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The reason why the Queen’s body left Buckingham Palace at 2:22pm
Published 11:00 15 Sept 2022 BST
Homenews
Many have speculated that there’s a biblical significance behind the timing.
When the King Charles II and his sons Prince Harry and Prince William walked behind the Queen's coffin on Wednesday, they left Buckingham Palace at exactly 2.22pm. The royal family accompanied Queen Elizabeth's on foot on the journey to Westminster Hall where hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pay their respects after queueing for what could be as much as 40 hours. But as the Queen’s body left Buckingham Palace and arrived at Westminster Hall at 3 pm, many have speculated that there’s a biblical significance behind the timing. [caption id="attachment_358324" align="alignnone" width="2048"]
The Queen died on Thursday (Credit: Getty Images)[/caption]
According to people who follow the teachings in the Bible, the number 222 is a compelling message from God as the scripture reveals it symbolises unity, love, and our relationship with God.
Also, Jesus Christ is also believed to have died on the Cross at 3pm, meaning the time of 2.22pm could have been chosen to ensure the procession arrives at Westminster Hall at that time.
The Queen was herself a devout believer and was Supreme Governor of the Church of England as monarch.
Daily Mail also reported that the Queen’s body leaving at 2:22 pm could also be in reference to her father, King George VI. After he died in 1952 the bells rang 56 times at Windsor, one for each year of his life - from 1.27 pm until 2:22 pm. Another reason for the timing could allude to the monarch’s Platinum Jubilee, which was marked this year on February 2022 (2/22), marking 70 years of the Queen's reign. [caption id="attachment_358406" align="alignnone" width="2048"]
People gather in tribute as the cortege with the hearse carrying the coffin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, passes down the Royal Mile, Edinburgh(Photo by Andrew O'Brien/WPA Pool/Getty Images)[/caption]
While the palace hasn't disclosed the exact reason for the timing, that hasn’t stopped the theories being shared online.
As the procession began Wednesday (September 13), mourners from around the globe gathered to say one last farewell to the royal in central London.
The Queen’s funeral is predicted to become the most watched global broadcast in history with 4.1 billion people expected to tune in to Monday's state funeral.
The funeral will air on BBC One, BBC News, and BBC iPlayer, while ITV will air the event live and uninterrupted on its main channel and simultaneously on all of its digital channels. An international audience of millions is also expected to tune into the historic moment.
Carolina Beltramo, TV analyst at WatchTVAbroad.com, told Metro: "Such is the love and admiration for Queen Elizabeth II around the world that her funeral is destined to be the biggest live TV event in history."
Beltramo added: "Generations of people across the globe won’t have been alive the last time pomp and pageantry were seen on this scale. While it’s a sad occasion, they can be forgiven for being enthralled by a spectacle that echoes throughout history. For that reason alone they’ll be drawn to witness the dawn of this new age in their billions."
She predicted "no fewer" than 4.1bn people will watch the funeral, "as half the people on planet Earth pause to pay their respects."
[caption id="attachment_358407" align="alignnone" width="2048"]
The coffin carrying Queen Elizabeth II is seen leaving Balmoral Castle on September 11, 2022 i(Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)[/caption]
Monday is a national bank holiday and businesses across the UK have announced they will either be closed or operating under reduced hours, including McDonald's. Heathrow airport cancelled flights on Wednesday and hinted more are likely to be put off on Monday.
The coffin carrying the Queen will be taken in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral on Monday morning.
Senior members of the family are expected to follow behind – as they did for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh - and the military will also join in, and line the streets.
Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000. Early reports suggested 500 foreign dignitaries had been invited.
The coffin carrying Queen Elizabeth II is seen leaving Balmoral Castle on September 11, 2022 i(Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)[/caption]
Monday is a national bank holiday and businesses across the UK have announced they will either be closed or operating under reduced hours, including McDonald's. Heathrow airport cancelled flights on Wednesday and hinted more are likely to be put off on Monday.
The coffin carrying the Queen will be taken in a grand military procession from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral on Monday morning.
Senior members of the family are expected to follow behind – as they did for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh - and the military will also join in, and line the streets.
Heads of state, prime ministers and presidents, European royals and key figures from public life will be invited to gather in the abbey, which can hold a congregation of 2,000. Early reports suggested 500 foreign dignitaries had been invited.
etails of the Queen's funeral service can be found here.
The most watched TV broadcasts of all-time
- Live 8 in 2005 – 2billion
- Live Aid in 1985 – 1.9billion
- CCTV New Year's Gala in 2019 – 1.1billion
- Sydney New Year's Eve 2010–2011 in 2010 – 1.1billion
- Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 191 – 1billion
- First inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009 – 1billion
- The Wall – Live in Berlin in 1990 – 1billion
- Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011 – 1billion
- Munich massacre in 1972 – 900million
- The moon landing in 1969 – 652million
- Assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 – 600million
- Summer Olympics opening ceremony in 2008 - 593million
- Woman visits Queen’s coffin eight times in less than 24 hours
- The Queen’s funeral may finally tip UK into recession, economists suggest
- BBC to air Paddington films in honour of the Queen ahead of and on day of funeral
- Vanessa Feltz in heated clash with royal biographer for ‘fuelling anti-Meghan Markle faction’
- Man charged after Prince Andrew heckled during royal procession
