this is "nightline." >> tonight, conviction tossed. after 23 years, adnan syed is out of jail. his case made famous by the podcast "serial." a judge ordering his release now after overturning his murder conviction. >> how do you feel? >> why his fight for freedom is not over. plus, final farewell. pomp, pageantry, spectacle, and grief. we're here in london as a nation honors its queen. a family, their matriarch, her 70-year reign defined an era. and how the youngest royals will shape the future.

and fletcher. ♪ >> behind the scenes with the rising star pushing pop's boundaries. >> growing up like young and queer, i didn't feel very represented. >> why her ambitions go beyond the music charts. >> anything i make to this day is to be the artist that i needed when i was a little girl. >> "nightline" will be right needed when i was a little girl. >> "nightline" will be right back. ♪♪ there it is. that ta-da moment. when you aren't just wearing that style. you're owning it. find the brands, value, and inspiration to own your style. at macy's. (vo) for over 50 years purina cat chow has been helping cats feel at home. to own your style. with trusted nutrition, no wonder it's the number one dry cat food in america. come home to cat chow.

♪ good evening tonight from buckingham palace on this extraordinary and historic day. the united kingdom paying tribute to their queen in an exceptional show of pomp and pageantry, as britons and tourists alike lined the streets. an unprecedented gathering of president, kings and queens, princes and prime minister, all turning out to honor the country's longest serving monarch. [ bagpipes playing ] it's the final goodbye to a beloved monarch. ♪ after 70 years on the throne, a vaunt ed valediction for quee elizabeth ii on the day she is laid to rest. >> she is an amazing woman, 70 years. >> there is a certain buzz in

the atmosphere. there is a moment in history happening, and i think people are really excited to be a part of it. >> it's very british. and nobody is going to do this better than us, to see all the pageantry, all the bands. i'll never see it in my lifetime again. >> a day of remembrance for so many here in the uk. mourners lining up by the thousands. taking in an historic moment and sharing their grief with their fellow citizens and the world. ♪ the service somber and solemn, with speakers taking turns paying respects to the queen. including prime minister liz truss, in just her second week on the job. >> thanks be to god. >> the sermon given by the archbishop of canterbury, whose benediction exalted the queen's many accomplishments. >> her late majesty famously declared on her 21st birthday broadcast that her whole life would be dedicated to serving the nation and commonwealth.

rarely has such a promise been so well kept. >> tens of thousands gathered at hyde park, a majestic day of rituals. >> people are moved by a moment. and i think we've seen the united kingdom certainly struck by losing somebody who i think many of us thought would never die. >> the guest list a distinguished affair, including president biden and the first lady. also among the crowd dignitaries, heads of state. hundreds of foreign leaders, and almost 200 everyday citizens honored for their forms of public service. and of course the queen's beloved corgis. outside the crowd sprawling across the procession route, and a security presence unlike anything the uk has ever seen. london's largest ever police operation. the royal family all present. king charles iii honoring his

mother, leaving a handwritten note on her coffin. the message reading "in loving and devoted memory, charles r.." the procession moving from westminster abbey to hyde park, passing by crowds of well-wishers who cheered after the queen's body went by. >> god save the king! >> and then a final rendition of god save the queen, britain's anthem. before reaching the queen's final resting place in st. george's castle at windsor castle. >> for most brits and people around the world, the royal family are a touchstone of hurry own lives. they reflect our own families. there are families and there are weddings and there are funerals, and we reflect where we are at that moment in time in our own lives. and they were there wanting to pay tribute. >> leading up to today, thousands stood for hours to pay their respects to catch a glimpse of history. >> i feel like it's an end of an

era. >> and you're particularly wistful about the idea that there will be only kings for a while, right? >> yeah, yeah. it's at an end of an era. will never have more females on the throne. we're a family of girls. >> one mother whose family came from bash bade doe paying respect to the queen while facing a hard truth, the legacy of the commonwealth and colonialism. >> when we came here, obviously we were part of the commonwealth then. and i think that history is the past, a lot of things happened. we learned a lot of things. we can't forget it, and we understand it and know it, but we can't just let it be a huge burden. >> i do think it's possible to be both aware of the colonial legacy and the pain caused, and still have respect for the modern royal family. we've seen this with the huge number of people of color queuing for hours to see the

queen lying in state. >> now the spotlight turns to king charles, and in turn, prince william, the heir to the throne and his wife katherine, princess of wales. >> i think charles does know that part of his job is going to be laying the foundations for william's reign one day, and perhaps he will occupy a more transitional role, kind of laying the groundwork for the next great dynasty of royals which is likely to be under william and kate. >> as a nation says their final goodbyes to their monarch after a remarkable seven decades of service. >> as she leaves us and goes to heaven, the one thing she'll want to know is that her father was proud of her. and i think he will have been, and i bet you he says to her that he was. >> and with that, the end of the

elizabethan era, which also marks the end of a remarkable love story, the queen and prince philip finally laid to rest together. but her first love perhaps was the united kingdom. and today her subjects paid tribute with a poignant and profound final farewell. now back to my "nightline" co-anchor byron pitts in new york. byron? >> thank you, juju. we'll check back with you a little later in the show. but back here at home tonight, a stunning development in the case of adnan syed. featured on the popular podcast "serial," he is getting a taste of freedom after 23 years behind bars. a baltimore judge overturning his murder conviction today. >> how do you feel? how do you feel? >> 23 years after stepping behind bars, adnan syed is out of prison. leaving the courthouse in baltimore this afternoon after a judge vacated his sentence. his family elated as their son was released. >> we are so grateful for those people who help us.

