese during ww2 when British and commwealth forces fought in Burma.
The Royal Navy are the senior service and took charge of the gun carriage. There's also a senior Royal Marines officer amongst other senior military officers Army and Royal Air Force around the coffin.
The Gurkhas - you don’t mess with them. The British could not conquer Nepal so started to recruit them for the British army instead. Thousands of young Nepalese apply to join the British army every year. Their British army salaries fund their families at home. It’s very prestigious to gain entry to the British army. Only 300-400 get in after a gruelling application and fitness recruiting process. Recently, they’re now allowed to stay in Britain and bring their families after service ends. There lots of videos about the Gurkhas.
I served with Gurkhas on several occasions like a few comments say a tougher soldier you won’t meet …..but some of the most humble and respectful people in the world
I felt the service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor was the most moving. I felt that it was the actual goodbye to our Monarch.
I think watching the procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch at Hyde Park corner is worth watching. All Commonwealth personnel too, lead off by four Canadian Mounties. Funeral marches, crowds along the Mall and all the way to Wellington Arch. The coffin was transferred there to the Royal hearse and driven to Windsor Castle. People lining the route all the way. Its a pity no-one seems to have shown this procession as for me it was the highlight, I love to see the troops of all nations.
Gurkas have a special meaning to this country. When the British fought against them they were so impressed that after hostilities ended we wanted them on our side so there is a regiment of Gurkas in the British army. The Gurkas are not tall but I don't think anyone in their right mind would mess with them! Fierce and fearsome warriors but off duty so polite and kind.
They also fought fearlessly in Afghanistan and won several medals of honour and bravery. One in particular engagement is memorable for the ONE Ghurkha alone fought a group of Taliban killing many in close combat. He lived to tell the tale unlike those who fought him.
One comment from earlier told the tale of the group being briefed for their flight and jum from low altitude...it was consider it may be an "Urban Myth" that the officer stopped them walking to the plain and pointed out they should collect their parachutes first- "oh, we will have parachutes" was the reply...a great story but was always doubtful until 3 years ago when I met and became friends with a retired Brigadier who had served 5 years with the Gurkhas - he told me it was 100%trueand it was one of his fellow officers that had given that briefing and- yes it was true.....maybe we should ask them to pop over to Ukraine and end the was in a week! It might take a couple of dozen of them though.
In your reaction video, at 7:54, check out the front row of the massed pipes and drums. The Gurkhas (wearing 'Pillbox' hats and trousers) form the second line from the left. The Irish regiment (Green jackets and Camel coloured kilts) form the eighth line the left.
Oh ok I see now. thanks
I have watched your video ,a few times ,I love the respect you show to our Queen .It still makes me cry ,everytime I watch the furneral back .Still can,t believe she is gone .Sending love across the ocean .xx
The whole procession was under the care and timing of one man WO 1 GSM Stokes , he is the Guardsman in front of the Royal family. He was phenomenal and should be rightly rewarded. I am ex Royal Air Force but have the greatest of respect for this man.
The Procession right after this in the cathedral with the choir will take your breath away too.
Just for anyone that's curious the song played in this is called Mist Covered Mountains and it's one of the most beautiful songs you can perform on the bagpipe in my opinion.
Especially note, the gun carriage was drawn by Ratings and the Pallbearers were 3 NCO's and 5 Privates, NOT Generals, Colonels or other high ranking officers. Also, one of the main organisers of the whole event (in London/Windsor) was the Garrison Sergeant Major, a Warrant Officer NOT a commissioned officer.
Pallbearers provided by the Queen’s Company of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, the senior Guards Regiment.
They are called that because at Waterloo, they thought they had defeated the Grenadiers of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard. In fact it was the Chasseurs of the Guard, but the name Grenadier Guards stuck!
I think we/I loved her in some way. Myself, Brits, commonwealth and a large part of the World.
Surprised me how I was affected when she died, then again, I am 61 and she was Queen when I was born.
how can you not have tears in your eyes.
The ones with the flat hats are the queen's personal bodyguard while in Scotland - the Royal Company of Archers. They have and use real longbows.
