Inside the abbey, a funeral fit for a leader

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A piper plays during the funeral of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, in London, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. (Phil Noble/Pool Photo via AP)

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Flowers on the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the Committal Service in St George’s Chapel in Windsor, England, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)

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King Charles III, Camilla, the Queen Consort and other members of the Royal family follow behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign’s orb and sceptre, as it is carried out of Westminster Abbey after her State Funeral, in London, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (Gareth Cattermole/Pool Photo via AP)

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The bearer party with the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it is taken from Westminster Abbey, London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022 at the end of service during the State Funeral of the late monarch. (Gareth Fuller/Pool Photo via AP)

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A view of the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, at Westminster Abbey, in London, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (Jack Hill/Pool Photo via AP)

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From top row from left, Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Therese Coffey, Hugh O’Leary, Prime Minister Liz Truss, middle row left to right, Carrie Johnson, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Philip May, former Prime Minister Theresa May, former Prime Minister David Cameron, Samantha Cameron, bottom row left to right, Sarah Brown, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Cherie Blair, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Lady Norma Major and former Prime Minister John Major, attend the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, held at Westminster Abbey, London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (Gareth Fuller/Pool Photo via AP)

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The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is carried into Westminster Abbey for the funeral service, in central London, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (Dominic Lipinski/Pool via AP)

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The Bearer Party of The Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards carries the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey in central London, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. The Queen, who died aged 96 on Sept. 8, will be buried at Windsor alongside her late husband, Prince Philip, who died last year. (Ben Stansall/Pool via AP)

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King Charles III, center, attend the committal service for Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, England, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (Joe Giddens/Pool Photo via AP)

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Britain’s Prince Andrew pets one of the royal corgis as they await the cortege on the day of the state funeral and burial of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle, Monday Sept. 19, 2022. (Peter Nicholls/Pool Photo via AP)

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Camilla, the Queen Consort, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Kate, Princess of Wales, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince Michael and Prince Edward stand after a service at Westminster Abbey on the day of the state funeral and burial of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth in London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (Hannah Mckay/Pool Photo via AP)

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The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is carried into Westminster Abbey for her funeral in central London, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, Pool)

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King Charles III salutes as he leaves Westminster Abbey following the state funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey in central London on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

By Danica Kirka

LONDON (AP) — I couldn’t see the lone piper. But it didn’t matter.

As the sounds of the Scottish lament, “Sleep, Dearie, Sleep,” faded into the silence of Westminster Abbey, it finally struck me that Queen Elizabeth II was really gone.

The queen loved bagpipes so much that she had a piper play under her window for 15 minutes every morning, so those notes disappearing into the ether had a sense of finality, in a grand, show-stopping way.

Monday’s state funeral was filled with those kinds of moments as Britain said good-bye to its longest-serving monarch with all the pageantry the nation is known for.

The black-clad mourners included the royal family, seven British prime ministers and hundreds of dignitaries from around the world, including U.S. President Joe Biden.

But it was the colors that caught my eye.

The dark clothing was just a backdrop for decorations of all kinds. Military medals gleamed from the chests of old soldiers, and civilians sported ribbons denoting civilian honors bestowed by the queen.

There were Knights of the Garter in blue velvet capes. Trumpeters with long silver instruments festooned with banners. Soldiers in gleaming plumed-helmets and the army veterans known as Chelsea Pensioners, resplendent in their traditional scarlet tunics.

“It was like something out of a fairy tale,” said Bertram Leon, who was recently awarded a British Empire Medal for service to the St. Lucian community. “You know, it was amazing, beautifully well done — orchestrated, which is what you expected.”

I witnessed the spectacle from a seat in the abbey’s north transept, my view obstructed by a great stone pillar. That’s partly why I couldn’t see the piper.

But so what? It didn’t matter. It was enough to be part of the crowd.

Watching the world leaders file in, I wished I had a scorecard with little photographs to figure out who was who. There were so many of them — who could keep track?

Then came the royals, led by King Charles III in full military uniform, a sword on his hip.

But behind the pomp and circumstance, this was about honoring the late queen and her lifetime of service to Britain and the Commonwealth.

And it was the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who captured that better than any parade or procession.

Welby reminded the congregation of the queen’s speech during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic — when frightened Britons were stuck in their homes unable to see friends and family.

Elizabeth, a symbol of stability for 70 years, echoed the words of a World War II-era song by Vera Lynn — and assured the nation that “We will meet again.”

Welby’s words reminded me of the night I listened to that speech, and wondered what the future would hold. I was frightened too — wasn’t everyone?

So somehow this immense state funeral service suddenly became very personal. Amid all the pomp and pageantry, we were all invited to think about that night— about what the queen meant to us in that awful, pandemic time.

So whatever it was, the words or the guardsmen or the choristers, I can tell you one thing: At the end of the service, the congregation stood and sang “God Save the King’’ with such gusto that it almost felt as if the abbey walls were shaking. If nothing else, the nation’s long-time leader was leaving center stage.

I can’t say for sure, of course. But I think it will take this country some time to remember that the first line of the national anthem is no longer “God Save our gracious Queen.’’

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Follow AP coverage of Queen Elizabeth II at https://apnews.com/hub/queen-elizabeth-ii