Winston Churchill: State funeral held in 1965

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September 2022 saw the funeral of a century: Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral, following a historic 70-year reign. February 15, 1952, was the last royal state funeral of Her Majesty’s father, King George VI, who had died early at the age of 56. Publicly funded state funerals are typically reserved for Monarchs only, however, this privilege can be extended to those who are deemed “exceptionally distinguished”.

Although Monarchs are granted state funerals, this does not extend to all royalty or even Monarch’s spouses. Princess Margaret — who died on February 9, 2002, at the age of 71 — and Princess Diana both had royal ceremonial funerals. As did Prince Philip, whose socially-distanced ceremony was held at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle during the pandemic in 2021 as the Duke of Edinburgh making it clear prior to his passing that he did not want any “fuss”.

Yet in the past, notable people who have comparatively humble beginnings have received such a “fuss”. Here, Express.co.uk explores five notable figures who were given this prestigious accolade.

Isaac Newton 

The greatest English mathematician of his generation, Isaac Newton, was given a state funeral. The intellectual, who famously discovered the laws of gravity when questioning why an apple fell as it did, died on March 20, 1727, at the age of 84.

His contemporaries took his body to lie in state in the Jerusalem Chamber of Westminster Abbey, where King Henry IV had died centuries before.

According to The London Gazette’s report from the time, “several eminent persons intimately acquainted with the deceased” were in attendance. It was there, at Westminster Abbey, that Newton was then buried.

Edith Cavell 

During the First World War, Edith Cavell worked tirelessly as a British nurse in German-occupied Belgium. From the Red Cross hospital, she treated hundreds of soldiers.

Then in 1914, she began helping smuggle soldiers out of Belgium into the Netherlands, which was neutral, for the best part of a year. Tragically, after 11 months, she was caught and arrested. Cavell, along with 34 others involved in the network, was found guilty and sentenced to death.

Before the 49-year-old was killed by a 16-man firing squad, she turned to the German priest and said “tell my loved ones later on that my soul, as I believe, is safe and that I am glad to die for my country”.

In honour of her selfless commitment to her country, Cavell was awarded a state funeral at Westminster Abbey when her body was returned to Britain in 1919.

Horatio Nelson

At the Battle of Trafalgar, now thought of as Britain’s greatest naval victory, in 1805, Admiral Nelson was fatally wounded by a sniper as he lead the Royal Navy to triumph.

Nelson died just hours after he was shot and his body was transported from Rosia Bay in Gibraltar to England famously in a barrel full of brandy to preserve it.

A state funeral was held in his honour with some 15,000 people lining the streets to pay their respects. He was then buried at St Paul’s cathedral. Nelson’s column, erected in 1840, now stands in Trafalgar Square, as a reminder of one of the British Navy’s most inspirational leaders.

Edward Carson

The Irish politician was granted a state funeral, held in Belfast’s St Anne’s Cathedral, upon his death in 1935. He is still the only person to have been buried there.

From 1910, he had led the Irish Unionist parliamentary party, passionately arguing for the union between Britain and its neighbour. He was also an accomplished lawyer, famously cross-examining the poet and playwright Oscar Wilde in 1895 who was ultimately imprisoned for homosexuality.

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Winston Churchill 

Several Prime Ministers have given a state funeral, most recently Winston Churchill, who is credited with leading Britain to victory during World War Two. For three days, he lay in state with some 350,000 people flocking to pay their respects — exceeding the reported numbers seen last year when the late Queen lay in state.

Churchill’s funeral on January 30, 1965, was a lavish affair. Some 350 million viewers watched as Big Ben chimed and a 90-gun salute was launched at London’s Hyde Park, marking the 90 years of the Conservative leader’s life.

State funerals were also held for three other Prime Ministers, namely William Gladstone in 1898, Viscount Palmerston in 1865, and The Duke of Wellington in 1852. Since Churchill, funerals of Britain’s leaders have tended to be more modest.

Margaret Thatcher was not given a state funeral, although some lobbied for her to have one. The leader from 1979 to 1990, who died in April 2013, was granted a ceremonial funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral instead which is just a rung below a state funeral. The same was given to Princess Diana and the Queen Mother.

The ceremony, which resembled a state funeral to “all intents and purposes” according to Whitehall, still required the Queen to give her approval and was paid for by the Government and Thatcher’s estate.

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