SANDY STREETS
Royal fans left baffled as London streets are lined with sand for Queen’s funeral
ROYAL fans were left scratching their heads over why London’s streets were lined with sand for the Queen’s funeral.
Mourners were puzzled why so many parts of the procession route to Westminster Abbey were covered.
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Many viewers speculated that it was to make it easier for the horses to move and prevent them from slipping.
One person responding to a query on Twitter wrote: “It’s for the horses. They don’t slip on sand but they do on tarmac. It’s easier to clean up horse poo and it muffles the sound of their hooves. Mostly to stop them slipping.”
Another added: “Portions of the procession routes covered with sand to make it easy for the horses to move.”
It came as King Charles led the procession into Westminster Abbey for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
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Her Majesty's casket wass draped in the Royal Standard flag, and topped with her Crown, Orb and Sceptre.
Her children - Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward - marched slowly behind, followed by Princes William and Harry.
Hundreds of thousands of mourners have lined the streets ahead of the emotional service - the climax of what has been described as the biggest security operation the UK has ever seen.
Some dedicated royal fans had been camping out since Friday to bag the best spots - and by 9am, all public viewing areas along the procession route were full.
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They were all hoping to catch one last glimpse of Her Majesty before she makes her way from London to Windsor to be reunited with her husband Prince Philip, who died last year aged 99.
Billions more are tuning in from pubs, cinemas, outdoor big screens, cathedrals and their living rooms across the globe to experience the once-in-a-lifetime event - expected to be the most watched broadcast of all time.
Some 2,000 people - including heads of state, prime ministers, presidents and European royals - gathered at Westminster Abbey to remember the late monarch at 11am today.
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The world has literally come together - from US President Joe Biden to France's Emmanuel Macron, and Emperor of Japan Naruhito to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Before the service, conducted by the Very Rev David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster, the tenor bell tolled every 60 seconds for 96 minutes, reflecting the years of the life of the Queen, who passed away "peacefully" at Balmoral on September 8, sparking an outpouring of grief around the world.
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