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Greater Victoria residents able to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II at Monday services

Several events scheduled for same day as state funeral in U.K.
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The hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped with the Royal Standard of Scotland, passes the City Chambers on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, on Sept. 11, on the journey from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, where it lay in rest for a day. Greater Victoria residents will have several opportunities to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II on Monday. (Jane Barlow/Pool Photo via AP)

Greater Victoria residents will have the opportunity to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II on Monday (Sept. 19) as a series of events are planned to coincide with the official state funeral in the U.K.

The province’s official ceremonial procession and commemorative service will start at the legislature grounds and walk to Christ Church Cathedral. Lt-Gov. Janet Austin, Premier John Horgan, members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and other dignitaries will take part, and a 21-gun salute will be fired.

The procession will start at 10:15 a.m., while the service – led by Rev. M. Ansley Tucker – will start at 11 a.m. Public seating inside the cathedral will be limited, and the service will be live streamed at christchurchcathedral.bc.ca/live.

Over on the West Shore, a memorial will be held at 11 a.m. in Langford at the cenotaph in Veterans Memorial Park. Procession members will be marching from the neighbouring Masonic hall.

In Sidney, the town will be hosting its service of remembrance at the Beacon Park bandshell starting at 10:30 a.m.

In addition to those events and others expected to be scheduled in the coming days, residents should expect municipal buildings and government offices to be closed on Monday, as the day has been declared a federal holiday.

“Over the last few days, British Columbians have joined with people across the country and around the world in an outpouring of support for the Royal Family over the loss of Queen Elizabeth II. Our government will follow the lead of the federal government and join with other provinces in observing the national day of mourning to mark the Queen’s funeral,” said Horgan in a news release. “We have advised provincial public-sector employers to honour this day in recognition of the obligations around federal holidays in the vast majority of provincial collective agreements.”

Public schools (K-12), public post-secondary institutions, and most Crown corporations will also be closed, however, the day is not being designated as a statutory holiday by the province. Private businesses are instead being “encouraged … to find a way to recognize or reflect on the day in a way that is appropriate for their employees.”

READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth II, longest-reigning monarch in British history, dies at 96

READ MORE: PHOTOS: Queen Elizabeth II in Canada over the years

READ MORE: Prime Minister says Monday will be federal holiday to mark Queen’s state funeral


 

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