The funeral of Britain's Queen Mother, who died ten days ago at the age of 101, has taken place in London. It was the biggest state occasion in Britain for some years.
Up to 400,000 people lined the streets to watch the Queen Mother's coffin move from the Great Hall at Westminster, where she had lain in state. Senior members of the Royal Family followed the coffin to Westminster Abbey.
President McAleese was among the 2,000 people inside the Abbey for the funeral service. She said that sadness at the Queen Mother's passing was mixed with wonderment at a life that had spanned a century.
"When the Queen Mother was born, she was to face two world wars, the aftermath of the Easter Rising and the amazing transformations which have taken place in the latter part of the century.
"These now allow us to enjoy the prospect of much better relationships between our two countries, part of which allows me to be here today to commemorate along with the people of the United Kingdom the passing of somebody who meant so much to so many people - an icon in many ways," said President McAleese.
The North's First and Deputy First Ministers, David Trimble and Mark Durkan, and the Northern Secretary, Dr John Reid, also attended the service.
Inside the Abbey, the coffin was borne by members of the Irish Guards. Amongst them was Gavin O'Neill, a 25-year-old guardsman from Dublin. After the service, the cortege began the journey to Windsor where the Queen Mother will be buried alongside her husband, the late King George VI.
Click here for a biography of the Queen Mother.