It was at Queen Victoria's funeral that a horse got spooked, reared up and nearly turned over the gun carriage that Queen Victoria was laid on. Captain Prince Louis of Battenberg - the future First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy - commanded his Navy Seamen to take up the reigns and pull the carriage onwards. The Navy Seamen at the back of the gun carriage act as the brakes. A bit of trivia for you - this is THAT very gun carriage!!!. It is kept for the funeral of the Monarch. So Queen Victoria was carried on this. King George VI was carried on this carriage and the young Queen Elizabeth followed behind. So now we have Queen Elizabeth now on the carriage followed by King Charles who know that when he dies, he will be pulled on this carriage and when that happens his son Prince William (now King) will also do the same.
Regardless of your views on Royalty from a historical point of view it is fascinating. We'll probably never see anything like this again.
0:37 - The bagpipes are definitely considered a symbol of Scotland, so you're not alone in thinking they're more of a Scottish thing, but the Irish have an instrument which is very similar to the bagpipes, which I believe is called the Uilleann pipes. I don't know enough about the pipers in this instance, to know if there is a variation in the pipes played between the different regiments.
0:51 - I know plenty of the other comments have explained who the Gurkhas are, but if you can find a video about them, their history is worth checking out!
4:56 - its not far at all, if walking at a normal pace, its like 5 minutes maximum, but with the funeral pacing, I believe it was 15 minutes from leaving Westminster Hall to getting to Westminster Abbey.
6:05 - if you think about a normal funeral the family usually travel in a car behind the hearse. The family walking behind the gun carriage, alongside the military, is just an amped up version of that funeral tradition.
6:39 - Yeah, thats Princess Anne, the Queen's only daughter.
7:07 - Yeah, thats absolutely right. The troops behind are there to steady the carriage, and make sure that it doesn't move too quickly, or get out of control.
7:40 - The navy started pulling the gun carriage after the funeral of Queen Victoria, if I remember rightly. It was meant to be pulled by horses, but they horses reared up and threatened to topple the coffin, which is why the navy pull it now instead of taking that risk again. The gun carriage has been used to carry King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, Winston Churchill, and now Queen Elizabeth II.
I wish I could give you more information on the Scottish/Irish regiments, but unfortunately I'm not all to knowledgeable.
Not necessarily funeral-related, but as you can clearly see from the funeral and all the events surrounding her death, Queen Elizabeth (and the monarchy in general) have very close ties to the military. If thats something you'd be interested in learning more about, may I suggest the video "Queen Elizabeth II: Saluting the Armed Forces' Commander-in-Chief" by "Forces News" as it gives a bit more insight into that relationship.
Thanks for all the awesome information. :)
One fact prince Andrew and prince Harry are the only members of the royal family that served in active duty. But because of circumstances have been striped of their military ranks so they didn't wear uniform.
On bagpipes, there are also the Northumbrian pipes using a bag, inflated by a bellows system under the arm. The pipes as such actually originated in the Middle East (they had the goatskins handy after all) and migrated around the globe. Incidentally the number of drones varies by country. Illustrating their spread, I listened to the Hong Kong police force pipe band when they came to London, more years ago than I care to remenber. I wonder if anyone can confirm the old tale that a Scottish Piper requires a dram of malt, in order to lubricate the inside of the bag........
The bagpipes definitely have become associated with Scotland in recent times. But there has always been bagpipes in Ireland, but they weren’t called bagpipes, they were called war pipes. I’m not referring to uilleann pipes, which I doubt very much could be played on the march.
Queen Victoria was the monarch where the tradition started for the gun carriage to be pulled by the Royal Navy. The sailors at the front are pulling and the ones at the back are acting as the break person.
Wasn’t it because the horses were playing up that the navy came to the rescue.
@@francismcdonnell753 yes Louis Battenburgh ordered the RN to put down their arms and pull the gun carriage.
As soon as the massed pipe bands started playing at Westminster Hall I just broke. A 43 year old grown ass man sobbing on his couch. Can't explain it, but it was more than her, she represented the whole WW2 generation arguably the most noble generation of Britons ever.
The Gurkhas some say are mercenaries but have been serving the Crown for over 250 years. There is a Gurkha selection video on u tube so find that! The Selection process is heart rendering for those who don't succeed. I have been fortunate enough to know many and serve alongside.
The pro session through Windsor taking our Queen to Windsor Castle seeing the people was breath taking. If you haven’t seen that you must watch honestly x
Present in the procession, at least the bits you saw, were:
- Royal Navy. They were the ones pulling the carriage. They had ratings pulling and officers commanding. They were dressed in very dark blue with white caps.