and everybody. >> syed, of course, was the central character in one of the biggest podcasts of all time. 2014's "serial." >> global tel link prepaid from -- >> adnan syed. >> which was downloaded hundreds pof millions of time. the podcast followed ahis sag ca after his sentence for the murder of his girlfriend, hae min lee. >> through our review, our investigation revealed that the original prosecutors and the subsequent prosecutors in the attorney general's office failed to disclose relevant information about alternative suspects. >> just five days ago, after years of appeals and motions proved unsuccessful, baltimore's state's attorney marilyn mosby presents evidence of two other possible suspect, asking the judge to toss out the verdict

and release adnan syed from prison before a new trial. >> it is imperative that we start the process of securing a new trial with adequate reputation for mr. syed to ensure that the family of ms. hae min lee knows with full confidence that the person responsible for her death and the death of their loved one will be held accountable. >> prosecutors will now have 30 days to decide whether to schedule a new trial. >> how do you feel, man? >> or drop the case. up next, fletcher. ♪ >> the chart topper making no apologies for being her authentic self. announcer: type 2 diabetes? discover the power of 3 in the ozempic® tri-zone. in my ozempic® tri-zone, i lowered my a1c, cv risk, and lost some weight. announcer: ozempic® provides powerful a1c reduction.

in studies, the majority of people reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, or death in adults also with known heart disease. and you may lose weight. adults lost up to 14 pounds. ozempic® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take ozempic® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. gallbladder problems may occur. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. join the millions already uovider about the ozempic® tri-zone. announcer: you may pay as little as $25 for a 3-month prescription. bother the bugs...

gotcha. ...not your family. zevo is made with essential oils which attack bugs' biological systems. it gets rid of the bugs plus is safe for use around people and pets. zevo. people-friendly. bug-deadly. (cat 1) friskies world! plus is safe for use arou(cat 2)le and pets. look at that! (cat 1) it's made with real farm-raised chicken! (cat 2) i gotta get my paws on that! (cat 1) it's friskies farm favorites! (cat 2) the winning farm-ula. (woman vo) feed their fantasy. ♪ friskies ♪ (cat 1) look! friskies ocean favorites! yum! ♪♪ there it is. that ta-da moment. when you aren't just wearing that style. you're owning it. find the brands, value, and inspiration to own your style. at macy's.

life is busy. so, come to shell and get three things done at once. first, fill up with shell v-power nitro+ to help keep your engine running like new. nice! then save up with the fuel rewards program and never pay full price for gas again. oh wow! and, finally, snack up to save even more at the pump. that's great! make the most of the stop you need to make with shell. wait! there's three of me? awesome!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪

rising pop star fletcher is making waves, music and hits. she is on a mission to inspire others and become the artist she never had growing up. we go behind the scenes and backstage with the singer/songwriter. >> are you guys here for fletcher? >> yes. >> reporter: carrie fletcher is on the verge of a major milestone. the rising pop star simply known as fletcher preparing for a sold out performance. >> a little bit here? >> here in the city that started it all. >> i went to nyu. and i would pass this sign every single day. and to be here tonight except my

name's on it now, crazy. >> what the -- is up? >> and the fans ready to see and hear the nyu grad. ♪ >> fletcher has been busy this past year, playing sold-out shows around the world, hits like "bitter." ♪ and "girls, girls, girls." a reimagined version of katy perry's "i kissed a girl." ♪ i kissed a girl and i like it ♪ >> all while working on her first full length album. ♪ >> my vocals. >> making this album has come from such a place of such truth and knowing myself in a different way than i ever have before. it feels like freedom.

>> but finding freedom hasn't always been easy for the 28-year-old. >> joe grohhing up young and queer, i didn't feel very represented. anything i make to this day is to be the artist that i needed when i was a little girl. one of the most radical things that you can do in a society that wants to box all of us in is make waves. ♪ nice to meet you, my name cari ♪ >> and make waves, she has, by being unapologetically herself. fletcher constantly pushing boundaries in the pop world. from her 2019 breakthrough hit "i'm drunk." the most added song on top 40 radio that year, to her latest viral hit, "becky's so hot" about her ex's new girlfriend. ♪ >> i'm from jersey. so i don't really have much of a filter. to me, it's just like oversharing is caring. >> the asbury park native's love

of music started much earlier, back when she was just a kid. ♪ somewhere over a rainbow ♪ >> take me back to asbury park, new jersey, young cari fletcher. >> yeah, young cari fletcher. >> how did you find music? >> i was a very socially anxious kid. i didn't have that many friends. i was sinning before i was ever speaking. my mom put me in voice lessons when i was 5 years old, and i was able to communicate things that i wasn't able to verbalize just by speaking. >> music became more than a refuge. it became a passion. and it wasn't long before a teenaged fletcher was wowing judges on the x factor. ♪ till now i always got by on my own ♪ >> did you feel that you had to adhere to this box that society put pop stars in? >> i think from the very beginning of my career, i think one of the first songs i put out

