nicholas witchell. it is _ say farewell. many thanks again. nicholas witchell.p to 11 o'clock. broadcasting much later than usual in these exceptional circumstances. time for a look at the weather. here's darren bett. thank you and good evening. we have seen more rain to end the weekend a lot more thunderstorms in england and wales. heading into the weekend, we should see their weather a bit more like this, turning drier with spells of sunshine as well. the reason it has been so wet all week is an area of low pressure that has been rushing eastwards, taking away the thunderstorms at the moment but still some cloud coming off the north sea into south—east scotland and northern england it was clearer skies in northern ireland and other parts of scotland, tomorrow morning will start quite chilly. still the cloud coming in to mainly northern england and that will bring some rain from time to time but other parts of england and wales will see some sunshine but a scattering of light showers, mainly in eastern england and scotland and northern ireland should enjoy more

nicholas witchell is with me. yes, continuin: nicholas witchell is with me. yes, continuing to do _ nicholas witchell is with me. yes, continuing to do these _ nicholas witchell is with me. was continuing to do these things well into her 90s. we see these images. at windsor and then heading up to balmoral as well. but we see from these images there was a significant weight loss which i think struck people from the queen's christmas broadcast and many thought or speculated following the death of a spouse may people do decline and lose weight, does have an impact on their own health and she lost her beloved husband in april of last year, just those two months short of his 100th birthday after those 73 years of marriage and though she was very stoic, as you would expect her to be, and took it in her stride, i'm quite sure that privately it will have been a significant blow to her and will not have helped her own health or her own mental well—being and her determination to continue fulfilling her duty as she has done and had done for so many decades but she did b

nicholas witchell, bbc news.athered in near silence, in the streets surrounding westminster, as the queen's coffin was taken to westminster abbey, and then on to windsor. many people, young and old, from across britain had camped out for days to witness the elaborate spectacle of pageantry, pay their final respects and share a moment of history. our special correspondent lucy manning was amongst the crowds on the mall, as those gathered in london paid tribute to the queen. choir sings inside the abbey, kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers. outside, the ones without titles or palaces. but a rich collective love for the queen almost beyond compare. her country. the sound of thousands... ..total silence down the mall, a mass of people. but the thoughts — individual, personal. the final goodbye. no—one wanted this moment to end. they knew that would be the end of this era. from early morning, thousands had streamed onto the mall, determined to surround the queen on this journey. i have got a beautiful pictur

nicholas witchell, thank you ve much moment.ed _ moment. nicholas witchell, thank you very much indeed the _ moment. nicholas witchell, thank you very much indeed the moment. - as we've heard, the queen's coffin arrived yesterday in edinburgh after the long journey from balmoral. later this afternoon, king charles iii and members of the royal family will accompany the coffin in a procession along the royal mile to st giles' cathedral for a service of thanksgiving for her life. the queen will lie at rest at the cathedral for 2h hours, allowing the public to view her coffin for the first time. 0ur correspondentjudith moritz has this report from edinburgh. balmoral was the queen's most beloved home. scotland, her place of refuge. how fitting, then, that it's across this land that she's beginning her final journey. these were the hills she knew. the forests she enjoyed. and the communities she felt closest to. all along the route, crowds returned that affection. and then, a majestic sight, as the cortege crossed the firth of forth a

nicholas witchell, bbc news.ment and peers assembled earlier on friday to pay their tributes to her majesty the queen. the prime minister liz truss described her as "the rock on which modern britain was built". the leader of the opposition sir keir starmer said the loss of the queen had robbed the nation of its greatest comfort. our deputy political editor vicki young reports. political arguments silenced, divisions put to one side, as mps gathered to honour their queen, and share personal memories. liz truss spoke of her shock. just three days ago, she'd shaken the queen's hand, becoming her 15th and last prime minister. she generously shared with me her deep experience of government, even in those last days. everyone who met her will remember the moment. they will speak of it for the rest of their lives. quoting the poet philip larkin, the labour leader said the queen's death was a moment of uncertainty for the nation. the loss of our queen robs this country of its stillest point, its greatest comfort, at preci

