The Final Journey – The Procession

Flags have been flown at half-mast across the country since her tragic death and thousands of people from across the world have signed the book of condolences at St James's Palace, many queuing through the night to make their mark.

The sombre cortege then passed Buckingham Palace to St James's Palace, where Diana's body has lain for the past week. At this point the carriage was joined by the rest of the procession which included some 500 representatives of charities linked with the Princess, including landmine victims, the disabled and children.

After passing down the Mall, the procession then travelled through Horse Guards Arch, along Whitehall and finally to historic Westminster Abbey for the funeral service.

Once the ceremony ended and the nation observed a minute's silence, the funeral cortege embarked on a two-and-a-half hour journey to the small village of Great Brington in Northamptonshire.

It first passed along Constitution Hill, between the Buckingham Palace garden wall and Green Park. The cortege then made history by going through the 169-year-old triumphal Wellington arch, normally used only by the Queen and close members of the Royal family.

Millions of people have turned out to pay their respects to Diana and giant television screens in Hyde Park – last used for the Pavarotti concert – relayed the scenes to those seeking to avoid the crowds around the route itself.

Skirting the east side of the park, the procession continued up Park Lane, passed the London flat of Dodi Fayed, Diana's close friend who was travelling in the Mercedes when the fatal crash occurred.

From there, the cortege passed around Marble Arch before entering Oxford Street. Many of the shops along the world-famous thoroughfare had closed their doors for the day as a mark of respect. The procession then joined Gloucester Place and continued on to Park Road, site of the spectacular Central London Mosque.

Following Wellington Road, Finchley Road, Hendon Way and the North Circular Road, the procession arrived at the M1 at Staples Corner, the scene of devastating IRA bomb attacks in 1992 and 1993.

All along the M1 between Staples Corner and junction 15A, where the cortege left the motorway, people have been mowing their lawns and tidying up in anticipation. The ten miles to Althorp House were travelled on the A43 dual carriageway and the A45 Upton Way. It then continued to Great Brington along Tollgate Way, Bant's Lane and the A428.

Police closed all roads to the town to anyone except locals and drafted in hundreds of officers to ensure the public's safety during the emotional occasion.

"The sensible thing to do is to watch the whole proceedings on television but for those people who do turn out there are plenty of vantage points," Assistant Chief Constable Frank Whiteley said."We expect people attending to act with dignity and respect for the occasion but at the same time we have to take account of the problems that may be caused by vast numbers of people wanting to get as close as possible."