- Foot Guards. They were the pallbearers, the guy giving the order to step off, and a variety of other roles. They were dressed in scarlet tunics and bearskin hats. There are five different (regular) foot guards regiments - Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards.
- Three differenct ceremonial bodyguards made of ex-service persons. The Yeomen of the Guard were the ones in very old-style red tabards, white ruffs around the neck, and black soft hats. They're recruited from ex-ranks, as opposed to the Gentlemen at Arms with the ostrich-feather helmets who are recruited from ex-officers. Also at the back is a peculiar Scottish ceremonial bodyguard, the Royal Company of Archers, which has no current military connection.
- A bunch of very senior officers, from a variety of regiments, marching directly next to the coffin. These were her former military aides (equerries), at least those still alive. Not all are still serving but were permitted to march in their former uniform. There were some Guards, some RAF, one Royal Marine (the guy in the white pith helmet), one Household Cavalry
- One officer from the Royal Regiment of Scotland - the guy in the kilt marching behind the Royal Family
As for the Royal Family, Charles and Anne were in naval uniform; William and Richard in RAF uniform; and Edward in Army (Royal Wessex Yeomanry?).
The pipes and drums, that enormous body of people marching, were all from different organisations. I believe that some of them are civilian pipe bands as well as the military ones. There were Irish, Scottish and Gurkha pipers in that mob.
There's no single "Scottish Regiment" or "Irish Regiment". Scottish regiments include the Scots Guards, the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Irish regiments include the Irish Guards, the Royal Irish Regiment and the Royal Dragoon Guards. There is an Army Reserve cavalry unit - the Scottish and Northern Irish Yeomanry. There are also scottish-recruited units in the various other arms and services such as Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, etc.
The procession up the Long Walk in Windsor to Windsor Castle and St George's Chapel is definitely worth a watch too. It was long so a highlights video might be better. Irish and Scots in the group marching in kilts and playing bagpipes. That was Princess Anne you were correct. Hope that helps. 😊
Thanks Lynne I'll have to take a look and finally I know who Princess Anne is. I've been trying to place her since I started learning about the Queen. :)
There are roughly 50 countries in the world that have their own versions of Bagpipes, which are essentially a stomach or bladder pumping air into a whistle/pipe/flute. Scottish bagpipes are the most famous though. The Irish do have their own bagpipes, which are pumped by arm rather than by blowing air in by mouth like the Scottish pipes do. You don't tend to see the Irish bagpipes many places outside of Ireland. I don't think there were any Irish troops involved in the funeral procession, but I may be wrong. I'm sure someone will be along to correct me shortly. I don't think the Gurkhas were really shown in that clip you watched, but I do know that I saw them on the day in. The various military units you saw in the clip were the Navy (acting both as pulling and braking for the gun carriage), the Household cavalry on foot this time so as not to obstruct the view of the coffin wearing the plumed helmets, the Household Guard in the big fluffy hats and the Beefeaters who usually guard the Tower of London in the Yellow and Red Elizabethan-style uniforms with the ruffled collars. It has always been tradition that the male members of the Royal family walk behind the procession. It's one of the reasons why Princes William and Harry walked behind Princess Diana's coffin even though they were only young boys at the time of her death. This time, Princess Anne elected to walked with her brothers. One BBC commentator on the day of the funeral commented that Princess Anne did so as she's always seen herself as being no different to her brothers.
That band of pipes are a massed band with pipers drawn from all regiments. There will be Gurkha pipers somewhere in there as well.
The Gurkhas are part of the British Army from Nepal,they are gentle in life and probably the most feared fighting men in the world and most respected
You make some well-informed comments, considering the questions you are asking. I didn't notice any Gurkhas in the procession there, but they usually wear quite dark clothing and small dark "pill-box" style caps with a band under their chins. They are incredibly loyal and highly-respected warriors. Although usually comparatively diminutive in stature, they are absolutely top drawer.
At 8.50, there is a line of Beefeaters on the right (they are in the garish red and yellow uniforms with the big wide-brimmed hats with red, white and blue on them, and they guard the Tower of London); behind them are about 3-4 men from The Royal Company of Archers who are the now-King's bodyguard when in Scotland, carrying their bows.
The gun carriage is extremely heavy (as was the coffin - around 550lbs, I believe) and therefore you were right the Able Seamen (and women) at the back were holding ropes to keep it counterbalanced in case of problems. Those with the peaked white caps between the coffin and the Beefeaters are naval officers.