nicholas witchell, bbc news.so many people speaking about the differenc of being there today and experiencing the history firsthand, the weight of the occasion. it is that serenity that you see tonight in the great hall. but as nicholas was saying, the ripple of applause that greeted the gun carriage as it came down to parliament square, a mark of the celebration that many people feel for the queen, for a life well lived, a duty fulfilled, 70 years of service to the people of the united kingdom and the commonwealth, and that is what is being reflected here tonight come along processions of people that are filing quietly passed. let's go outside to victoria gardens, because those lines are snaking around victoria gardens. it is nightfall now in london, but this will continue right through the night. >> absolutely, christian. it is a beautiful night here in london, which is very fortuitous to people in london, theery front of the queue you can see behind me, everyone here will go into the house of lords, the palace

nicholas witchell, bbc news.en's coffin was flown out of edinburgh this afternoon after lying in rest at st giles' cathedral in the city. around 30,000 were able to pay their respects at the cathedral, filing silently past her coffin over the last day and night before she left scotland for the last time. 0ur scotland editor james cook sent this report. god bless the queen. god save the king. from the people of scotland... ..to their queen... ..one last act of devotion. for hours, they have queued day and night for a few moments with their queen. moments they will never forget. why do you think it's so emotional? why has it affected you so much, do you think? she's like everybody�*s granny. it's like your granny dying again. she's just everybody�*s granny, isn't she? she's the nation's granny. she just means so much to everybody. it's terrible. i can't stop crying. where do you think her death leaves this country? there's a massive void, a massive void in this country. her personality, her humour, hersmile, herlov

nicholas witchell, our royal- nicholas witchell, our royal correspondent.you all but my whole life, whether it be long or. whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service. god help me to make good my boy, and god bless all of you for willing to share in it. # god save our gracious queen # long live our noble queen # god save the queen # send her victorious # happy and glorious # long to reign over us # god save the queen. # # thy choicest gifts in store # on her be pleased to pour # long may she reign # may she defend our laws # and ever give us cause # to sing with heart and voice # god save the queen. # the longest—reigning monarch in british history, her majesty queen elizabeth ii, has died at the age of 96. i declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperialfamily, to which we all belong. god help me to make good my vow. over the long course of nine momentous decades, she witnessed social and economic change on a global scale. music:

nicholas witchell, bbc news. the continent's longest—serving monarch, has decided to strip four of her eight grandchildren of their titles. they are the children of the queen's second son, princejoachim. the official reason given was to allow the four children to live more normal lives, but countess alexandra, the mother of two of the boys, said she was shocked, adding that the children couldn't understand why they were losing their royal identity. when you think ofjames bond, you probably think of action, adventure, beautiful women and, of course, cars. to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the cinematic release of doctor no, a charity auction's been taking place in london. among the items up for grabs, one of bonds famous aston martins, as the bbc�*s tim allman explains. bond theme plays. the theme tune almost as iconic as the man himself. 007, license to kill — you know the rest. its 60 years since james bond first appeared on the silver —— it's 60 years since james bond first appeared on the silver screen, and

nicholas witchell, bbc news. past the queen lying—in—state is now stretching back 4.9 miles from westminster hall, along the south bank of the river thames. our special correspondent lucy manning joins us live. it's after 10pm and for the second night in a row the route is absolutely full of people. it's astonishing. the people around me, they have been waiting around seven and a half hours. they've got about half an hour more to go. at the back of the queue they are saying the weight is around nine hours and it's reached its end point at southern park, it has capacity to take more people. the destination is obviously a sombre one but people feel that this journey has actually been very joyful, that is until they reached the steps and the silence of westminster hall. it's the long and winding road to westminster hall, stretching miles through the capital. it is glorious. the desire to pay tribute to the queen can be measured in people standing shoulder to shoulder for five miles. some journeys even longer thanjus

our royal correspondent, nicholas witchell, reports.beth alexandra mary windsor. her occupation is given as her majesty the queen. the document discloses that the queen died at 1510 hrs, 3:10pm on the afternoon of the 8th of september. for cause of death it simply says, "old age". the disclosure of the time of death confirms that the group of family members who flew to scotland that afternoon arrived too late. the aircraft, carrying prince william, the earl and countess of wessex and prince andrew, arrived at aberdeen airport at 3:50pm, a0 minutes after the queen had died. the party travelled onto balmoral by road, arriving there just after 5pm. the duke of sussex, who'd travelled separately, arrived later still. two days before her death, the queen had been photographed inside balmoral castle looking frail but alert as she waited for the arrival of the new prime minister. she was photographed again as she invited liz truss to form a new government. the next day, we were told that she was too tired to host a virtual meeting of the privy

