Bank Holiday for the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

This one-off bank holiday was declared for the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Monday 19 September. The Queen had died at Balmoral on 8 September, after a reign of more than seventy years, the longest of any British monarch. The bank holiday gave people across the UK the opportunity to pay their respects and to watch the funeral.

The day was announced at short notice, by royal proclamation from King Charles III, under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act.

A national day of mourning

The funeral service was held at Westminster Abbey, followed by a procession through London and a committal service at St George's Chapel, Windsor. In the days before, hundreds of thousands of people queued for hours to see the Queen lying in state in Westminster Hall. Schools, many shops and offices closed on the day, and a national minute's silence was held the evening before.

A one-off bank holiday

The bank holiday applied across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and does not return in later years. As with every bank holiday, there was no automatic right to the day off; many employers gave it, but it depended on the contract. It is shown on this site for historical reference.