Queen Elizabeth II: Funeral to be shown in South's cinemas and parks

The Queen's state funeral will be screened in some cinemas and parks in the south of England, local councils and businesses have announced.

Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral on Thursday, aged 96.

A bank holiday across the UK was then approved by King Charles III for his mother's funeral on Monday.

While some businesses will close their doors to mark the proceedings, others will remain open to share the coverage.

Reading Borough Council announced it will hold a free "solemn screening" in Forbury Gardens, while Bracknell Forest Council will broadcast proceedings in Bond Square.

Bracknell Forest Mayor Ankur Shiv Bhandari told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the coverage would allow residents to "reflect collectively as a community".

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council said people in each of the three towns would be able to view the coverage at big screens in Poole Park, Christchurch Quay and Bournemouth's Lower Gardens.

While there is no formal event organised by Portsmouth City Council, the funeral will be shown on a big screen in Guildhall Square.

Winchester Cathedral will be opening to the public at 09:00 BST for people to watch the coverage.

In its announcement, it said: "We hope there will be an opportunity to join in with the hymns of the funeral service."

In Berkshire, the Baptist Church in Thatcham and The Foxes' Den Cafe in Binfield are also opening for people to watch the proceedings.

Wallingford Castle Gardens and Henley Market Place in Oxfordshire will also screen the funeral, and have asked attendees to bring seating for both locations.

Some cinemas, including Odeon and Hollywood Bowl, have said they would close but others will screen the state funeral.

People will be able to watch it at Curzon in Oxford, Plaza Cinema in Dorchester, Dorset, and at some Vue venues, including Bicester in Oxfordshire, Basingstoke, Eastleigh, Farnborough and Portsmouth in Hampshire, and Newbury and Reading in Berkshire - many of which are now sold out.

Nationally, the pub chains Stonegate, which owns Walkabout and Slug & Lettuce, and Greene King have also said some of their businesses will screen the proceedings.

Her Majesty's state funeral will take place on Monday in Westminster Abbey, attended by her family, senior UK politicians and heads of state from across the world, as well as representatives from the charities she supported.

Following the funeral, the coffin will travel in procession from the abbey to Wellington Arch and from there it will travel to Windsor.

The state hearse will then take the coffin along the Long Walk to St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, for the committal service.

A televised committal service for Her Majesty will then take place.

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead council said there would be public viewing areas on The Long Walk in Windsor for the committal, along with viewing screens to watch the service in Westminster Abbey.

It also said there would be water stations, toilets, catering and waste facilities provided.

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