nicholas witchell, bbc news.treets and parks around buckingham palace in central london have been lined with thousands of people wanting to show their respect for the queen — laying both flowers and written tributes. as the day progressed, they were also waiting to see the new monarch — many greeting king charles with cheers and applause when he arrived at the gates of buckingham palace. the king and the queen consort spent time talking to people in the crowd. our special correspondent lucy manning was there. the queen promised her whole life would be devoted to service. now those she served wanted to show their devotion to her. i wish the new king well. susan had watched the coronation as a child. the first time i ever saw television. what memories does she leave you with? just constancy. she's been there forever. what about the fact there will now be a king? well, it will be king forever, god bless the king. claire was surprised by how emotional she felt. i've never really thought of myself as an avid royalist,

nicholas witchell, bbc news. time for a look at the weather. here�*s tomasz schafernaker.

nicholas witchell, bbc news.mony tomorrow, to annex the territories russia controls in ukraine. a stage has been set up in moscow's red square, with billboards proclaiming the areas as part of russia. it follows hastily arranged so—called referendums that were held in luhansk and donetsk in the east, and in zaporizhzhia and kherson in the south, which have been dismissed as a farce by ukraine and its allies. the un secretary—general has warned the annexations would mark a �*dangerous escalation�*, as our russia editor steve rosenberg reports. there are some graphic details in this report. for months, war felt so far from russia's capital. it's feeling much closer now. moscow mobilised. the special operation advertised on bus stops and billboards. russia calls them heroes but it needs more. so more men are ordered to the call—up centres and sent to ukraine. conditions are basic. these draftees have no beds. these do, sort of. and he says his group is being sent straight to ukraine without any military training. an

nicholas witchell, bbc news. let's get a reminder of our top story.the wake of hurricane ian, rescue teams assessing shattered communities by land, boat and air. an official in charlotte county has told the bbc ten people are known to have died as the hurricane struck. more online. hello. well, it's fairly clear and calm across most of the uk right now, but later on, we are expecting wind and rain to sweep right across the country. a big autumn low is on the way, and here it is on the weather map. a lot of isobars there, and that does mean some very strong winds, especially in northwestern parts of the uk. let's have a look at the forecast for the early hours. you can see that broad band of rain sweeping into ireland and western parts of scotland, a good squeeze in the isobars here. that means strengthening winds. but further east and south, it's a completely different picture — light winds, calm, mist and fog in a few places and really quite chilly. 0n those winds, gusting through the morning up to 70 mph in the western isles of scotland, and really

nicholas witchell, bbc news.urs and the people behind me are some of the last who will be visiting, who will be walking past, filing past the queen as she continues to lie in state until the early hours of the morning, 6:30am in the morning. we know officially now that the queue has been closed, so anyone coming will not be able to join the people who are filing quietly behind me, the people who have been there for hours waiting to get their moment to file past and pay tribute to her majesty the queen. a little earlier this evening at 8pm local time, there was a minute's silence for a national moment of reflection. across the uk people came together to pause and to remember on the eve of the state funeral. fergal keane reports. piper plays. the flowers of the forest echoing across a scottish mountainside. a lament for the fallen, played now in tribute to a queen. and then, on the cusp of silence, in blackpool, the going down of lights. then out of silence, into the anthem celebrating a new monarch. god save the k

let's just pause for a second from our chat with nicholas witchell as we just follow the reports comingreflecting on the queen's health and of sharing the concern of so many people about the queen's well—being at this stage. so it is 2pm here on bbc news and we are continuing our special coverage. buckingham palace has said the queen is under medical supervision at balmoral castle in aberdeenshire — after doctors became concerned for her health. a palace statement added that the 96—year—old monarch "remains comfortable". that was the wording used. the bbc understands that all her children are either at balmoral, or are travelling to balmoral. the queen's very cherished

watching the images with me, nicholas witchell, our royal correspondent.place that balmoral holds because really some people may be wondering why the queen in september is in balmoral. why is she not back in windsor or even buckingham palace? but it's important to underline that is normal, that is what she does. find normal, that is what she does. and of course she _ normal, that is what she does. and of course she loves _ normal, that is what she does. fific of course she loves to have normal, that is what she does. 2.1c of course she loves to have the routine, to have the sense of confidence that you get from an unchanging routine. and so much of her year never changes. so yes, i think the annual trip up to balmoral is really very important to her. it is really very important to her. it is somewhere where she feels very comfortable, very much at ease, somewhere that she has known all her life. so the time is approaching 6.30 now, isn't it? iwas life. so the time is approaching 6.30 now, isn't it? i was struck by what james cook was saying about the grim fa

