THE nation's farewell to the Queen Mother takes place with a funeral service, largely planned and approved by herself, at Westminster Abbey at 11.30am tomorrow.

The ceremonial begins earlier, with the Bearer Party of the Irish Guards arriving at Westminster Hall at 10.40am.

Between 10.45 and 10.50am Royals, including the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex, Princes William and Harry, Peter Phillips and Viscount Linley, will join senior military figures and courtiers outside the North Door.

At 11.02am the Bearer Party will leave Westminster Hall and move to the south of the catafalque.

The last Vigil of the Watch, provided by the Irish Guards, will leave the catafalque and form up on the West side of Westminster Hall.

At 11.05am the Bearer Party will lift the coffin and, preceded by the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord Chancellor and the Speaker, carry it to the gun carriage outside the North Door.

The coffin will process from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey.

At 9.45am the abbey doors will open, and heads of state and other VIPs will arrive.

By 10.50am the Royals not in the procession will arrive at Buckingham Palace.

At 11.05am members of the Royal Family will be received at Westminster Abbey by the Dean and Chapter.

At 11.07am visiting clergy, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, will enter the abbey.

At 11.10am Royal Family members, foreign royals and members of the Queen Mother's family will be seated.

At 11.12am the Queen will leave Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey, arriving at 11.16am. At 11.18am the Queen and others will be seated.

At 11.25am the gun carriage will halt outside the abbey, and the bearer party will remove the coffin, which at 11.30am will be carried inside.

At 12.15pm, after the service, the bearer party will lift the coffin and carry it to the hearse outside.

As the coffin passes the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior the Massed Pipes and Drums will play a lament.

The Prince of Wales and the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne will follow the coffin.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will wait at the Great West Door to watch the coffin's departure.

At 12.30pm the bearer party will place the coffin in the hearse and five minutes later the procession will leave for Windsor.

Updated: 11:03 Monday, April 08, 2002