Northland Navy specialist marches to accompany Queen's casket during funeral service

Northland RNZ Navy specialist Anya Ruri pictured with Prince William before being part of the Commonwealth defence contingent who marched in the procession taking the Queen's casket to Westminster Abbey. Photo / AP

A Northland woman had a unique, first-hand experience of the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II - she was one of 24 Defence Force personnel from around the world who marched in the procession taking the Queen's casket to Westminster Abbey.

The Royal New Zealand Navy's Leading Youth Development Specialist (LYDS) Anya Ruri was one of 24 New Zealand Defence Force sailors, soldiers and aviators - alongside Australian and Canadian personnel in the Commonwealth contingent - marching from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch in London on Monday morning.

While the procession down The Mall was daunting, in view of millions around the world, LYDS Ruri says her "unforgettable moment" was when the Queen's coffin was placed into the Royal hearse at the conclusion of the procession, at Wellington Arch.

The Queen died at the age of 96 on Thursday, September 8, while at Balmoral Castle, after 70 years on the throne – making her the longest-ruling monarch in the UK's history.

Ruri said during the ceremony she had been trying to look ahead while standing at attention, but out of the corner of her eye, she watched.

"It gave me shivers down my spine. We had been standing there for ages, and it was hot, and then it was that moment when I went cold. It was indescribable. We were sore from marching, and standing there, and that made it all worth it."

The NZ Defence Force contingent arrived a week earlier and spent that week preparing at Pirbright Army Camp in Surrey. In the early hours of Thursday morning (UK time), they were part of a full dress rehearsal with UK Armed Forces on the Mall.

Northland Navy specialist Anya Ruri was part of the Commonwealth Defence Force contingent that escorted Queen Elizabeth's casket to Westminster Abbey last week. Photo / AP

A highlight of the week was the visit of William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, to Pirbright on Friday to thank the Commonwealth contingents for coming so far. The New Zealand contingent returned the thanks by performing the Defence Force haka.

Ruri grew up in Okaihau and Kaikohe, attending Northland College before moving to Whangārei, and she joined the Navy in 2002.

"I wanted to travel and meet lifelong friends. And play sport. I play everything in the Navy. The military is really good for sport."

The Queen's funeral was watched by 37.5 million people in the UK, and around four billion people worldwide.

The figures, which account for half the UK's population, mark the biggest audience for a UK broadcast in history, and surpass the numbers of Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, which peaked at around 30 million – however, it should be noted that the latest figures included more than just the traditional TV broadcast.