The Queen's funeral will join a long list of other such global occasions which have attracted massive audiences and led to a huge outpouring of grief.
Around four million pilgrims descended on Rome for the Pope's funeral on 8 April 2005, with around 300,000 watching from inside The Vatican itself.At least 70 presidents and prime ministers, five kings, four queens were there - and it was described by some at the time as the biggest-ever gathering of world leaders.
Years before, De Gaulle had left detailed instructions for his funeral and said he didn't want a state event or any special titles bestowed on him. The 34-year-old's coffin, with one of his helmets on top, rested in a government building and people queued up to seven hours to pay their respects. There was a huge outpouring of grief - eight people died in a crush when her body was moved and thousands injured. Flowers were everywhere in Buenos Aires' streets.
His anti-West stance meant most world leaders stayed away - but pariahs such as Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President Lukashenko of Belarus, and Cuba's Raul Castro were guests of honour.The public queued for up to 24 hours to see him lying in state and the streets were thronged with hundreds of thousands of his supporters.
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