Winston Churchill funeral anniversary: Where’s the best place along the Thames to watch the Havengore?
The boat that carried the coffin of Sir Winston Churchill down the River Thames during the statesman's funeral is recreating the journey as part of commemorations remembering the 50th anniversary of his death.
The Havengore is travelling from Tower Pier to Festival Pier today as it did on January 30 back in 1965, culminating in a short service and wreath-laying ceremony in the waters of the River Thames, opposite the Palace of Westminster.
Members of the Churchill family are on board the famous boat, which also carried members of the Royal family during 2012's Jubilee celebrations.
The Havengore is being escorted by a flotilla of boats including those from the Port of London Authority, the River Police, the Fire Service and the RNLI.
Churchill's funeral was televised live to a worldwide audience of 350m: the commemoration will also appear on TV live both in the UK and overseas.
But if you want to brave what is likely to be a cold January day to see it in the flesh, here are the best places to watch.
The boat was due to cast off from the HMS President at 12:40pm as a band played Rule Britannia. Five minutes later Tower Bridge opened and Scottish pipers were due to begin playing the bagpipes.
At 12:50 a four gun salute from the bow of HMS Belfast was due to sound. It was then due to pass from London Bridge to Waterloo, past the London Eye and reaching Westminster Bridge shortly before 1:15pm, when the service was due begin at the Houses of Parliament.
The wreath is due be cast onto the Thames at 1:30pm, at which point the Havengore will return to St Katharine's Pier.
Boris Johnson aboard the Havengore during the Jubilee celebrations (Source: Getty)
If you don't fancy jostling for elbow room on the bridges or along the river front, City Cruises and Thames Clippers have tickets available to watch from the water.
Tickets start at £49 for the Churchill Commemoration Afternoon Tea with City Cruises, which is due to follow the Havengore “at a respectful distance”, serving tea “in our heated saloon with large windows”.
Thames Clippers' Commemoration Tuckets are £65 a head and include a two-hour lunch and a £5 commemorative coin.