It was the day that world leaders swapped diplomatic vehicles for buses as they made their method to the Queen’s funeral in unconventional type.
With a couple of exceptions, heads of state, prime ministers and ambassadors from the world over travelled to the Royal Hospital Chelsea amid tight safety.
They then boarded coaches transporting them two miles to the service at Westminster Abbey which started at 11am.
Police closed down entry to the roads surrounding the hospital, residence of the Chelsea Pensioners, a few of whom have been seen strolling in teams in direction of Westminster.
Uniformed officers turned away and redirected bemused cyclists, joggers and canine walkers again in direction of Sloane Sq. as a small crowd of residents and journalists gathered on the pavement.
From round 7.30am, a succession of vehicles with blacked out home windows and diplomatic quantity plates arrived, together with police escorts in 4x4s, sweeping down Decrease Sloane Avenue to a checkpoint by Turk’s Row.
There was a transparent order of attendees, with presidents and prime ministers the primary to reach, adopted by overseas royalty and at last the Chinese language contingent.
African leaders have been among the many first, with Sudan’s navy chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan crossing the cordon, adopted by delegations from Malawi and Nigeria.
Extra presidents and prime ministers adopted in a succession of high-performance autos, together with Taoiseach Micheal Martin and European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen.
The German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier rode in a smooth, darkish BMW.
Quickly after, Italian president Sergio Mattarella arrived in his embassy’s Maserati, drawing appreciative feedback on Twitter from his compatriots.
Subsequent got here royalty, King Philippe of Belgium arriving in a ceremonial uniform with gold collar whereas King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain waved to the small crowd.
Not every little thing ran easily. The automotive carrying the Emir of Qatar, the one car flying its nationwide flag from its bonnet, was pressured to attend in entrance of tv cameras for 20 minutes on the checkpoint whereas law enforcement officials spoke forwards and backwards on their radios.
Finally, it was allowed to enter.
Final to reach was Chinese language vice-president Wang Qishan, sweeping by means of the checkpoint at velocity in a motorcade a number of autos lengthy.
In contrast to his fellow dignitaries, Mr Wang didn't even should pause for entry.
One member of the general public on a zebra crossing simply exterior the cordon grew to become briefly stranded in the course of the street however was waved by means of by an officer seconds earlier than the Chinese language diplomatic convoy arrived.
From the Royal Hospital, a succession of coaches took the overseas dignitaries alongside the banks of the Thames to Westminster Abbey and the Queen’s funeral. US President Joe Biden travelled individually in an armoured car, nicknamed The Beast, which was held up in site visitors on the way in which to the Abbey however arrived shortly after 10am.
The shut safety operation across the Queen’s funeral was the most important ever run by the Metropolitan Police as tons of of overseas dignitaries attended the funeral.
The transport association is known to have been made resulting from a street capability subject round Westminster.
Some commentators on Twitter likened the world leaders’ coaches to high school buses.