nicholas witchell, bbc news. let's show you some pictures now from westminster. the latest, live images coming to us of that queue. tens of thousands waiting their turn to pay their respects inside westminster hall. we are told about 19 and a half hours now from the start of the queue to the point where someone could expect to enter westminster hall. inside, that very solemn moment when people have the opportunity to file past the queen's coffin and pay their respects. everyone who has been queueing up saying that the long wait to get to this point, absolutely worth it. my colleague shaun ley is in westminster. we are into the last 50 minutes or so until the midnight hour dons and we will have at least the consolation of the lovely peal of bells from the clock known as big ben that the other end of the palace of westminster which will resonate around here and remind people how close they are to westminster hall. you can see behind me what i have been calling the deceptive part of this operation. in an attempt to prevent any sort of logjam, people are walking back

nicholas witchell, bbc news.which began on thursday, is expected to be true to the constitutional path followed by queen elizabeth — although charles�*s views on some issues of public debate have been clearly expressed in the past. he comes to the throne at the age of 73 after serving a record period as prince of wales. our special correspondent allan little assesses charles�*s life and work so far, and the challenges ahead as monarch. fanfare. it has been a long journey to the throne. at an age when most of us have retired, he assumes the role for which he has been preparing for much of his life. newsreel: her royal highness the princess elizabeth, - duchess of edinburgh, was safely delivered of a prince at 9:14pm. thatjourney began in 1948, when the country was recovering from a devastating war. the monarchy had come to symbolise the nation's wartime sacrifice and resilience. will you, to the utmost of your power, maintain in the united kingdom... he was just four when he saw his mother crowned — too young to u

nicholas witchell, bbc news. time for a look at the weather. here's tomasz schafernaker.ntry today in excess of 70 miles an hour in north—western parts of the country. here is that broad weather front thatis here is that broad weather front that is sweeping across the uk right now, and the heaviest rain is falling across more eastern and south—eastern parts of the country. this is the radarfrom south—eastern parts of the country. this is the radar from the last few hours. a very broadband of rain, and you can see it edging towards the east and south just in the last couple of frames. the rainfall in east anglia and the south—east heaviest around 6pm. behind it, skies are clearing. these white lines are isobars or pressure lines, meaning there is a big pressure gradient across the uk and strong winds. those strong winds will continue to blow in showers throughout the night, particularly across the north of the uk. the forecast for the weekend, overall, not looking bad at all for most of us. we are expecting sunny spells and those showers carried by the brisk winds of the a

nicholas witchell, bbc news.d by members of all political parties. the king will carry out a number of engagements in northern ireland tomorrow as part of the new monarch�*s programme of visits across the uk. as we�*ve been hearing, the queen will lie at rest tonight at st giles�* cathedral in edinburgh. tomorrow, her coffin will be moved from there to edinburgh airport, then by plane to raf northolt and onto london, where the queen will spend a final night at buckingham palace. on wednesday afternoon, the queen�*s coffin will travel from buckingham palace to the palace of westminster. crowds will be able to watch as the cortege makes the journey through central london. thursday marks the first of four full days that the queen�*s body will lie in state in westminster hall. hundreds of thousands of members of the public are expected to pay their respects. on sunday evening, a minute�*s silence will be held across the uk at 8pm. and on monday, the queen�*s lying—in—state will end, and the coffin will be taken in pr

nicholas witchell, bbc news.ng in london ahead of the funeral of queen elizabeth ii on monday. presidentjoe biden and the first ladyjill biden touched down at stansted airport a short while ago. they'll be among around 500 heads of state and foreign dignitaries expected to attend monday's service. biden won't now be meeting the new british prime minister liz truss in downing street. instead, they will meet at the un general assembly in new york on wednesday. alistair burt, a former uk foreign office minister, told us the diplomatic logistics behind a state event of this scale, requires a very delicate balance. there are a number of leaders who are either controversial or in controversies in their countries. the united kingdom is able to have diplomatic relations with states where things happen with which the uk doesn't agree, and i learned early as a minister that contact and relationships don't imply excuse or justification is for people's actions, and this also is a family funeral. the relationships of the roya

