Reunited with ‘us four’ and Philip: Palace releases unseen picture of Queen with her father King George, mother, sister and husband as she is laid to rest beside them and royals continue to mourn her death for a week after private family burial

• The Queen has been laid to rest to be with her beloved husband Prince Philip, father, mother and sister
• The Royal Family will continue mourning for another seven days and will perform no public duties for a week 
• Last night Buckingham Palace released two previously unseen pictures of the monarch in happier times  
• On a historic day yesterday the Queen’s coffin was taken to Windsor for burial after a procession and funeral 
• 2million people flocked to London to say farewell to Britain’s longest serving monarch who died 11 days ago 
• The Queen’s funeral: All the latest Royal Family news and coverage

The Royal Family has released two poignant photo tributes to the Queen as they begin another week of mourning after a state funeral full of emotion, ceremony and symbolism that wowed and moved the world before King Charles III personally laid his mother to rest during a private burial last night.

Her Majesty’s long journey to her final resting place began in Balmoral on the day of her death on September 8 and ended last night with her private interment next to Prince Philip, with the new King scattering earth on his mother’s coffin at 7.30pm.

And as she was laid to rest the royals released a a tribute titled: ‘In loving memory of Her Majesty The Queen’ and shared a never-before seen image of the late Monarch hiking through heathlands in her beloved Scotland and a smiling picture of her with her parents, sister and husband at Buckingham Palace.

The touching post issued via the Royal Family’s social media accounts also touched on King Charles III’s first address to the nation as monarch in which he quoted the Shakespeare’s immortal play Hamlet – ‘May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest.’ 

Queen Elizabeth II today lies at peace for eternity in the royal vault under St George’s Chapel with her husband, father, mother and sister. She is the 12th British monarch to be buried at Windsor and has chosen to be with her family following the ‘Us Four’ principle pursued by her father George VI. He told his daughter repeatedly that following the abdication of his brother, a happy and united Royal Family was the most important thing in life after the duties of a monarch. 

It came after a highly-symbolic and moving public moment in which the Queen’s crown, orb and sceptre were removed from her coffin so she could descend into her grave below St George’s Chapel Windsor ‘as a simple Christian soul’. 

The details of last night’s private ceremony were even kept secret from most royal aides with the congregation limited to senior royals only. It is not known if it was just the King and his siblings or whether it included grandchildren such as Prince William and Prince Harry. 

has been the template of family life for the Queen in her own reign. She belonged to a happy, united family, both before and after the shock dealt to it by the abdication, and family has been the most important thing to her after her duty as monarch.

Her son decreed on September 9, the day after the Queen died following her 70-year reign, that a period of mourning would be observed until seven days after the funeral – ending next Tuesday. It means that royals will not do any official engagements before then with Harry and Meghan expected to fly to the US as soon as possible to be reunited with their children. 

A private service, which was due to start at 7.30pm, took place last night away from the public’s gaze where King Charles buried his mother the Queen 

Buckingham Palace also released this never seen before picture of Her Majesty hiking through heathland, it said: ‘May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest’, quoting Shakespeare

The Queen has been buried alongside her beloved Prince Philip and next to her parents George VI and Elizabeth (pictured: The grave inside the George VI Memorial Chapel), the Queen Mother, and her sister, Margaret at the George VI Memorial Chapel inside St George’s Chapel

King Charles III places the the Queen’s Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin at the Committal Service

Flowers and bouquets cover the royal hearse as the Queen arrives in Windsor

The Royal Family and European royals watch as the coffin is carried towards the altar

Buckingham Palace said: “Following the death of Her Majesty the Queen, it is His Majesty the King’s wish that a period of royal mourning be observed from now until seven days after the Queen’s Funeral.

“Royal mourning will be observed by members of the royal family, Royal Household staff and representatives of the Royal Household on official duties, together with troops committed to ceremonial duties.”

‘May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest’: Royal family’s touching final message to the Queen 

Quoting from Shakespeare’s immortal play Hamlet, and including a never seen before picture of Her Majesty hiking through heathland, it said: ‘May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest’

The Royal Family have tonight paid a touching final tribute to the Queen after she was laid to laid to rest with her beloved Prince Philip following a day of public ceremonies – watched by as many as four billion people worldwide.

