By Rob Picheta, Ed Upright, Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Jessie Yeung and Aditi Sangal, CNN
From CNN's Rob Picheta in London
A two-minute silence in honor of the Queen has begun at Westminster Abbey and across the country.
It follows a rendition of “The Last Post,” a short fanfare played at remembrance services and military funerals.
The crowds outside Westminster Abbey have paused to stand in silence, alongside mourners inside the building.
The Dean is pronouncing the blessing, as Queen Elizabeth II's funeral service draws towards a close.
"God grant to the living grace; to the departed rest; to the Church, The King, the Commonwealth, and all people, peace and concord, and to us sinners, life everlasting; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen," he read.
From CNN's Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
The choir and congregation is now singing the third hymn -- Love divine, all loves excelling -- which is a Welsh tune, and was also performed in 2011 the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey.
The arrangement is by James O’Donnell, a former organist at the abbey.
An anthem -- composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 -- is being sung by the choir.
It follows a number of prayers that were read in honor of the late monarch.
The choir sings:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Alleluia! Amen.
From CNN's Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse
The Queen was consulted on the Order of Service for her funeral over many years, according to Buckingham Palace.
The Dean of Westminster prepared the Order of Service in conjunction with Lambeth Palace, which is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The King’s Master of Music, Judith Weir, composed a new piece of choral music for the state funeral service, called ‘Like as the Hart,’ according to Buckingham Palace. It is being sung by the Choirs of Westminster Abbey and the Chapel Royal of St. James’s Palace.
The second hymn "The Lord’s my Shepherd" was sung to the Crimond tune. The tune hails back to a parish in Aberdeenshire, not far from Balmoral Castle in Scotland where the Queen died. The hymn was also sung at the Queen's wedding to Prince Philip, and according to Buckingham Palace, the young Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret summoned the Master of Choristers to the Palace in the lead-up to the day, so that they could sing him the descant that would be used.
The same descant was sung at the state funeral, Buckingham Palace said.
Queen Elizabeth's broadcast during the Covid-19 lockdowns ended with "We will meet again," Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby reminded mourners as he wrapped up his sermon in Westminster Abbey.
"We will all face the merciful judgement of God. We can all share the Queen's hope which in life and death inspired her servant leadership," he said.
"Service in life, hope in death; all who follow the Queen's example and inspiration of trust and faith in God can with her say: 'we will meet again.'"
That concluded Welby's sermon.
"In 1953 the Queen began her coronation in silent prayer just there, at the high altar," the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said in his sermon at Westminster Abbey.
"Her allegiance to God was given before any person gave allegiance to her," he continued. "Her service to so many people in this nation, the Commonwealth and the world had its foundation in her following Christ."
"In all cases, those who serve will be loved and remembered, when those who cling to power and privileges are long forgotten," Welby continued.
"The grief of this day, felt not only by the late Queen's family but all round the nation, the Commonwealth and the world, arises from her abundant life and loving service -- now gone from us."
She was joyful, present to so many, touching a multitude of lives."
"And we pray today especially for all her family, grieving as every family at a funeral, including so many families around the world who have themselves lost someone recently," he added. "But in this family's case, doing so in the brightest spotlight."
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, is delivering the sermon, following a rendition of the hymn, The Lord’s My Shepherd.
"Come holy spirit, and fill our hearts with the balm of your healing love. Amen," he said.
"The pattern for many leaders is to be exalted in life and forgotten after death. The pattern for all who serve God famous or obscure respected or ignored, is that death is the door to glory.
"Her Majesty famously declared on a 21st birthday broadcast, that her whole life would be dedicated to serving the nation and Commonwealth. Rarely has such a promise being so well kept, few leaders receive the outpouring of love that we have seen," Welby continued.
From CNN's Hafsa Khalil
Donned in a black and white feathered hat and in a hand-sewn pearl button suit, Pearly Queen Michelle Thorpe, 55, said she decided to come to the Mall -- which links Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square -- as she loves Queen Elizabeth II.
We love the Queen, so we're saying our last goodbye. We have so many memories of the Queen and have come down here for everything,” she said.
The Pearly King and Queens are an instantly recognizable London institution dating back 150 years. They evolved from Coster Kings and Queens, who were elected as leaders of London’s street traders, according to their website.
Traditionally, each Pearlie sews their own pearl button suit before being crowned, often decorated with family symbols: a heart for charity, a horseshoe for luck, for example.
Next to Thorpe is her husband is Jimmy Jukes, in a similarly ornate outfit as he is a Pearlie King.
“My favorite memory was receiving my MBE [Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire] from Her Majesty The Queen in Buckingham palace in 2015,” he said. “We're here for our affection for the Queen and say goodbye for the final time."