royal correspondence nicholas witchell is next to me. these salutes are part of tradition.y are. bells are sounded at churches across the country and flowers are laid, and the nation begins its period of mourning, this first formal expression of that national mourning, the gun salute of 96 rounds fired by different branches of the armed forces, the army and royal navy at more than a dozen different locations around the united kingdom. in the capital city, in both hyde park, with the king's troop royal horse artillery and at the tower of london with the honourable artillery company. and in other national capitals, at cardiff castle, edinburgh castle and hillsborough castle near belfast. and in other cities within the united kingdom, at york, portsmouth, gibraltar. we saw gun salutes being fired at stonehenge and injersey in the channel islands. mil fired at stonehenge and in jersey in the channel islands.— the channel islands. all of this is takin: the channel islands. all of this is taking place _ the channel islands. all of this is taking place as — the channel islands. al

nicholas witchell, bbc news.ith thousands of people waiting to see the new monarch and to show their respect for the late queen. many greeted king charles with cheers and applause while many brought floral and written tributes in memory of queen elizabeth ii. king and queen consort then spent time talking to those waiting at the gates of the palace and our special correspondent lucy manning is there to tell us more. people came here today to mourn the queen and left having welcomed the king. there was a change in the atmosphere here. this morning it was quiet, people contemplating, but then the surprise when the king got out of his car to receive flowers and condolences. it is a transition to a new era for the monarch and the country and it felt like that began today. country and it felt like that began toda . ,, , ., , ., today. the queen promised her whole life would be — today. the queen promised her whole life would be devoted _ today. the queen promised her whole life would be devoted to _ today. the queen p

nicholas witchell, bbc news.tormont chamber was michelle o'neill of sinn fein — she described the late monarch as "a great and courageous leader". the king will carry out a number of engagements in northern ireland tomorrow as part of the new monarch's programme of visits across the uk. as we've been hearing, the queen will lie at rest tonight at st giles' cathedral in edinburgh. tomorrow, her coffin will be moved from there to edinburgh airport, then by plane to raf northolt and on to london, where the queen will spend a final night at buckingham palace. on wednesday afternoon, the queen's coffin will travel from buckingham palace to the palace of westminster. crowds will be able to watch as the cortege makes the journey through central london. thursday marks the first of four full days that the queen's body will lie in state in westminster hall. hundreds of thousands of members of the public are expected to pay their respects. on sunday evening, a minute's silence will be held across the uk at 8pm. and on monda

nicholas witchell, bbc news. invited to the queen's funeral were almost 200 people who were recogised in her birthday honours list this year. one of those is stuart mclellan who works for the scottish ambulance service. he was awarded an mbe this year for his lifesaving work. stuartjoins me now. there are and have been great moments of history in westminster abbey and this will surely be one of the most memorable. and you were one of the select few. how does it make you feel? of the select few. how does it make ou feel? , ., , ., of the select few. how does it make ou feel? , .,, ., , , you feel? yes, it was a pretty surreal experience, _ you feel? yes, it was a pretty surreal experience, to - you feel? yes, it was a pretty surreal experience, to be - you feel? yes, it was a pretty| surreal experience, to be fair, you feel? yes, it was a pretty i surreal experience, to be fair, to be part of a historic moment like that. i never imagined i would have witnessed what i witnessed today. incredible to be part of the q

nicholas witchell, bbc news.ss of wales and the duke and duchess of sussex have appeared together in a surprise show of unity. they greeted well—wishers and looked at floral tributes outside windsor castle. prince william also issued a statement paying tribute to the late queen. danela relph reports now on the brothers�* joint visit. nobody had seen this coming. after the fallout and friction, it was unexpected and unannounced. cheering. walking together through the cambridge gates of windsor castle, the new prince and princess of wales and the duke and duchess of sussex. it was a family reunited in grief. there were a few words exchanged as they looked at the flowers and tributes left to honour the queen. all eyes were on them. the brothers have barely spoken to each other in two years, but today, something clearly shifted. then, to the crowds. harry and meghan down one side of windsor�*s long walk, chatting, receiving flowers and condolences. on the other side were william and catherine, doing much the same, pa

