It has been almost two weeks since the Queen's death was announced, plunging the country into a period of national mourning alongside introducing the world to a new monarch in her eldest son King Charles III.

The last 12 days have proved to be a historical time for both country and county and here we take a look back at how Kent has paid its respects to England's longest-reigning monarch as she is finally laid to rest.

Thursday, September 8

Within minutes of the Queen's death being announced, flags across Kent on public buildings, within schools and in town and city centres were lowered to half mast as a mark of respect, while the nation watched and waited for further news of a national period of mourning.

Friday, September 9

Less than 24 hours after the Queen passed away at her Scottish home in Balmoral, floral tributes began appearing at memorials, statues and in churches across Kent.

In Dartford, flowers were left at the town's war memorial, with the same happening in Sittingbourne town centre where one note on a bunch of flowers at the monument read: "So proud to call you our Queen, we will miss you."

In Gravesend floral tributes appeared very early on Friday morning at the foot of the Queen Elizabeth II statue in St Andrew's Gardens while a black flag and wreath were hung outside Thames House in Royal Pier Road.

Over in Canterbury scores of people arrived to leave flowers outside the city's Cathedral where there are statues of both the Queen and her husband Prince Philip, which the royal couple came to see unveiled in 2015. There were also tributes in neighbouring Herne Bay on the pier and in Whitstable.

At midday muffled bells were rung across Kent, joining churches around the UK, ahead of a 1pm gun salute for the Queen in Hyde Park.

Books of condolence were also opened in town centres - joining a virtual book launched by the Royal Family. King Charles III also appeared in front of the nation for the first time in a televised address on Friday evening.

Saturday, September 10

The first weekend following the Queen's death saw a number of events in Kent called off or postponed as a mark of respect. Among them Herne Bay Pride, Canterbury Duck Race and a music festival in Tonbridge. The Football Association also cancelled all fixtures across the country from league games to under 18s grassroots football.

With the King being formally proclaimed in Central London - Union flags in Kent were also brought back to full mast ahead of the county's turn on Sunday to announce the arrival of a new monarch, while shop windows began displaying their own hand-crafted tributes to the late monarch.

The day ended with a somewhat surprise joint appearance by Princes William and Harry, and their wives, outside the gates of Windsor Castle where they looked at the flowers left by well-wishers and spoke to waiting crowds.

Sunday, September 11

Last Sunday saw hundreds of people turn out in towns across Kent to hear the county proclaim its new monarch King Charles III.

Maidstone, as the county town of Kent, started the local proclamations as part of a tradition dating back centuries, where on-lookers cheered "God Save the King" before singing the newly-styled national anthem.

Local proclamations then followed in towns including Medway, Dover and Folkestone. In Canterbury hundreds of people poured into the city's Buttermarket area close to Canterbury Cathedral - where a service had been led by Archbishop Justin Welby early that morning.

As the late Queen's coffin left Balmoral in Scotland on a six-hour journey to Edinburgh, the Most Rev Welby told the dozens of well-wishers who came to the Cathedral on Sunday that the late Queen felt like a "near-eternal point of stability" for the nation.

Monday, September 12

With further details about the Queen's state funeral confirmed, and a bank holiday having been declared during the weekend's proclamations, schools and nurseries in Kent started confirming their plans to close on the day of the Queen's funeral.

In Edinburgh, the Queen's coffin was moved to St Giles Cathedral with thousands of people taking to the streets to witness her journey while on doorsteps around the country at 7pm a clap for the Queen took place, an unofficial event organised by a Kent resident.

Tuesday, September 13

Supermarkets, high street shops and popular tourist attractions began announcing their plans to close for the Queen's funeral.

Major retailers including Primark, John Lewis, Sainsbury's and M&S were among those to say they would be shutting their doors to customers, while visitor attractions including National Trust properties, museums and cinemas also confirmed they too would close for the day. Councils in Kent also started cancelling or postponing bin collections scheduled for Monday to give their staff the opportunity to watch events in London.

Overnight trains between Kent and London, to be run by operator Southeastern, were also confirmed to help transport those who wished to visit the Queen's coffin at Westminster Hall before Monday morning.

Wednesday, September 14

People from Kent joined the thousands who started making their way to London to join queue along the River Thames to see the Queen's coffin lying-in-state.

Hours before the line even opened people were being warned that they faced hours of waiting - with security minister and Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat promising that a major effort had gone into making sure as many people as possible could pay their respects.

It was a couple from west Kent who were among some of the first to say goodbye to the late monarch. Valerie Prebble, 68, and her partner Neil Emberley, 67, who live near Maidstone came together to give their thanks for the Queen's service.

Mr Emberley, dressed in his Scout leader uniform, said it was “very emotional for someone that we’ve known all our lives and also she’s a patron of the Scouts, so I had to come and pay my respects."

Thursday, September 15

A great-great-great-grandmother from Sheppey shared details and photographs of the time she met King Charles and gave him the nickname "Char Char".

Kathy Martin, from Minster met the then Prince of Wales in London in May 1981. The 91-year-old even appeared in the Daily Express which carried a picture of her after she was caught on camera taking the future King’s photograph.

The mum-of-eight recalled: "Prince Charles got out the car and walked along as people were all waving and cheering. As he came near me I said to him 'Can I have a picture Char Char?

"They all looked at me calling him 'Char Char'.

"I should've said Prince Charles! But he said 'yes', stood still and I took the picture."

Friday, September 16

With hundreds of mourners continuing to board trains and make their way to London from Kent, it was announced the public queue to attend the Queen’s lying in state was having to be paused after reaching capacity.

There were also warnings from the Met Office for people intending to camp out to wrap up warm as weather forecasts predicted some colder than average nights in the south east ahead of Monday's funeral.

Among those to have filed past the Queen prior to the weekend was an award-winning carriage driver from Kent, who met the Queen at numerous horse shows.

Michael Malone from Brenchley queued for more than 11 hours to see the coffin at Wesminster Hall to pay his respects.

Saturday, September 17

A musical Kent family, who went viral with their popular lockdown songs during the pandemic, shared their own touching tribute to The Queen this weekend.

The Marsh household, who live in Faversham, put their own mark on the Sound of Music's Edelweiss to remember the life of the much-loved monarch.

Sunday, September 18

Sporting fixtures across this weekend started with a minute's silence for The Queen.

From Kent cricketers to grassroots children's football teams, thousands lined up on pitches around the county ahead of Monday's funeral to pay their own respects.

Here at KentOnline we took a look back at what life was like in 1952 at the start of the Queen's reign and how the county reacted to the death of her father King George VI.

Monday, September 19

The last of Kent's overnight trains ran through the county and the capital to take mourners to and from London before the Queen's funeral as the queue to see Her Majesty in Westminster Hall also closed to new entrants.

While many were returning from London having visited the official floral tributes, station platforms also saw growing numbers of passengers trying to get to the capital early on Monday morning for the state funeral.

The final groups passed by the late monarch's coffin at 6.30am before viewing was closed ahead of her 11am funeral service.

People from Kent described watching history unfold as they joined around one million mourners lining the streets of London as Her late Majesty's coffin made its final journey.

It was seen in public for the final time before being lowered into the Royal Vault at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, drawing to a close an emotional farewell to Britain's longest-reigning monarch.