Heathrow to stop flights during Queen Elizabeth's coffin procession

The queen will make her final journey when the cortege leaves Buckingham Palace for the Palace of Westminster

The hearse carrying the coffin of the queen arrives at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. AP

Flights will be delayed at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday during Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin procession.

The late monarch will make her final journey in the afternoon, when the cortege leaves Buckingham Palace for the Palace of Westminster, where the coffin will lie in state until her funeral on Monday.

The procession will leave the palace at 2.22pm, making its way along The Mall, Horse Guards Road, across Horse Guards Parade, on to Whitehall to Parliament Square and into the Palace of Westminster, arriving about 3pm.

The west London airport said it will be making "appropriate alterations to our operation".

Changes include flights being disrupted between 1.50pm and 3.40pm on Wednesday to "ensure silence over central London as the ceremonial procession moves from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall".

"Passengers will be notified by their airlines directly of any changes to flights,” said the airport in a statement.

"We anticipate further changes to the Heathrow operation on Monday, when Her Majesty's funeral is due to take place, and will communicate those in more detail over coming days.

"We apologise for the disruption these changes cause, as we work to limit the impact on the upcoming events."

Prince William and Prince Harry will join King Charles III to follow Queen Elizabeth II's coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall on foot.

Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips and her husband, Vice Adm Sir Tim Laurence, will also join the procession, in addition to Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, and David Armstrong-Jones, the Earl of Snowdon.

Queen Consort Camilla, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will travel by car.