nicholas witchell, bbc news.thor sir anthony seldon. sir anthony, you spend a lot of your time exploring the hidden machinery, the hidden wiring of the state. what is the relationship, the bit of the relationship, between monarch and government that we don't see? the meetin . s, government that we don't see? tue meetings, the government that we don't see? tte meetings, the weekly government that we don't see? t'tjé: meetings, the weekly meetings government that we don't see? ttj: meetings, the weekly meetings with the monarch. we know her majesty the queen had 15 different prime ministers, got through an alarming rate. we don't really know what happened in those meetings because the prime minister is honour bound never to say, but, the prime minister is honour bound neverto say, but, look, the prime minister is honour bound never to say, but, look, they are clearly not going to be saying, do this or do that. they are listening, maybe shaping and guiding a bit, but it would be a very different prime ministers ship

nicholas witchell, bbc news.den has been to westminster hall to pay his respects to the queen. he appeared on the balcony overlooking queen elizabeth's coffin with his wife, the first lady. foreign dignitaries will be attending the cream's state funeral tomorrow. it will be one of the biggest gatherings of royalty and politicians hosted in the uk for decades. they have been paying their respects to the late queen and sigining the book of conoldence all afternoon, as ur dipolmatic correspondent james landale reports. the funeral may be tomorrow but the diplomacy is under way. today the king met the leaders of the ia countries where he remained head of state. some of the hundreds daily—macro hundreds of foreign dignities arriving in london this weekend. many stopped off at lancaster house to sign the book of condolence, a steady flow of the global great and sometimes good, paying their respects on behalf of themselves and their countries. i themselves and their countries. i wish eternal peace to her wonderful gener

nicholas witchell, bbc news.ited to the queen's funeral were almost 200 people who were recognised in her birthday honours list this year. one of those is stuart mclellan who works for the scottish ambulance service. he was awarded an mbe this year for his lifesaving work. he told me how it felt to be at westminster abbey. he told me how it felt to be at westminster abbey. yes, it was a pretty surreal experience, to be fair, to be part of a historic moment like that. i never imagined i would have witnessed i've witnessed today. incredible to be part of the queens funeral down at westminster abbey today. how did you get the invitation and why? last week i received a phone call, myself, and ross nelson, who co—founded the first responders group and were first recipients of an mbe in the queens honours injune and we got a phone call to go to the state funeral today as one of the last recipients. i want to imagine where you were. who are you sitting next to? who and what could you see? it was everything. we had incre

our royal correspondent nicholas witchell reports.ing charles iii, which appears on a new 50p piece, and, on the left here, a special commemorative £5 coin issued in tribute to his mother. there are images of the late queen on the reverse. the image of charles has been based on photographs, and it's been approved by him. tradition has been followed in the design. he is looking to the left, without a crown. his mother looked to the right, wearing a crown. historically, monarchs tend to look the opposite way than the previous monarch, so he's looking the opposite way than his mother did. and also, traditionally, men — kings — tend to not have a crown on, whereas people will remember the late queen had a crown on her effigy, and so he doesn't have a crown on this portrait. they're expected to go into general circulation soon. other coins will follow in due course. they'll circulate alongside existing coins, all of which will remain legal tender. nicholas witchell, bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with sarah. good evening

nicholas witchell, bbc news.ands of people are waiting for their turn to pay their respects to queen elizabeth ii at westminster hall where she is lying in state. these are live pictures from westminster where the queuing time is currently around nineteen and a half hours. many have braved the cold tempuratures for hours to get here, inside westminster hall, where the closed coffin is being guarded by soldiers from units that serve the royal household. for all the very latest we can nowjoin mark lobel in westminster. mark. and they've been talking to lots of people who have been standing in that queue. spirits are still hot here.— are still hot here. hours --eole are still hot here. hours peeple spend _ are still hot here. hours people spend but - are still hot here. hours people spend but as - are still hot here. hours| people spend but as you are still hot here. hours - people spend but as you say, the time is only gone up inside the time is only gone up inside the queue but in the main queue that so we've been