It is only the menfolk from the Royal Family who normally join the processions. The Princess Royal (Princess Anne - correctly identified by you) has for quite some time now joined these processions, including The Trooping of the Colour (on horseback) and the Remembrance Day Commemorations (on foot) with her brothers, cousins and nephews. Normally the ladyfolk and/or those too elderly/infirm would go by limousine.
It really was a phenomenal turnout, extremely well-rehearsed and executed. I was lucky enough to witness some of the proceedings in Edinburgh, where I live. I saw the cortège pass on the long drive down from Deeside (where Balmoral Castle is) to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. I also got up in the wee small hours to queue to file past the catafalque which luckily for the one night that we were able to do so here in Scotland was a much shorter wait than in London.
Finally - bagpipes and kilts are played and worn in Ireland. The Irish kilts tend to be a burnt orange colour, whereas the kilts you would be more used to seeing are in Scottish tartan of different patterns according to the relevant clan (family). These were apparently introduced in Victorian times by Sir Walter Scott. Incidentally, bagpipes are not a Scottish invention, but Egyptian!
HI STEVE
DEBRA HERE FROM S WALES UK
To tell the difference between the Welsh, Scots, Irish, Grenadier and Coldstream guards is by their bearskin helmets as their wear different symbols on them, and by how their buttons are arranged on their red tunics.
GRENADIER GUARDS
Single white plume on left side
Single buttons on red tunic
COLSTREAM GUARDS
Red plume on right side of helmet
Buttons in two's on red tunics
SCOTS GUARDS
No plumes on helmets
Buttons arranged in threes in red tunics
IRISH GUARDS
Blue Plume on right side of helmet
Buttons arranged in fours on red tunic
WELSH GUARDS
Green and White plume on left side of helmet
Buttons arranged in fives on red tunics.
I was privileged to see some of the Gurkhas practicing their drill only a few days before the Queen passed away. My grandfather was in the Pacific in WW2 and was captured by the Japanese, and he always said that the Japanese refused to go out on sentry duty if there were rumours there were Gurkhas in the area - because they would find the sentries in the morning missing their heads! There is a good video showing how punishing Gurkha training is here: th-cam.com/video/O8pIJglsYUE/w-d-xo.html
I bet your Grandfather had some great stories to tell. The link you just shared is exactly the type of video I was hoping to find. I had never heard of the Gurkhas before but the commenters here have made me very interested in who these men are. I'll have to check it out soon. Thanks
I was told the Irish invented the bagpipes and gave them to the Scott's as a joke. However the Scott's lacking a sense of humour took the Irish seriously and kept them, not wishing to make the Scott's feel silly or angry (caution don't make a Scott angry how else did you think we had a empire) they kept playing theirs as well. In the massed pipe band there's a mixture of Sco tts, Irish and Gurkas all playing the pipes. Scott's obviously in their regimental tartans, the Irish in th e plain tan kilts and the Gurkas wearing trousers. Why the Gurkas adopted the pipes I don't know but maybe the only sensible instrument that can keep pace with their "quick march", they are very fast.
the gurkas are very brave.and have helped the british over the years very much.we owe them alot.
The Gurkhas have joined the British Army for over 200 years. The British fought against them in the 19th century and such was the mutual respect that Britain did a deal with the King of Nepal. The rest is history. In the Order Of March you can see a numberof people in plumed helmets. These are the Gentlemen At Arms. They were followed by the Yeoman Of The Guard, dressed in Tudor attire. Both of these bodes were raised in tbe 16th century by HenryVIIII.
The Ghurkas formed part of the pipes and drums, they also play bagpipes like the Scots and Irish
There's also the Royal Company of Archers there. They're the old guys in green kilts with the tall feathers in the caps, marching alongside the naval ratings who're pulling the gun carriage. They're not part of the British Army, but set themselves up centuries ago to be the Monarch's bodyguard when in Scotland. (Hey, I'd never heard of them either before the funeral!)
The coffin was pulled by horses and pretty sure it was during Queen Victoria's funeral the horses acted up, making it difficult to move the coffin. I can't remember who if it was someone in the army, basically whispered to someone that the Royal Navy was present and they're just standing around watching, get them to pull it. So they did and it's been a tradition ever since. I think it's a nice way of honouring those at sea that we don't normally get to see during these events.
Everything is so amazingly lock in step, in sync! RIP HRM Queen Elizabeth II!! The bagpipes really added to the emotion of it!
