The Queen’s state funeral will be led by a former Watford Grammar School for Boys student, the Dean of Westminster.

The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle was born in Lancashire but moved to Hertfordshire as a child and was educated at Watford Grammar School before being ordained as a priest.

Some 2000 people will flock to the abbey, with presidents, prime ministers, kings and queens among 500 dignitaries travelling across the world to be there, as millions watch the events unfold on television.

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The Dean described leading the service as a “huge privilege”.

He said: “There’s a sense of responsibility that goes with it and just now and again, there’s a sort of sense of panic, but this place is good at what we do so we’ll be fine,

“For an awful lot of my colleagues, this is really quite personal.

"We welcomed Her Late Majesty a number of times.

“So a lot of my colleagues know her, respect her, admire her, and miss her now.”

He added: “Part of this is about remembering her significance, her place in history, her place in the nation and Commonwealth.

“But it’s a funeral. It’s for a grieving family. That’s really important, personal sorrow at the heart of this.”

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