nicholas witchell, bbc news. i�*m joined now by our royal correspondent daniela relph.vening in a private burial. it bit later here this evening in a private burial.— bit later here this evening in a private burial. bit later here this evening in a rivate burial. . , , ., ._ ., private burial. it has been a day of rivate private burial. it has been a day of private family _ private burial. it has been a day of private family grief _ private burial. it has been a day of private family grief sitting - private family grief sitting alongside a nation�*s public mourning and we have seen the pageantry and ceremony on and at times breathtaking scale back the queen is now back home at windsor, the place that had been her home in recent years, where she had celebrated baptism per s and weddings, and where she made the final, only farewell to her husband, prince philip, and we are now into the final stages of the funeral day, and they will be very different, they will be in private. this evening the queen will be buried with her husband, herfather, her motherand sister, in the sm

nicholas witchell, bbc news.federation. it follows hastily arranged self—styled referendums that were held in luhansk and donetsk in the east, and in zaporizhzhia and kherson in the south, which have been condemned by ukraine and the west as a sham. 0ur russia editor, steve rosenberg, is in moscow. as far as president putin is concerned, this is all going to plan? concerned, this is all going to ian? , ., , , plan? yes, absolutely. the kremlin wrote the script, _ plan? yes, absolutely. the kremlin wrote the script, it _ plan? yes, absolutely. the kremlin wrote the script, it is _ plan? yes, absolutely. the kremlin wrote the script, it is putin - wrote the script, it is putin political theatre and it is playing out scene by scene. we had at one, the so—called referendums, the staged events in ukrainian territories under russian occupation. act two, the kremlin appointed administrators of these territories saying, please mr putin, accept us into the russian federation. tomorrow we have act three where putin is expe

nicholas witchell, bbc news.been closed after reaching capacity, but the general queue remains open for now. our correpsondent, chi chi izundu has been chatting to some of those, who want to pay their respects to the queen. the grief of the grandchildren, among them the prince of wales. but you for those paying their respects to the queen —— fortuitous timing for those paying their respects to the queen. we for those paying their respects to the queen-— for those paying their respects to the queen. ~ . , , the queen. we were lucky because the queen's grandchildren _ the queen. we were lucky because the queen's grandchildren were _ the queen. we were lucky because the queen's grandchildren were there. - the queen. we were lucky because the queen's grandchildren were there. sol queen's grandchildren were there. so brave. so that was really unexpected. but it was so moving. so very very— unexpected. but it was so moving. so very very moving. unexpected. but it was so moving. so very very moving-— very very moving. c

joining me now is nicholas witchell, our royal correspondent.m 58 years of age, i have known no other monarch and arab millions of people, we will show the pictures later, millions around the country, thousands outside buckingham palace, some outside balmoral as well -- they have known no other monarch either. this is a moment of profound change as well as sadness. nick: it is. it is a massive moment for the country and i think people are just taking it in, absorbing it. i imagine many millions of ople are emotional about this. the tears will flow in many households tonight, as they take in the news that this figure who has been there throughout of our lives, in the background to our lives, i am 70 and only remember elizabeth the second on the throne. but the transition will take place. we have a new king. the crown passes imperceptibly, invisibly, immediately. he doesn't have to be sworn in. that doesn't have to be any ceremony to ensure he is the monarch. as soon as one monarch dies, the crown passes. there will be challenges for him, no doubt

nicholas witchell, bbc news. time for a look at the weather. here's tomasz schafernaker. hello. you, i will have to flip a coin when it comes to forecasting the weather for the marathon on sunday. i will explain in a second but first i want to show this broadband of cloud, this is where the front that has swept across the country today. it produced gales up to 100 mph in cairngorm, closer to the coast more like 60 miles an hour and this is basically our weather for the weekend. 0nce basically our weather for the weekend. once this weather front is out of the way and pushes into the north sea, we are left in the wake of it with clear spells this evening and then sunny spells and showers tomorrow but the winds will be brisk. this is what it looks like at 8am. you can see showers across scotland, northern ireland, some in the north west of england. the morning temperatures will be typically around ten, 12 degrees, so a fresh morning out there. let's have a look at the forecast for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. these lines are called isobars, the closer they are, t

nicholas witchell, bbc news.gs, who's live in windsor for us. hello, everyone. welcome to windsor, the final resting place of the late queen and where a service has been held in st george's chapel in honour of her life. here on the long walk, tens of thousands of people came to pay their respects. they stood very silently, solemnly, for the funeral procession, then they stayed to watch the committal service on lots of large screens set up. what stood out for be amongst people's reflections and emotions they were feeling was the moment when the queen's coffin was lowered into the royal vault, and we heard the lone piper play. for many, it has been the sound of the pipes today, because when i looked around, there were people literally in tears. it was a very emotional moment, that moment. windsorfeels a deep was a very emotional moment, that moment. windsor feels a deep sense of affection for the queen. she was their neighbour, often spotted walking through these grounds. they feel like they had a real connection w