Hey Steve. It's 5.20am here in the UK 17th June 24. I cannot sleep due to restless legs syndrome so I am binge watching your videos. I subscribe to lots of channels but none has drawn me in like yours. Love your content. Much love, Angela, From Lancashire, England, UK ❤❤❤
If you can find it please can you react to the procession after the funeral which went from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch where the coffin was transferred to a hearse for the drive to Windsor and burial.
This procession was much bigger and longer and was led by the Canadian Mounties.
It must have been a security nightmare with most of the Royal Family openly walking and Kings,presidents, prime ministers from around the world in the Abbey. I think they all did an amazing job.
Hey Carole I just wrote it down and I'll try to check it out soon. Thanks for your comment. :)
The Irish Pipers are in with the Scotish Pipers. The Irish kilts have no tartan
I had no idea the Irish also wore kilts. That's amazing to know. Thanks
Did you hear the bell chime as soon as the coffin arrived? Thats because it would've been practiced timed over days making sure the tune lasted the length, and then the bell bomging at the destination. That's what a week of 2am practices are for.
It's amazing how precise they were.
@@reactingtomyrootsthe soldiers join the regiments knowing they'll have these jobs, and they love it as a chill down from fighting the taliban or isis .
My father, who had been in the Royal Navy said that the moment he broke down, and he'd been at the Falklands Conflict back in 82 and not cried, was just at five plain and simple words - 'By the centre... Slooooooooow MARCH!"
Seeing that solemn and sombre ceremony, brought me to tears. Because I lost both my Maternal grandparents to Coronavirus last January 2021. My grandad died 21st January aged 92, then the same week; my grandmother died 28th January aged 94. The Queens coffin reminded me of my darling Grandmother's coffin ⚰ heartbroken 💔 😢
Sorry to hear that Martin. Losing grandparents is so tough, especially losing both the same week. As someone who has lost my grandparents I know your pain. It can take a long time to fully heal from that wound, but it does eventually get better. I hope you're doing well. Stay strong.
Cheers friend. It's 3 years this month when they died
The British actually fought against the Gurkhas many hundreds of years ago. We were so impressed with their ferocity and fighting ability we actually recruited them into becoming part of the British military. They are one of the most feared soldier in the world. Every year they have a huge recruiting process in Nepal where the top 200 are taken into the Gurkha regiment and moved to the UK to train. It's considered a great honour to become a Gurkha in Nepal. Their regiment motto is "better to die than to be a coward" and they fully live up to their reputation.
Very touching and haunting really quite beautiful Scottish and Irish band is playing the pipes
You can tell the difference between the Scottish and Irish pipers by the fact that the Scottish kilts are tartan and the Irish saffron, a light yellow-brown. The Gurkhas are in trousers at the left of the picture.
Some of the Royal Navy gun carriage crew were straight out of basic training while others were pulled from units all over the service. It was the first time that women had been included. If you have a look again, youll see that there are six tall strong matelots right in front of the gun carriage in the centre. They are holding the actual heavy pole that would have been fastened to the horsrs' harness; the others are holding ropes and the ones at the back act as brakes lest the carriage roll forward on slopes.
The tradition of the Royal Navy pulling the gun carriage began in 1901 when Queen Victoria died on the Isle of Wight. The horses spooked on a steep slope as she was being brought to the harbour and a naval officer, Prince Louis of Battenburg, quickly got the horses removed and sailors to pull the gun carriage. Prince Louis was married to one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters and later became First Sea Lord, head of the navy. He had to resign in WW1 because of his German birth, the family name became Mountbatten instead of Battenburg, and he was made the first Marquess of Milford Haven. Both sons followed him into the navy and a granddaughter too as a Wren in WW2. His younger son became Earl Mountbatten of Burma and his two daughters became Queen Louise of Sweden and Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark, the mother of Prince Philip. Prince Philip's best man when he married the then Princess Elizabeth was his cousin, the third Marquess of Milford Haven; gossip had started when people saw how Philip and Elizabeth looked at each other when she was bridesmaid to another cousin of his, Lady Patricia Mountbatten, later the second Countess Mountbatten! History is so convoluted 😂.
Suggesting watching the Westminster abbey to Wellington Arch part. The Navy behind the coffin is to act as a brake.
Absolutely buetiful RIP Queen Elizabeth 11
70 years you're duty is done rest in peace
The Scott's and the Irish are Celtic and therefore share Pipes and Drums aswell as other instruments.
