More than 10,000 military personnel are to perform their “last duty” with the Queen during her state funeral, the Chief of the Defense Staff has said.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said the “enormous” planning for the service at Westminster Abbey on Monday had been “for a long time” and told how military chiefs had been told to “up their game ” and listen to a metronome at the age of 75. beats per minute in order to achieve the appropriate rhythm for the funeral procession.
He said 6,000 military personnel will be part of the procession that will line the route to London and Windsor, where the late monarch’s coffin will arrive for a televised service at the castle, with more than 10,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen in total.
Admiral Sir Tony told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “For all of us, this is our last duty to Her Majesty the Queen and it is our first outstanding duty to His Majesty King Charles, and we are representing the nation, we” are representing our mothers, our grandmothers, our fathers, our friends and everyone is very aware of that.”
He added: “So the army, the Royal Navy, the Air Force, but also our officials, and we’re helping other people in London, the emergency services, some of the volunteers as well, and for this to be a sad occasion . . , but it is done with the utmost respect and also affection.”