nicholas witchell, bbc news.e for people to pay their respects to the late queen has now been closed after reaching capacity, but the general queue remains open for now. our correspondent chi chi izundu has been chatting to some of those waiting for their moment to honour queen elizabeth in westminster hall. the grief of the grandchildren, among them the prince of wales. sharing their vigil with the public. fortuitous timing for those paying their respects to the queen. we were lucky because the queen's grandchildren were there. so brave. especially young james. so that was really unexpected. but it was so moving. so very, very moving. complete privilege. absolute privilege to see them honouring their grandmother. i a moment that - i won't ever forget. to see her grandchildren respecting her like that, it was so moving, really moving. it was a busy day for king charles and william, who earlier personally thanked those queueing for hours. the back has gone. the general expression. it was amazing. we met both in on

nicholas witchell, bbc news.ll the while the queen was making her lastjourney from making her last journey from scotland making her lastjourney from scotland king charles was on his first visit to northern ireland as monitor. the king and the queen concert greeted crowds that had been waiting. his majesty went onto conversations with political leaders including those who want northern ireland to leave the uk and become a part of the republic of ireland. a special correspondent aaron little as this. it is his 40th visit to northern ireland, so he knows the village of royal hillsborough well, but this is the first time his car has flown the royal standard of the sovereign. the warmth of the public welcome was unmistakable. this is what this tour of the nations is for — direct engagement, informal and relaxed, between the new monarch and the people. they lingered, devoting more time to this than the formal schedule allowed. his late mother famously remarked that she had to be seen to be believed. public visibility i

nicholas witchell, thanks for joining us.last hour, the accessible queue has now formally been closed after reaching capacity, ahead of the queen's funeral. the lying—in—state is open until early monday morning but officials are warning the general queue will have to close well before then. chi chi izundu has been chatting to some of those already in the queue to pay their respects. the pomp and the ceremony, and a personal royal thank you for the hours stood in the cold. you look well dressed.. good trainers, warm jacket. yes! it means an awful lot that you are here. you could see the pain he was suffering. - and he just basically said, "bless you, thank you." . overnight, one after the other, thousands continued to queue. anyone else got a blanket? thank you very much. a cold night, a long walk, and free blankets. creative measures being used to relieve the boredom. we have been queueing for 13 hours. how has it been? very dull. laughter it has been quite hard, hasn't it? yeah. chilly at times. wristband, please. also out i

nicholas witchell, bbc news.at 8pm, there was a minute's silence for a national moment of reflection. across the uk people came together to pause and to remember on the eve of the state funeral. fergal keane reports. piper plays. the flowers of the forest echoing across a scottish mountainside. a lament for the fallen, played now in tribute to a queen. and then, on the cusp of silence, in blackpool, the going down of lights. then out of silence, into the anthem celebrating a new monarch. god save the king. # god save our gracious king. # long live our noble king. # god save the king. # send him victorious. # happy and glorious. # long to reign over us. # god save the king #. applause. across the land it was a gathering of strangers. for whom the queen was the unifying symbol. i'm just paying respects to the queen and just to mark the passing of an era. i don't think we'll see the likes of our queen again. you know, she's been such a role model all our lives, really. she was very important i to me and i'm starting

nicholas witchell, bbc news.are waiting for many hours to file past the queen's coffin, but despite the delay they've been patient and good humoured. our correspondent lucy manning has spent the day speaking to those queuing. how to say goodbye? for some, a moment of reflection. for others, a gesture of respect. deep emotion filled the silence of westminster hall. every person they felt like they were the only person walking through. it didn't feel like there was a crowd. it felt like you are in the presence of something. very emotional, very powerful in there. you don't get the feeling i if you're watching it on tv. sorry, but to be there i was something special. it's impressive, once you get in there, the silence the day had been traditionally british. the queen and queues. stretching miles down the river thames, past the houses of parliament, the london eye, towards tower bridge. in its own way, magisterial. those at the front had camped overnight, braved the heavy rain and cold, but stayed in good spirits. nu