was "wasted youth" which featured me falling in love with a girl. ♪ there was a lot of backlash they got prior to putting that out of are you sure you want to do that? i was so terrified before i put that out. and the moment i did, and the messages i started getting about how meaningful and how important that video was for people to see, i'm actually getting emotional. i haven't talked than song or anything in a while. >> what did people say? >> you have no idea how much it means to like see this. and for it to be in a way that's celebrated. in media, queer people are representative of having this really intense struggle, right? and it's like no, people are just humans who just want to love. >> it's a message that has resonated with her millions of fans, who have found a safe space in fletcher's music. >> she's just super open and really honest. and that's what we love about her. >> look at all these people. they're so different.

and she'll accept it. and that's it. >> and she's hot! >> and this crew got a private mini concert. ♪ ♪ the outsid of an inside joke, we only got pepsi and you really want coke ♪ ♪ it's like finally ♪ >> if it's the music that draws in her fans, it's her openness that keeps them. >> a younger version of me was very closeted and really terrified. and it has truly been one of the most empowering journeys to step into my skin. >> and when fletcher steps on to the stage, she never disappoints. ♪ ♪ threw out all the furniture and dishes ♪ ♪ >> how you feeling?

>> oh my god! that was incredible. >> you're like a rock star. that was unbelievable. how do you feel? >> i feel crazy. that was such a high. i feel so good. >> but when you're on stage, i feel like you unleash a beast. who is that on stage? >> i feel the most me in the world when i'm on stage. it feels like this super hero version of me that i aspire to be more like in my every day too. >> what's it like being this queer super hero for this group of fans who like love you so endlessly? >> something that i really want to represent for people is self expression and freedom. however it is that you identify, know that there is a place for you. >> she practices what she preaches, raising $50,000 this past june for g.l.a.d. through her meet her at the bar pride

month experience, where she announced the name of her debut album, "girl of my dreams." is it a surreal feeling to announce your album? >> i was driving past and i saw my face on the top of a taxi cab, and i was mom, i made it! ♪ >> what's different about this project for you? >> it's way more of like a look into the relationship with myself versus like the world outside of me. all my eps and music have been about other people. and this album is me coming into the realization and the self-love of being able to say like i'm the girl of my dreams. >> you're the girl of your dreams. >> i'm the girl of my dreams. >> so this product is about cari? >> yeah, it's for cari. ♪ ♪ this one's for cari, this one's for cari ♪ >> our thanks to ashan. when we come back, my

"nightline" co-anchor juju joins us again from buckingham palace "nightline" co-anchor juju joins us again from buckingham palace for some final thought when moderate to severe ulcerative colitis persists... put it in check with rinvoq, a once-daily pill. when uc got unpredictable,... i got rapid symptom relief with rinvoq. check. when uc held me back... i got lasting, steroid-free remission with rinvoq. wh ugo e ng.r hand... check. rapid symptom relief. lasting, steroid-free remission. and a chance to visibly repair the colon lining. check. check. and check. lower your ability and a to fight infections,pair the colon lining. including tb. serious infections and blood clots, some fatal; cancers, including lymphoma death, heart attack, stroke, and tears in the stomach or intestines occurred. people 50 and older... with at least 1 heart disease risk factor have higher risks. don't take if allergic to rinvoq... as serious reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you are or may become pregnant. put uc in check and keep it there, with rinvoq.

ask your gastroenterologist about rinvoq. and learn how abbvie could help you save. have you seen my new phone yet? it like, folds in half. i would never switch to samsung, i love my phone. what??? ♪♪ (...it folds in half.) you see i love my phone. i would never switch to samsuuu... (gasping) ♪♪

kevin: i've fought wildfires for twenty years. here's the reality we face every day. this is a crisis. we need more firefighters, more equipment, better forest management to prevent wildfires and reduce toxic smoke. and we need to reduce the tailpipe emissions that are driving changes to our climate. that's why cal fire firefighters, the american lung association, and the california democratic party support prop 30. prevent fires. cut emissions. and cleaner air. yes on 30.

and finally tonight, we turn back to buckingham palace for a closing thought. juju, it was a day steeped in history. describe the feeling in the uk tonight. >> well, you know, byron, everyone felt the history and the import. but as you might say, today felt like church. the queen, as we all know, was quietly a religious woman, deeply religious. and today she left an entire nation, and arguably a global audience captivated by a church

service. the prayers, the somber choir, and all those rituals that we saw collectively, communalally, it comes at such a milestone moment. and she truly lived a life of service embedded with the core values of duty and honor, all of which were on display today. byron? >> duty and honor. even with the discussions about the issues with the monarchy, that i think all can relate to that. thank you, my friend. safe travels home. >> thank you, my dear. >> that's "nightline" for this evening. catch our full episodes on hulu. we'll see you right back here same time tomorrow. thanks for the company, america. good night.