This is absolutely amazing.
I'm just beginning to realise what a wonderful lady we have lost I believe a lot of us are.
We also have pipers in Wales, and they wear Welsh tartan. Most Celtic countries have pipers, and tartan! This was even more amazing live, the whole day was emotional and the military were incredible. The gun carriage has been pulled by humans since Queen Victoria; when they were practicing for Victoria's funeral, the horses became unruly and almost tipped the carriage, so that's why they use the military to do the job.
The funeral procession was led by four mounted members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Mounties were designated as a regiment of dragoons by Elizabeth II's grandfather, George V. The Queen had a long affectionate relationship with the RCMP. They gave her several horses that were born and raised at their horse ranch in Saskatchewan. One of those horses, Burmese, was her favourite horse to ride. She rode Burmese many times in the Trooping of the Colour. It was Burmese that she was riding the time that someone took a shot at her with a pistol during the Trooping of the Colour.
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces along with forces from her other Commonwealth Realms took part in the funeral procession as well.
The Gurkhas come from Nepal. UK had a war with the Kingdom of Nepal that ended in 1816. The British were so impressed with the fighting skill and fighting spirit of the Nepalese or Gorkhali army that they got permission to recruit Nepalese into the British Army. That tradition continues to this day. They are referred to in the UK as Gurkhas. One recognizable feature of the Gurkhas is the kukri, a knife that they wear (and use) as part of their uniform. I had the chance to see a Gurkha regiment on guard at Buckingham Palace once. Not large men, but fierce. A senior Indian officer once said that "If a man says that he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or a Gurkha." My father said that in Italy during World War II that the Germans were terrified of the Gurkhas.
Irish regiments use bagpipes too.
In the British or Commonwealth Armies, Irish regiments wear either saffron or green Kilts, likewise the same with the bagpipes materials that are covered in either green or saffron coloured tweed cloth for Irish units too instead of the various Tartan designs that their Scottish counterparts wear. The Irish pipers’ headdress that looks like a high mounted beret is called a ‘Caubeen’. Their Scots colleagues’ traditional headgear are called Tam O’ Shanters, if they are a rounded shape of various colours or even tartan patterns, with a coloured Pom-Pom sewn on to the top centre position of this beret shaped cap. The ‘Glengarry’ is the long, forage-cap shaped, item of Highlanders headdress with a tartan or a red & white Chequered head-band around its crown usually with two dark blue coloured tassels draped down its back side. Some Scots regiments’ pipers, Drummers, pipe-majors or Drum-majors, notably the Scots Guards & the Highlanders also don the traditional British Guards’ Bearskin’ Hats too on parade!
The His Majesty’s Brigade of Guards are composed of three main sections; the five regiments of footguards, the two main regiments of the Household (Royal) Cavalry; the Lifeguards & the Blues & Royals. The third & final constituent part is the Royal Horse Artillery, whose gun teams dressed in mid-Victorian era, Hussars or Horse Artillery uniforms on horseback, pulling the ceremonial cannons with limbers that sound the Royal Salutes from their 75 mm caliber WW1 vintage field guns, usually from venues either in Hyde Park or at the Tower of London.
The five regiments of foot-guards in order of battle are: The Grenadier Guards denoted by single-placed tunic buttons running from top to bottom in front of each guardsman’s tunic (Also to be found on the sleeves & the rear coattails in similar formations! The second are the ‘Coldstream Guards’ identified by placements of groups of two-buttons in similar tunic locations; The Scots Guards (Three-Button groups as previously described); The Irish Guards (Four-Buttons groups etc.) & finally, the Welsh Guards (Five-Button Groups etc.). All these five foot guards regiments take turns to guard the Sovereign at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, also the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London or even a detachment is sent every day to guard the Bank of England on Threadneedle St. in the City of London’s Financial District! However, all Guards units operate dual roles of their ceremonial duties guarding the sovereign & participating in daily “Changing of the Guard” rituals & “Trooping the Colour” on the Sovereign’s Official Birthday, nevertheless they are still full time active service soldiers, who may be sent into an active war zone at any time within short notice!
