# In Westminster Abbey, the deafening sound of silence to honour Queen Elizabeth Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-09-19 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: World Leaders Unite in Silence at Westminster Abbey for Meta Description: Find out how world leaders and dignitaries came together to honour Britain's longest-reigning monarch at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth. URL: https://financedigest.com/in-westminster-abbey-the-deafening-sound-of-silence-to-honour-queen-elizabethhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-09-19t154253z2lynxmpei8i0p4rtroptp4britain-royals-queen-1736815197375-compressed.jpg) By Michael Holden WESTMINSTER ABBEY, London (Reuters) – As the last notes of the poignant Last Post trumpet fanfare echoed around the vaulted ceilings of London’s historic Westminster Abbey, a deep silence pervaded the majestic gothic cathedral. In the building where for a thousand years the monarchs of England and later Britain have been crowned, buried and married, presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, sultans and an emperor stood still, heads bowed. [World leaders and dignitaries from about 200 countries](https://www.financedigest.com/richest-countries-in-the-world.html "Richest countries in the world") and territories, some openly hostile to each other, united briefly for two minutes of silence in a show of tribute at the state funeral of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth. There was no shuffling of feet, barely a cough. “Few leaders receive the outpouring of love we have seen,” Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Anglican Communion, said in his sermon. The grief of the [day was shared not only by those in Britain](https://www.financedigest.com/ftse-100-snaps-four-day-winning-streak-as-britains-ocado-slumps.html "FTSE 100 snaps four-day winning streak as Britain’s Ocado slumps") but across the world, he said. Some members of [Queen Elizabeth’s](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-prince-harry-and-wife-meghan-will-attend-celebrations-for-queen-elizabeth.html "UK’s Prince Harry and wife Meghan will attend celebrations for Queen Elizabeth") family had pain etched on their faces as they followed her coffin into the Abbey. Prince Edward, Elizabeth’s youngest son, briefly took out a white handkerchief to wipe away tears. As the massed ranks of pipers and drummers, leading the cortege bringing [Elizabeth’s coffin](https://www.financedigest.com/34315plane-carrying-coffin-of-queen-elizabeth-lands-in-london.html "Plane carrying coffin of Queen Elizabeth lands in London") to the Abbey from nearby Westminster Hall, came nearer and the sound grew louder, there was a palpable sense this was a moment of history. Elizabeth, who became queen in 1952, provided an almost unique, lingering link to the [modern world from the dark days](https://www.financedigest.com/who-is-the-modern-day-cfo.html "WHO IS THE MODERN DAY CFO?") of World War Two; Britain’s oldest and longest-reigning monarch, and a 70-year reign surpassed in length only once before in the history of the world. POST-IMPERIAL MONARCH As her nation’s first post-imperial monarch, Elizabeth had spent much of her reign watching the British Empire dissipate, making the words of the first hymn at her funeral particularly apt: “So be it, Lord; thy throne shall never, like earth’s proud empires [pass away.”](https://www.financedigest.com/india-to-hold-one-day-state-mourning-on-passing-away-of-queen-elizabeth.html "India to hold one day state mourning on passing away of Queen Elizabeth") Many in [Britain say](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-sets-5g-goal-says-no-magic-number-of-operators.html "Britain sets 5G goal, says no ‘magic number’ of operators") as queen she had continued to wield a “soft power”, unquantifiable but real, an ability to fascinate as evidenced by the global turnout and response to her death and funeral. Critics [say it shows a country](https://www.financedigest.com/countries-emissions-pledges-still-fall-short-of-global-climate-goals-un-says.html "Countries’ emissions pledges still fall short of global climate goals, UN says") clinging to its past. But, among the congregation, of royalty and soldiers in ceremonial uniforms more in [keeping with a past](https://www.financedigest.com/the-pull-of-the-past-1-in-5-keep-items-they-think-will-be-valuable-in-the-future.html "The pull of the past! 1 in 5 keep items they think will be valuable in the future") era, there was a taste of the seismic social and political changes that had occurred during the last seven decades. Not long after becoming queen, her younger sister Princess Margaret had to give up plans to marry a divorced man because it was considered too scandalous. Now, among those invited to her funeral were those she had honoured for their work with the LGBTQ+ community. Elizabeth, Welby said, had spent her life dedicated to service, and Britain now begins its future without her as its figurehead, leading to questions at home and abroad as to what the future might hold. At her death, she remained the [queen of 15 nations](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-declares-period-of-national-mourning-for-queen-elizabeth.html "UK declares period of national mourning for Queen Elizabeth"), but some of those, such as Jamaica and the Bahamas, have indicated they wished to join Barbados, which ditched its links to the British throne last year, and become republics. For the leaders of those realms, Monday’s funeral was likely to represent not just a farewell to [Elizabeth but a goodbye](https://www.financedigest.com/world-says-goodbye-to-britains-queen-elizabeth-from-cafes-and-consulates.html "World says goodbye to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth from cafes and consulates") to monarchy. (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Janet Lawrence and Alex Richardson) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---