In a tribute titled: ‘In loving memory of Her Majesty The Queen,’ the family tonight shared a never-before seen image of the late Monarch hiking through heathlands.

The touching post issued via the Royal Family’s social media account also harked back to her son King Charles’s first address to the nation in which he quoted the Shakespeare’s immortal play Hamlet – ‘May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest.’ 

The family members are not expected to carry out official engagements, and flags at royal residences will remain at half-mast until 8am after the final day of royal mourning.

Yesterday afternoon, as the Queen sank gently into the depths of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, giving millions of watching mourners a lump in their throats, it brought to a close a mesmerising 11 days of public mourning.

Queen Elizabeth II is now reunited with her ‘strength and stay’ – her beloved husband Prince Philip – and with her parents and her sister Princess Margaret in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor after her coffin was interred overnight in an intimate private ceremony.

Her crown, orb and sceptre were earlier removed from her coffin so she could descend into her grave in the royal crypt as a ‘simple Christian soul’.

An estimated 4.1 billion people worldwide watched yesterday morning as kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers joined millions of mourners in London for her historic State Funeral Service at Westminster Abbey.

They have been left bereft by the death of their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and at times their grief was palpable with Charles looking emotional and close to tears at the state funeral.

The Countess of Wessex was also seen weeping during the long day as was the Duchess of Sussex, who returned with the Duke of Sussex to the royal family to share their grief.

But Charles and his family have been consoled by the support and love they have received from the public, including the tens of thousands who turned out to watch the late monarch’s funeral procession make its slow journey through the capital and on to Windsor Castle for the committal service.

The Queen was finally laid to rest with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh during a private evening burial service attended just by close family.

The family’s website said it was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, adding: The Queen was buried together with The Duke of Edinburgh, at The King George VI Memorial Chapel.”

The royal Twitter account published a picture of the Queen taken at Balmoral in 1971, with the words: “May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest. In loving memory of Her Majesty The Queen.”

The quote is from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and was said by Charles in his speech to MPs and peers on September 12.

The words are said by Horatio as he pays tribute to his dying friend Hamlet in the tragedy.

The day of the funeral was filled with personal touches, with the wreath adorning the Queen’s coffin featuring a handwritten note from the King, saying: “In loving and devoted memory. Charles R.”

Charles had requested the floral tribute which replaced a wreath of Balmoral flowers with foliage and blooms cut from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Highgrove.

The Procession following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard, on the State Gun Carriage

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the Imperial State Crown resting on top, borne on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy followed by members of the royal family proceeds past Buckingham Palace

The Ceremonial Procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the Long Walk

Pallbearers place the coffin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as it arrives for a committal service at St George’s Chapel

The simple committal service at St George’s Chapel contrasted with the earlier state funeral, with the Queen’s close staff represented, including her senior dresser and personal adviser Angela Kelly, alongside individuals like Earl Spencer, the brother of Diana, Princess of Wales.

It was heavy with symbolism with the Camp Colour from the military unit personally commanded by the Queen – Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards – placed on her coffin by the King.

Baron Parker – the Lord Chamberlain and a former MI5 chief, and the most senior official in her royal household – “broke” his wand of office by dismantling it into two halves and laying them on her coffin.

As the committal service drew to a close the sovereign’s piper, Pipe Major Paul Burns played a lament and walked away from the congregation, his tune fading into the chapel air.

Earlier in the day, the state funeral at Westminster Abbey was attended by dignitaries including hundreds of heads of state, and with London full with mourners the event called for the largest policing operation undertaken by the Metropolitan Police.

Among the 2,000-strong congregation at the abbey were foreign royalty, leading figures from UK life and world leaders including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.

During his sermon, the Archbishop of Canterbury told the congregation the outpouring of emotion for the Queen “arises from her abundant life and loving service, now gone from us”.

Justin Welby described the Queen as having touched “a multitude of lives” and being a “joyful” figure for many.

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