The Gurkhas regiments hail from Nepal. They have been in one form or another of British military service (British East India Company, the British Indian Army or the British Army (Since 1947, when India 🇮🇳 gained its independence from Britain 🇬🇧) for over 200 years, since the Peace Treaty was signed to end the Anglo-Gurkha Wars in 1815 against the East India Company (EIC) rule & influence in Nepal! Part of the treaty was that the EIC agreed to hire & raise a number of Gurkha Regiments in honour & recognition of their martial prowess & supreme fighting capabilities! All Gurkha Regiments in the British or formerly in the British Indian Army were infantry regiments, & nearly all of these were Rifle Regiments, which meant they were all Light Infantry Regiments & also many were & still are ‘Sharpshooters’ too! Traditionally, in the Regency or Victorian British Army, Rifle Regiments wore green-coloured uniforms to better camouflage themselves in rough countryside! A tradition learned the hard way fighting in the American Colonies both in the Seven Years War (AKA in America 🇺🇸 as the ‘French & Indian Wars’, as well as the American War of Independence or American Revolutionary War! The Gurkhas Traditional Uniform worn on ceremonial occasions is the green rifleman’s uniform of the mid to late Victorian era with the flat type, pillbox cap with a black chin strap attached to it! In traditional ways, rifle regiments in the British Army have two speeds/paces of marching or movement, namely, at a dawdle or else at the double! That’s why the Gurkhas always March at quick time & they also have also adopted their own sets of bagpipes & drums just as Scottish & Irish Regiments do as well!
I thought that the most solemn part was the march through Windsor Great Park. There was just the procession, led by a brass band, but surrounded by empty green fields and no spectators.
Westminster Hall is literally across the road from the Abbey. The Scots wear tartan, the Irish regiments wear orange kilts. You're correct it was Princess Anne - she is the first daughter to walk behind a royal coffin along side the sons and grandsons.
Irish wear tan kilts Scottish wear tartan,the procession continued after Westminster Abbey up to Wellington arch ,Where the army Life guards and foot guards stood with the RAF regiment the Royal Navy pulled the carriage also acted as the brake,the Royal marines were also there. It was then transfers to the Royal hearse for its journey to Windsor escorted by the Special Escort Group of the Metropolitan police on motorcycles .At Windsor it was met another group guards both mounted and foot,their guns and sword held under their arms in reverse as always in a funeral procession up the Long Walk to Windsor Castle this was lined Forces personal ,police and her subjects
Bagpipes are found across Europe in different forms. Few of them sound the same. The Scottish Bagpipes have the sound most are familiar with, which is due, I believe to the number of pipes. Most Bagpipes have one pipe, and are usually quieter.
The procession was basically just crossing the road from the Houses of Parliament to Westminster Abbey.
You should try to find footage of the crowds that queued to walk past the coffin Lying in State, and also when the Queen's grandchildren formed a guard of honour in Westminster Hall.
The pipes and drums in the tartan kilts and bag pipes are primarily Scottish Regiments, and have been for centuries .
. The Irish pipes and drums are in the plaid kilts which I think are plain brown or green
Ghurkas are in the LONG procession after the Abbey. You need to watch that.
the March from Westminster hall to Westminster abbey was not that far only about 8 minutes. You should check out the march after the funeral taking the coffin from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, this took just under 1 hour. at that point the coffin was transferred to a hearse and driven to Windsor, you should also then check out the hearse driving down the long walk in Windsor to the gates of Windsor castle
The pipes are played by both scots and irish regiments, the Gurkhas have served the British crown for a very long time and are one of the most feared soldiers in the british army respected at the highest level, The state funeral was orchestrated to the highest standard possible years of planning because you only get one chance , i think we did a good job and a most respectful farewell, they marched about two miles and then did a transfer to a motor vehicle for the final transfer to windsor castle. The family walk behind coffin was as a sign of respect. the sailors Royal Navy act as both engine front and brake rear.
Nothing says British better than this. Total royalty and extravagance a history like no other. Proud to be British.
In Ireland we play the Uilleann pipes ( IL-yən, Irish, pronounced 'Illin') the characteristic national bagpipe of IrelandThey sound similar to Bagpipes and are regularly confused. Also know as the "union pipes". The Queen's coffin is lined with lead too, quite the journey!
She was taken from Westminster Hall where she lied at rest then moved to the abbey which is not far. She was then taken on again with a much longer route before she was taken by hearse to Windsor.
When I woke up that morning she was being observed by the doctors and about an hour or so later she passed away
And you got me again... another tear from your kind and respectful words.
Look for this video - In Full: Queen’s coffin taken to Buckingham Palace