KEY POINTS
• Queen Elizabeth II lowered into vault to rest alongside her husband Prince Philip and her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
• Duke and Duchess of Sussex comfort each other as Meghan cries outside abbey
• Moving scenes as Princess Charlotte sheds tears for her 'Gan Gan'
• Princess Kate's touching funeral tribute to Her Majesty

The Queen has finally been laid to rest in a private burial service inside Windsor Castle surrounded by her loved ones.

An emotional King Charles III, whose eyes moistened as a rousing rendition of the national anthem filled St George's Chapel, placed the Queen's Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on the coffin.

With that, Her Majesty was lowered into the Royal Vault underneath the chapel, joining her father George VI and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh.

It was the final time her coffin was seen in public after 11 days of national mourning.

Hundreds of thousands of people crammed into London to pay their final respects to the late Queen, lining the streets for one last glimpse of the monarch's coffin.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte formed part of the procession, walking behind the coffin as it was carried through central London.

At 7.30pm (6.30am NZT), members of the Royal family conducted a private burial service behind closed doors, and the family entered seven days of their own mourning.

STORY CONTINUES AFTER LIVE BLOG:

Her reign threaded as steady through most of our lives as the parading soldiers at the Trooping of the Colour ceremony that she missed just once in her 70-year reign.

People from around the world said goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II in their billions overnight (NZ time) — from inside London's Westminster Abbey, to the streets outside, and at gatherings around screens worldwide.

The state funeral for the monarch, who died early on September 9 (NZT), began with the abbey bell tolling every minute for 96 minutes, reflecting the years of her life.

The coffin arrived at the almost 800-year-old abbey just before 11am local time on the same state gun carriage used for the funerals of Edward VII, George V and the Queen's father, George VI, pulled along by 142 Royal Navy sailors.

King Charles III and other royals, including the Princess Royal, the Prince of Wales and the Earl of Wessex were all wearing military uniform in procession behind the coffin as pallbearers brought it in.

King Charles III walks with Princess Anne and Prince Harry behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is pulled on a gun carriage through the streets of London following her funeral. Photo / AP

The Duke of York and the Duke of Sussex, who are no longer working royals, wore suits.

All looked sombre as they followed the carriage into Westminster Abbey.

The young Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 7, joined the procession at the abbey, following along behind their parents the Prince and Princess of Wales, as the Queen's coffin was carried to the catafalque.

From left, Princess Royal Anne, William Prince of Wales, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, follow the procession towards Westminster Abbey. Photo / AP

The Queen had earlier lain in state, her coffin draped in the Royal Standard, in nearby Westminster Hall for four days as hundreds of thousands of people filed solemnly past, some having shuffled along the south bank of the River Thames for up to 24 hours in a queue stretching up to 8km.

The traditional Anglican service included touching nods to the Queen's late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, with the hymn sung at their wedding in 1947, The Lord's My Shepherd, reprised during the service.

Palace aides consulted with the Queen on arrangements for the order of service, including readings and music, and new pieces were written specially by British composers.

Britain's Prince Harry and Prince William arrive at the Westminster Abbey. Photo / AP

Britain's new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, delivered one of the lessons, and the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby gave the sermon.

He spoke of the Queen's young promise to devote her life to service.

"Rarely has such a promise been so well kept. Few leaders receive the outpouring of love we have seen."

He said the Queen's broadcast during Covid lockdown "ended with: 'We will meet again', words of hope from a song of Vera Lynn. All who follow the Queen's example, and inspiration of trust and faith in God, can with her say: 'We will meet again'."

The service was conducted by the Dean of Westminster, Dr David Hoyle.

Kate, Princess of Wales, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, keep an eye on the young Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Photo / AP

"Here, where Queen Elizabeth was married and crowned, we gather from across the nation, from the Commonwealth, and from the nations of the world, to mourn our loss, to remember her long life of selfless service, and in sure confidence to commit her to the mercy of God our maker and redeemer.

"With gratitude we remember her unswerving commitment to a high calling over so many years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. With admiration we recall her life-long sense of duty and dedication to her people. With thanksgiving we praise God for her constant example of Christian faith and devotion. With affection we recall her love for her family and her commitment to the causes she held dear," the dean said.

"Now, in silence, let us in our hearts and minds recall our many reasons for thanksgiving, pray for all members of her family, and commend Queen Elizabeth to the care and keeping of almighty God."

From row from left, King Charles III, the Queen Consort, Princess Anne, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex. Photo / AP

The hour-long, invitation-only funeral saw a huge gathering of world leaders and other dignitaries, reflecting the longevity of the Queen's reign and the respect she commanded as a monarch who was able to move with a changing world and remain — as required of a constitutional monarch — neutral on political matters.

Those on the 2000-person guest list included New Zealand's Willie Apiata, who attended as a special guest and one of five Victoria Cross recipients, as well as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner, Clarke Gayford.

Ardern led a Kiwi contingent that included Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, acting High Commissioner Shannon Austin, Māori King Kiingi Tūheitia, opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Apiata.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford arrive at the Westminster Abbey. Photo / AP

A swathe of international royalty and political leaders, among them US President Joe Biden, who was 9 when the Queen came to the throne after the 1952 death of her father, King George VI, were also present.

But outside was open to everyone, if they could get there and find a patch of ground to call their own.

Londoners, almost 10 million of them, had been warned a million more would join their crowded footpaths, roads and public transport for a funeral some called one of the biggest single events in Britain since World War II.

The expected global audience was estimated at more than 4 billion.

Britain's King Charles III walks in the procession behind his mother's coffin. Photo / AP

King Charles III earlier thanked the watching world for the outpouring of support shown for his late mother.

"Over the last 10 days, my wife and I have been so deeply touched by the many messages of condolence and support we have received from this country and across the world," the King said.

"In London, Edinburgh, Hillsborough and Cardiff, we were moved beyond measure by everyone who took the trouble to come and pay their respects to the lifelong service of my dear mother, the late Queen.

"I wanted simply to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those countless people who have been such a support and comfort to my family and myself in this time of grief."

Britain's Queen Elizabeth's coffin is carried inside Westminster Abbey, during her funeral in London. Photo / AP

The abbey has been a place of great significance for the Queen — it was where she married Prince Philip, the site of her coronation in 1953 and where she, as a child of 11, watched her father assume the Crown after her uncle King Edward VIII's abdication a year earlier rewrote the script for the lives of father and daughter.

Now, another chapter has been written in her shared history with the landmark place of worship, as her funeral ended with a lament played by the Queen's own piper, before the coffin was returned to the state gun carriage for a final journey through London, this time led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and National Health Service staff.

The gun carriage then left Westminster Abbey for Whitehall, before turning down The Mall, swinging past Buckingham Palace one last time and crossing Constitution Hill to reach Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner.

Police and military personnel parade down the Mall as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is carried following her funeral service in Westminster Abbey. Photo / AP

From there, the coffin was to be transferred to a hearse for the 35km journey to Windsor for a committal service and private burial service at the King George VI Memorial Chapel early today (NZT).

At the committal service, the Crown Jeweller was to remove the Imperial State Crown, orb and sceptre from atop the Queen's coffin, in the final moments before it was lowered into the royal vault, signalling the end of a lifetime of service.

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in London to watch the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Photo / AP

- Cherie Howie, NZ Herald